Lately I’ve noticed my hands are hurting. They are sore, stiff, hard to bend, my fine motor skills are being affected and they feel fat. I’m afraid this is just another progession of my fibro which has been out of control since march. I’ve tried icing them, which relieves the discomfort some but is not convenient, nsaids, and I’m on a butrans patch (which probably does nothing other than destroy the skin beneath it). Does anyone else experience this? And if so, what do you do? I’m so frustrated. As a RN I need my hands! 
Shans, mine get like this while I sleep and in the early morning. And my thumb does this all winter long, making it nearly impossible to write with a pen.
Have you considered compression gloves for arthritis? I'm not sure how well they'd work if it's fibro but I like to wear similar stuff around my wrists and ankles to relieve pain.
I would also suggest going to a doctor to rule out any sort of arthritis in your hands.
I think that Angel has given you excellent advice and information. I hope that you find some relief! Not being able to use your hands as a nurse is huge.
Gentle hugs,
Petunia
I also have pain in my hands, it’s not that bad, it seems to come and go, i used to wake up with horrible pain in the palm of my hand, but that was the carpel tunnel, lately I have noticed my hands feel swollen, and they hurt to make a fist, almost like I have arthritis, but I don’t … Sure can hurt at times,
I am also an RN, how much do you work ? What area of healthcare are you in ?
I have heard of this voltaren gel, but have not tried it… Sounds like something to check out
Hugs & blessings
Hi there everyone! Thanks so much for your input! It sounds like we are all experiencing similar things. My hands and fingers hurt to open and close/make a fist and my fingers feel swollen a lot. There is a lot of pain on my palm towards my wrist as well but only when pressed. It’s the fingers that are the worst I guess. Hard to type, text, open things like jars or medicine bottles…I know it sounds like arthritis but when I looked up arthritis I don’t have a lot of the other symptoms. Can it still be arthritis or is it more my fibro? It is hard to work but luckily I do pediatric homecare, which is a lot less stressful than the neonatal intensive care unit I worked in for almost 10 years. I work 24-32 hours a week and I’m looking to be at least 32/wk once my patient load grows. I know working that extra day will be hard but money calls. Where can I get compression gloves or the voltaren gel? Any meds that have helped? Thx again for listening…means a lot to me!
Yes, but I have Psoriatic Arthritis, so I know why I have such a hard time with my hands. My handwriting was once very beautiful, now boardering illedgable. I have lost my strength as well as dexterity!
Hope you can get some relief for your hands, you are so right, you definately need them as an RN.
Wishing you well,
SK
The volteren gel is a prescription, but until you can get that I use OTC Sports Cream, and find it just as good. Compression gloves, in a drug store, but for certain in a place that sells the medical equipment.
I get pains in my hands all the time and i find it hard to work with my hands so i can symapthize with you. I drop things all the time and my writing is awful sometimes i cant hold a pen to write. i constantly rub my hands and massage them myself it helps for a wee while
Yep, I drop things, can’t seem to grasp small things to pick them up and have to have my husband open even the simple things now. It really sucks. I hope that it will subside as the heavy duty pains I often feel sometimes do. Of course, the pain never goes away fully but I will take it lessening some if that’s all I can get!
Do you have arthritis?
Not that I’m aware of SK. I haven’t been formally diagnosed with that, just fibro. I’ve looked at the symptoms and I don’t have a lot of them so I’m not sure.
Absolutely! This is one of the main reasons for new Dr and going through all tests again. My swelling is also on the top of my wrist. Let me know if you find something that helps!
shanscelica, yes I have that too, but I don’t work any more,well not paid work anyway. I just find that I stretch my hands and that seems to help. When I think about it I have that problem all the time, I just thought it was arthritis. My fingers have swollen joints, but when I think of it my hands and feet feel tight, a little swollen. I was actually hoping that anti inflammatories would help.I’m going to the GP on Wednesday so I thought I would wait and see if the anti inflammatories work. I’ve really got no idea. Barb
If you’re having trouble bending joints, it sounds a lot like what happens to a friend who has RA. Have you considered having your hands X-rayed and seeing a rheumatologist for an evaluation?
For joint pain Voltaren gel does work and so does Meloxicam. My hands and feet both have arthritis from being broken in karate.
I find that icing is painful. There are heated mits which feel really good.
I can really feel for you since you’re still working and juggling all that stress. Hope this rambling MSG helped…
Sometimes i think maybe its arthritis and seeing im on an injection to stop my periods and going through menopause for three years and will be on it for good i think my doctor is going to xray them i find that rubbing my hands with ibugel helps but sometimes i wake in the morning and they are swollen and stiff and takes me a while to loosen them up. I noticed it more when i broke my finger having a pee in the bushes lol(thought id add that in to give us a laugh) and since then my hands have been worse. Cannot hardly open packets and stuff it takes me ages like alot of things living with fibro.
I agree with Sunflower, as an arthritic, we usually want heat, the cold just hurts us more, and ice makes me howl in pain!
What is ibugel? Is it over the counter? I’m not sure whether its arthritis or not. I don’t have a lot of the symptoms…but it could be. The other thing I’ve noticed is that it seems to come and go. Is that the case with arthritis or does arthritis hurt all the time? Its quite a mystery. I’ve also noticed that it is worse in the morning. Also, my feet will be swollen and sore, especially in the morning as well. @lunatune-how in the world did you break your finger doing that? Lol!