Stiff And Swollen Fingers

[tigerlily6200]

I'm not even really sure to start.  I tested positve for DGA IGG and IGA so my doctor said she believes I have celiac disease and it's up to me if I biopsy.  I had critically low (which is what she called it) Vitamin D, Vitamin B, iron, and an elevated CRP.  My sed. was low normal and I did have a positive ANA a while back.  I already have thyroid disease - hypo. 

 

I have been on an elimination diet for 2.5 weeks now and although I feel better I am still plagued by stiffness in a few fingers.  About 1.5 months ago I was pulling a blanket over my daughter at night and felt severe pain run down my palm.  Two days later in my right hand my middle finger and ring finger in my right hand were purple and swollen.  The pain in that hand is gone but now my index, middle, and ring fingers are always stiff.  Since this is from an injury, I am assuming it is injury related.  However in my left hand my index finger is sometimes stiff and swollen.  No other fingers are affected.  Could this be celiac disease related?

 

I also have plantar faciitis which is being fixed now and feels pretty good but as a result now both of my knees hurt when going up and down stairs and getting up.  My chiro told me it was because my knees turned in and the muscles were weak causing the knee caps to pop out of place.  As long as I'm not doing stairs or getting up they're fine.  I've been taking ibuprofen for them for about a month.  I was told that this was a symptom of my flat feet and pregnancy but that my body isn't clearing the inflammation properly and strengthing the muscle is the only way to make it better. So not directly celiac related but a symptom of my body being sick and not recovering correctly.

 

I am taking Vit D, Vit B complex, fish oil, evening primrose, iron, my synthyroid, I try and drink Nettle tea 3x a day, Ginger tea 2-3x a day, Dandelion if I can fit it in once a day.  I ordered some curcumin and will get it next week. 

 

Even though I feel better (even after only 2 weeks) has anyone else suffered with stiffness of fingers that resolved?  I feel one of my biggest problems is my body isn't clearing the inflammation the way it should and I know it will take some time but I just feel as if I've been in pain so long - I have 3 small children and I want to be rolling around on the floor with them.

 

Has anyone had anything similar and how long did it take to resolve?

[1desperateladysaved]

I didn't have the finger things.  However, I had chronic plantar fasciitis  in one foot for a year or two before I went gluten free.  Upon going gluten free both feet had plantar fasciitis pain!  So, the pain was worse than ever.  The pains lasted for about a months and went away for the last 10 months!  Hang in there, maybe this is the storm before the calm.

 

Diana

[nvsmom]

I've had a lot of joint pain in the past, much of it in my fingers... It truely is annoying when it's hard to hold a pencil or hold a book to read.  I'm not sure if my pain was from my untreated celiac or hashimoto's, or if it's from something else. Anyway, my joint pain took about 6 months to go away after going gluten-free, but my joint pains tend to last a few months to a year and then shift to another spot so I'm not yet sure if gluten was the cause or not.... Patience is key with this.  LOL

 

Best wishes.

[tigerlily6200]

Thank you for your replies.  It's nice to not feel crazy.  I know my husband is trying to be understanding but he doesn't understand. I know it's a process, it just feels better to know that others sorta understand what I'm going through.  I just got 2 new books to read about all of this.  I have hypo thyroid too, I've had it since I was 17.  I'm hoping these are the only autoimmune diseases I develop.  It's just really overwhelming right now.  But that feeling will pass, right? lol

[pricklypear1971]

I have had sore pinkies off and on. Right now, on...

I have a sneaking suspicion I'm on the tail end of a Hashimotos episode. Two-three weeks ago I was super energized, followed by super exhausted. I'm thinking thyroid.

I've had terrible fasciitis, also, that resolved almost immediately when starting thyroid meds.

I wonder if your meds need adjusting? I've always been on t3/4 - not synthroid.

[tigerlily6200]

Well my thyroid has always been well controlled but it jumped to hyper (wth) a couple months ago but I def. don't and didn't have any hyper symptoms.  They're rechecking me in a couple months.  I often wonder if my index finger stiffness and swelling is from repetitive use on a table.  Do your fingers swell?  It;s not my entire hand, just one finger on my left hand and three on my right.  Again at this point I don't know what is injury related with my right hand and what is celiac related.  What is the med you are on for thyroid, I've never heard of it?

[pricklypear1971]

For me it's the pinkies...but I get general inflammation. My legs started hurting, feet too. When the exhaustion receded I urinated a lot, swelling went down, feet bones popped back into place...them my pinkie started hurting. I used to have more hand pain prior to gluten-free and starting an exercise routine.

I'm on NatureThroid right now. I've been on different versions of t3/t4 over the years. Some synthetic/compounded, Armour for a while.....

[dilettantesteph]

I get swollen fingers when glutened.  Before diagnosis they were all swollen and I had stopped wearing rings.  After diagnosis they went down and I was surprised to find that it was gluten connected.  My doctors and I had thought that it was arthritis.  I started wearing rings again.  Now they can swell up again if I get into gluten contamination for long enough.

 

I hope yours go down too.  It took some months for me.  I can't remember anymore how long.  It also took me some time to learn about the best gluten free diet for my level of sensitivity.  It might just take you some more time.

[tigerlily6200]

Thanks so much.  I wonder if switching to a more natural thyroid product would be worthwhile.  I'll have to talk to my doctor about it.  I've been on this elimination diet for 20 days... and I feel better.  I figure everything else might take some time.  I think my chiro told me that I should feel better in 2 weeks but that I might now feel 100% for months.

[pricklypear1971]

It does take time. And for me, believe it or not, I needed an exercise routine. It's hard to get going but my healing sped up alot after I started a routine. Bodies need to move.

[tigerlily6200]

I believe I have chronic tendonitis in my palms, wrists, knees, and feet.  I think you're right exercise would help.  Right now I do some stretching with ice at night.  In my hands I have swelling beneath my index finger palm side.  I also use a product named zeel... I love it.