Went today to see my Nurologist and she wants to perform a Nerve conduction test on my arms this Friday. The past two weeks if I am holding a book or something in my hands they start tingling and feel very heavy. She noticed my hands and fingers were swollen, and didn't like that at all. Both my arms get very sharp pains in the upper arms (between shoulders and elbows) and once that happens my arms feel heavy and I just have to take a pain pill and lay them at my sides. Has anyone experienced this before or am I still the odd man out.. (LOL,,,, that's what my doctors call me).. Gentle hugs to all... BETHANY
I have not had the numbness but both my arms and legs get heave and week. No swelling and only sharp pains in the joints. I am very interested in what they tell you after your tests Friday. Gentle hugs to you too!
Do you have weakness when reaching for or placing things above your head, or when you shampoo or put up your hair? I have had this problem and with my arms and hands falling asleep with intense pins & needles or tingling and that heavy feeling you describe, along with a few other odd symptoms with which my SLE meds haven't helped at all, despite the fact that they usually help with the symptoms of lupus-related myalgia (muscle pain). During my last visit to my rheumatologist, she said that she wanted to test me for polymyositis-dermatomyositis, both of which are also connective-tissue autoimmune diseases like SLE. Apparently if you have SLE, you're much more likely to get the disease or a combination of the two diseases, just as we are more likely to also get milder symptoms of other connective-tissue disorders such as Reynaud's, Sjogren's and Rheumatoid Arthritis. Nerve conduction tests are one of the ways to determine if your muscles are damaged or degenerating. Diagnosing PM-DM and other muscle disorders also takes bloodwork, which if positive for certain antibody markers will then indicate a need for an MRI and/or muscle biopsy to confirm it. I've been researching this for a couple of days now because I've been in so much pain lately and my doctor's suspicion that I may have it, so I hope it doesn't scare you too much since it is still a rare condition and your neurologist knows you best. Just thought I'd pass it one since it effects people with lupus. There is a lot of helpful info on the internet about muscle conditions, but if I were you I'd just wait for your test results and in the meantime use a lot of moist heat if you have any pain associated with your arms. pax, pj
That is good info to know. It is scary but I would rather be prepared than blind sided. Your right the SLE meds are not helping the weakness. Weather changes used to be the cause of the weakness and would come and go with the weather. Now the weakness and the all over muscle pain is all the time. It used to be only in my legs but is now including my arms and fingers. There are problems with shampooing and any thing above but no pins and needles so far. Thanks for the tip on the moist heat. I had been using a heating pad but had not thought of the moist. Hugs and prayers!
Hi Bethany,
I have not had that problem,sorry I can't help I wish you well and I hope everything turns out well for you. Please let me know how your tests turn out!
Piewacket