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Tonight my husband went to take my blood pressure, and once it started pumping up, my hand went numb, turned dark red, my veins started bulging out, and my hand honestly felt like it was going to explode. I had to yank it off. It was scary. I typically have low blood pressure readings (110/70). My fingers are “tight” feeling everyday when I try to bend them. Does anybody know what would cause this? I’ve never had this happen before.
Blood tends to circulate better jn the evening. I know my hands and feet are usually very red and warm in the evening. My veins in ny hands bulge and my hands will turn almost purple if I just leave them hanging downwards. I think it was a combination of the time of day you took your blood pressure along with the fact that blood pressure cuffs squeeze your arm and logically trap the blood into one place. Come to think of it this happens to me most times I get my blood pressure taken. My hands het tingly and numb too.
Chris,
Blood tends to circulate better jn the evening. I know my hands and feet are usually very red and warm in the evening.
I think it happens to men. Women usually have cold hands and feet in the evening. At least it so in my family.
Linda L.I tried taking it one more time this afternoon, and it was the same way. It’s very scary. This is way beyond tingling. It feels as if my hand is going to explode. I’m not able to take it at all.
@Ariel wrote:
I tried taking it one more time this afternoon, and it was the same way. It’s very scary. This is way beyond tingling. It feels as if my hand is going to explode. I’m not able to take it at all.
Hi Ariel,
Are you still experiencing lymphedema? If so, my guess is that your BP cuff experience is related to this. Definitely something to run by your doctor as there may be a better way to take it till this resolves for you.
Had any labs run recently?
Maz, I believe you are right that it’s the Lymphedema causing this. I didn’t realize it until after I’d posted.
No new labs yet. I had tried a new GP, but it wasn’t a good thing 🙁 This is so difficult for me, because I had the same doctors for years and years while I had little to no health issues. Now that I have bigger health issues, my GP became the CFO of the hospital, and I just can’t find another one like him.
Dr. S just added Zithro to my routine, so hopefully that will help with the increasing joint symptoms. The rheumatologist thinks I have RA and Lymphedema as well. Hoping I see some improvement soon.
@Ariel wrote:
Maz, I believe you are right that it’s the Lymphedema causing this. I didn’t realize it until after I’d posted.
Dr. S just added Zithro to my routine, so hopefully that will help with the increasing joint symptoms. The rheumatologist thinks I have RA and Lymphedema as well. Hoping I see some improvement soon.
Hopefully, that’s your answer, Ariel, as would make sense. I have read that they actually tell women who have had mastectomies and lymphedema in their arms due to lymph node removal, not to use a blood pressure cuff. Let’s hope the addition of zith is going to be helpful to you. Let us know how you get on. Zith can cause some herxing, so just a heads up on that and hope you’re able to stay on some kind of comfortable (for you) detox regimen, especially during this time.
Actually my lymphedema isn’t from having had any type of cancer. The doctor thinks I’ve likely had it my whole life and didn’t know it until now….that the RA caused it to rear its ugly head. Lymphedema isn’t common in this manner, so many times it doesn’t get diagnosed. I have a brother with very bad swelling issues, and he’s going to get checked for lymphedema.
Thank you for the heads up with the Zithro, Maz. I sure hope I don’t experience anything much. In October when I started AP, my main symptoms were in my hands. Now it’s hands, ankles, toes, wrists, and elbows. I’m also having a lot of headaches. Sure hope relief comes soon.
@Ariel wrote:
Actually my lymphedema isn’t from having had any type of cancer. The doctor thinks I’ve likely had it my whole life and didn’t know it until now….that the RA caused it to rear its ugly head. Lymphedema isn’t common in this manner, so many times it doesn’t get diagnosed. I have a brother with very bad swelling issues, and he’s going to get checked for lymphedema.
Thank you for the heads up with the Zithro, Maz. I sure hope I don’t experience anything much. In October when I started AP, my main symptoms were in my hands. Now it’s hands, ankles, toes, wrists, and elbows. I’m also having a lot of headaches. Sure hope relief comes soon.
Hi Ariel,
Yes, I’d recalled talking about this with you about the lymphedema before and that you had no history of cancer. I’d just read about lymphedema in cancer patients (dos and don’t) and just thought the fluid build-up from the lymphedema might be similarly causing your BP cuff issues.
As your brother is also going to be checked for this health condition, have you thought about getting genetic testing for this? An additional avenue is to see an infectious diseases doc for a work-up on the lymphedema as the medical literature states it can be caused by both infections and parasites (Mayo).
Lymphedema, itself, can cause increased pain levels due to swollen tissues causing pressure on surrounding structures, like nerves. At times, it might be hard to discern what is RA pain/swelling/inflam and what is due to lymphedema.
Am sure this must be very unpleasant for you, Ariel, but do hope that you can find a doc who will do an infectious disease work-up and, as both you and your bro suffer from it, to get genetic testing to see if you have a shared predisposition to any relevant inherited disorders.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lymphedema/basics/causes/CON-20025603
Did you get your IGenex results back yet?
No, I haven’t sent anything to IGENX; because when I went to the new GP, she didn’t see the need. Spent 8 minutes with me, gave me a referral to University of IA Hospital and said ‘see you in a year’. It was awful.
I’m very confused about my health issues. I will be seeing a rheumatologist at U of I in mid-March. In the meantime, I’m hoping to find another GP.
The local rheumy didn’t mention anything about lymphedema being caused by an infection, only mentioned genetic. When I go to U of I, I planned to bring up genetic testing, if necessary.
I know we had discussed ACA Lyme, but when I look at the pictures, I don’t have the bluish-red coloring that seemed to be in every picture I saw.
I’ve been having night sweats every night for the last 2 weeks. I read where that can happen with RA.
I sure hope adding the Zithro helps.
@Ariel wrote:
No, I haven’t sent anything to IGENX; because when I went to the new GP, she didn’t see the need. Spent 8 minutes with me, gave me a referral to University of IA Hospital and said ‘see you in a year’. It was awful.
I’m very confused about my health issues. I will be seeing a rheumatologist at U of I in mid-March. In the meantime, I’m hoping to find another GP.
The local rheumy didn’t mention anything about lymphedema being caused by an infection, only mentioned genetic. When I go to U of I, I planned to bring up genetic testing, if necessary.
I know we had discussed ACA Lyme, but when I look at the pictures, I don’t have the bluish-red coloring that seemed to be in every picture I saw.
I’ve been having night sweats every night for the last 2 weeks. I read where that can happen with RA.
I sure hope adding the Zithro helps.
Hi Ariel,
Right on the Mayo website, it lists causes of lymphedema:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lymphedema/basics/causes/con-20025603
It may cone down to figuring out whether it’s primary or secondary lymphedema. If secondary, then infections can very much be a cause when not due to cancer, radiation for cancer or surgery. Primary lymphedema is in another category of disorders, such as late onset lymphedema and genetics. Just seems kind of synchronous that it started around the time of RA onset. If infectious theory for thematic disease makes sense, it just seems kind of synchronous that the two diseases coincided in this way, so perhaps worth asking for an infectious disease workup as well as a gene test workup? Just a thought.
Sorry to hear about your doc’s reaction to your question. I hope you find the answers you are seeking at U of IA, Ariel.
Did the sweats start after you stared zith?
Maz,
I think the reason I missed the potential infectious cause of lymphedema is because I’ve only been reading about “primary” lymphedema, since that is what the doctor told me. Now looking at “secondary” lymphedema I see the possible infectious component. I would agree with you about the two diseases occuring close to each other. The swelling in my ankles occurred the morning after I got home from Ida Grove. That week was stressful for me, because they had such a hard time with my IV, because I have baby veins and am a very difficult stick. So, I thought the ankle swelling was the result of stress. However, it’s been 3 months now, and no change. Both ankles continue to be swollen.
I start Zithro tomorrow. I’ve had the night sweats for 2 weeks. it’s every night, and it’s awful. It’s around 2 or 3 a.m. every night. Then i end up getting up for an hour or two. I go back to bed and wake up with the sweats again. It’s been exhausting. I read where this can be a symptom of RA. is this the norm?
The GP came in looking at her watch, never really looked at me and was in a hurry from the moment she walked in. It was so discouraging. I tried to talk about Lyme, but she said ‘well your test was negative. You don’t have Lyme. Your symptoms are above my head, so I’ll refer you to IA City.”
My index, middle, and ring fingers are swaying toward my thumb. Everything I read about RA said fingers lean toward your pinky. Not sure what to think about that. My middle finger still twitches.
I’ve also been having a lot of headaches.
Linda, I was taking my blood pressure in my arm when the episode with my hand occurred.
Maybe you could try to measure your BP on a wrist /thinner, less flesh/
There is no signature below your messages. Please let me know what medication and a dose you had in IV?
Thank you,
Linda L.@Ariel wrote:
I think the reason I missed the potential infectious cause of lymphedema is because I’ve only been reading about “primary” lymphedema, since that is what the doctor told me. Now looking at “secondary” lymphedema I see the possible infectious component. I would agree with you about the two diseases occuring close to each other. The swelling in my ankles occurred the morning after I got home from Ida Grove. That week was stressful for me, because they had such a hard time with my IV, because I have baby veins and am a very difficult stick. So, I thought the ankle swelling was the result of stress. However, it’s been 3 months now, and no change. Both ankles continue to be swollen.
Clindamycin is an anti-parasitic medication, used for treating protozoans (and other infections), like babesiosis and toxoplasmosis, both of which can cause sweats. Of course, other medical conditions can also cause lymphedema and sweats, but it’s just kind of synchronous right after the IV clindy. I was looking up research in Australia for Linda and fell upon other research (about Lyme and lymphadenopathy – swollen lymph nodes) that mentioned toxoplasmosis and that can be congenital and can also remain in the body as a latent infection. In fact, there’s a lymphedema forum that actually has a discussion thread about this infection that you might like to read through:
http://www.lymphedemapeople.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=639
If you read through the following Wiki link, you’ll see Clindamycin listed as a treatment for Toxoplasmosis:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasmosis
Of course, I don’t know if this infection might be your issue, but sometimes following dots in this kind of manner can help narrow down the field to build a case for further investigation with doctors you visit down the road. Toxoplasmosis can be passed in various ways – e.g. biting insects and also cat faeces and from mother to child (hence why pregnant mothers should not clean cat litters). I recall talking with a guy down south who was either an electrician or plumber with a rheumatic disease who believed he got toxoplasmosis from a feral cat that scratched him very badly while he was up in some rafters of a house he was working on.
I’ve always found it interesting that the tetracyclines, macrolides (like zith), clindamycin and other rheumatic drugs, like plaquenil (an anti-malarial), have anti-protozoal effects in addition to any immune-modulatory ones.
I start Zithro tomorrow. I’ve had the night sweats for 2 weeks. it’s every night, and it’s awful. It’s around 2 or 3 a.m. every night. Then i end up getting up for an hour or two. I go back to bed and wake up with the sweats again. It’s been exhausting. I read where this can be a symptom of RA. is this the norm?
There are many causes for night sweats – some serious – and these should be investigated. Hormone shifts in mid-life can cause them, too, but so can infections like Lyme and protozoans. Herxing can also produce sweats with die-off. It’s the body’s way of releasing toxins during a fever. Be sure to mention this symptom to your doctor, as they should be aware of this symptom in order to do appropriate work-ups for you.
The GP came in looking at her watch, never really looked at me and was in a hurry from the moment she walked in. It was so discouraging. I tried to talk about Lyme, but she said ‘well your test was negative. You don’t have Lyme. Your symptoms are above my head, so I’ll refer you to IA City.”
Very discouraging! 🙁
My index, middle, and ring fingers are swaying toward my thumb. Everything I read about RA said fingers lean toward your pinky. Not sure what to think about that. My middle finger still twitches.
I understand that there are finger braces you can buy from pharmacies and medical supply stores to wear at night and this can help to keep fingers straight while sleeping. When my hands were bad, I also used paraffin wax baths and bought one from Walmart for about $25. The hand therapist also gave me theraputty to do finger exercises to keep my hands flexible. I am not sure how the warmth of the paraffin bath might work for you with the lymphedema, Ariel, so if you’re going to try it, some nail salons have them or physical therapy centers, before investing in one.
I’ve also been having a lot of headaches.
Definitely a symptom you need to discuss with the doc that is likely connected with everything else you’re experiencing.
Ariel, you know we can’t have definitive answers for you here, as we’re just patients, too, but hopefully we can offer ideas to help in your own researches so you feel well-educated to self-advocate when you see your specialist.
Keeping you in my thoughts!
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