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Finger Swelling w/ UC or drugs??

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Posted 10/7/2012 2:18 AM (GMT 0)
I feel half crazy, but my fingers have been randomly swelling. Only 1 at a time. Has anyone else experienced this?

The first time my thumb swelled a bit. It felt like I had a callous (king of hard when I pressed down on it), it burned/stung to the touch. Not on the joint, but on the pad like where you were get your fingerprint taken. Then it happened to my middle finger. Then the index finger on my other hand. And now the index finger on the first hand is swollen all the way down to the hand (granted, the finger next to it now has a hang nail...maybe it's cross swelling)?

And in case this is relevant, I'm also tapering off of steriods (was on pretty regularly for 10 months). I was on 10 and not reacting well from tapering too fast. More specifically I just hurt all over. Joints were really painful as well (the sorest joints would rotate on an every other day basis). I'm now back up to 12.5 and on a slower taper schedule.

Five weeks ago I had most of my colon removed. I have a bit of rectum left.

I was also recently diagnosed with peristoma Pyodermo Gangrenosum (just like regular PG, but near the stoma).

Post Edited (ActiveUCer) : 10/6/2012 8:21:18 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/7/2012 8:17 AM (GMT 0)
oh wow...I have my hands turning red sometimes with specific fingers swelling, redder than others. It was suspected that I had Raynaud's, but I don't.

It does happen with emotional stress, usually starting at my thumbs, but I did do cognitive therapy and biofeedback for it.

Some foods/meds will influence it as well as products and heat.

So if you're opn steroids, it could have something to do with it.....but....you should seriously talk with it to your doctor.

How long does it last? Are they still swollen?
The reason I'm asking is because what comes to mind is arthritis initial attack or cellulitis.

I didn't realise about the PG near your stoma...how is that being treated and is it improving?

geez, this sucks to hear you're dealing with more stuff.

q
Posted 10/7/2012 5:21 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for your input.

The finger swelling only lasts a day. I did email my GP. I had only had two fingers swell at that point. He said that if it continues, make an appointment to get it checked out. Since I continued to have problems this weekend, I will probably make an appointment. The fully swollen finger only lasted a day. The "hard" tips or swollen tips lasted about a day and a half.

The PG is a very very new diagnosis (as in got dx'ed on Friday). Ironically, oral steroids ARE a treatment for PG but I'm already taking them and trying to get off of them. So they shot it up with painkillers and then shot it up with steroids. Then I have special super soft ostomy appliance set up. Below the standard appliance is stoma poweder, acquacell in the wound (a special guaze like strip of cloth), and then a special barrier. I will have to go back every two weeks for awhile for additional shots. This thing hurt like crazy. I'm a new ostomy person so I had no idea what was good, what was bad, and what was normal for ostomy wounds. Those shots hurt alot too. But now it feels sooo much better. And I caught it pretty early so it's only about the size of a quarter.
Posted 10/7/2012 5:22 PM (GMT 0)
And I really hope it's connected with the steroid withdrawal or the UC. I would really like to go through life without any additional chronic diseases ;).
Posted 10/7/2012 5:26 PM (GMT 0)
will this go away peristoma Pyodermo Gangrenosum, after you get it reversed or is it chronic?
Posted 10/7/2012 5:34 PM (GMT 0)
I don't know if the finger swelling is relate to the PG at all. I just threw it out there just in case.

The PG sore should go away with treatment. From the little I've read up on peristomal PG, it tends to show up when there is still some colon left. I have about 8 inches still in my body so hopefully if it doesn't stay away before my next surgery, it will stay away after I get those last 8 inches removed.
Posted 10/7/2012 5:57 PM (GMT 0)
8 inches of your colon left? Didn't realise any of it would remain....


How is your diet relating to salt intake? Are you on any other supplements?
How are your feet...same swelling?

Yeah, I agree about hoping it's not another AI disease...be it secondary or primary.

it's good to hear the stoma PG is healing and less painful.

q
Posted 10/7/2012 6:08 PM (GMT 0)
I'm having jpouch surgery in three parts. The colectomy was first so I could get off of all the drugs and finally get a bit better. I was on high dose steroids. I'm not positive, but I'm guessing they left part of the rectum to deal with it when my insides are not so "mushy" and when the figure out what exactly is going to happen with the jpouch. I'll have the jpouch creation in probably six months. But they take the reamining colon and attach it to the front wall of your abdomen. That way if it blows out at the top, it blows out just below the skin's surface where they can get at it and not have bad stuff buried inside my body. So that's why I have some colon left. It will be all gone when everything is said and done. I'm not sure how common this method is, but I'm having surgery at the Cleveland Clinic so I have every faith that this is what they've found to work best.

Right now my only supplement is a Multi-Vitamin. I went off of everything supplemental before my surgery. I need to add back in my Vitamin D and calcium though.

The salt intake is a good question. People with an ileostomy get dehydrated very quickly (both chemically and liquid wise). I guess the colon does alot of salt absortion. I don't think my salt intake has been particularly high although I haven't been paying attention. But even if it was twice "healthy" amount I'm not sure if it would do anything to me.

My ankles/feet were not swelling, thank goodness. Once my finger got huge I was a bit worried that I had a circulation problem so I checked my feet. But, no swollen ankles. I did walk around ALOT yesterday (tons more than I've been going around in the past couple of weeks) so I did wonder if the physical activity somehow influenced the additional finger swelling.
Posted 10/11/2012 9:36 PM (GMT 0)
Just following up - I had two finger tips and one additional finger swell up (at the same time) and then last night woke up with my index finger swollen from the middle knuckle down to my "punching" knuckle. I went to my GP and am being sent to a Rheumatologist. She was thinking that my long term pred usage was hiding some extra effects of my UC (such as IBD related arthritis and the PD).

Not so excited about potentially having arthritis as a secondary effect of UC.
Posted 10/12/2012 5:47 AM (GMT 0)
yeah, that would really suck, but it seems your fingers are reacting systematically, so that could very well be arthritis initial flare.

could be that pred or other meds have contributed to the trigger of it...or age...or autoimmune/UC.

Hope the rheumy will find out what's going on.
Your doc could send you for a hand x-ray in the meantime.

Thanks for updating regarding this...so frustrating when things are continual. Diagnosis is helpful, especially regarding some treatments at least.


q
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