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  1. #1
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    Hi- today I was doing some cleaning, scrubbing walls. My right hand swelled up but only under my index and middle fingers. It went away but there is still a little pocket of swelling under my index finger. My left hand has been cramping up disfiguring my hand so that my fingers are spread apart, kind of claw like. This happened when I was just resting. I see the doc in 2 weeks so I will ask him then. Just wondering if it could be related.
    Also anyone on Methotrexate experience hair thinning? My hair seems to be thinning? I have a lot of hair but I feel like I can see my scalp in parts.
    ?.....

    Wishing everyone well!


    Live well.
    Victoria

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    The hand cramps & any kind of rashing on the limbs could be a sign of flaring. When I started mtx, I lost quite a bit of hair...doc fixed me up by tripling my dose of folic acid...sheesh even had curly hair come back in...for a while...it was all drug related! Duh! Good luck.
    Knowing how to think empowers you far beyond those who only know what to think. -NdT


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    Hi Victoria

    I'm not sure about the hands but can certainly relate to the thinning hair.

    My hair was always very fine and ringlets, now I can see a lot of scalp.
    Its thin and out of control curls now.....not tight curls, just messy.......but the hair is still there and it doesn't fall out in clumps, it's just thinner.

    I hope the hands come good ........ stop with the cleaning
    Keep Smiling
    Michelle


    Live your life in a way that you wouldn't be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip - WILL ROGERS

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    Hi Victoria. I also have bouts of swelling, mostly in my hands & feet (lots of tingling, stiffness, some cramping), but have no clue why other than fluid retention. Today I was shaving my legs in the shower and they felt like someone was sticking needles in them. Ouch! More swelling! I've been off a diuretic for a couple of months and wish I was back on! (I was taken off because of dehydration with a nasty case of the flu and increased creatinine rate.) No experience with MTX ... sorry! I agree with Michelle -- quit cleaning! LOL!

    KB
    KB -- "The good life is inspired by love and guided by knowledge". Bertrand Russell

    Dx in September, 2011. Major involvement: kidneys and lungs. Medical implications: fungal pneumonia, drug-induced hepatitis, allergy to fungal meds, ear infections, sinusitis, gall bladder removal, vitreal detachment, and eye cellulitis. Medial meniscus removal (unrelated to WG). Medications: Rtx, Pred 5.0, Lisinopril, Chlorthalidone, Levothyroxin, Omeprazole.

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    Hi Victoria,

    I sometimes have cramping in my hands. Now, I take a 99 mg/day potassium supplement and eat one or two bananas each day. This has reduced the frequency and severity of hand cramping for me, but it hasn't eliminated the cramping entirely as I still get them once in a great while. I haven't figured that out yet

    As for hair loss, I take 1 mg/day of folic acid. I started this when I started taking mtx last summer. My hair has thinned over the years, but that's probably due to aging (I'm 66.). I don't think it's gotten any worse since I've been on mtx and folic acid.
    Last edited by Pete; 01-25-2013 at 12:38 AM.
    Pete
    dx 1/11

    "Every day is a good day. Some are better than others." - unknown

    "Take your meds as directed and live your life as fully as you can." - Michael Chacey, MD

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    Hi Victoria,

    I'm 37 and was 31 when I started the cytoxan and have been on the methotrexate for five years now. I still have a lot of hair, It seems like there is a lot in my brush and on my clothes, but it's not much thinner. How much methotrexate do you take? I take 20mg every monday. I was so paranoid about it and my hair thinning when I first got diagnosed that I actually spent $1300 on hair extensions. Not my best move. I couldn't stand them and after a month got them all taken out and have been happy with my hair every since!

    As far as the cramps go - I often get cramps in my feet whereas I never used to. Right in the arch and the toes curl weird. It's usually when I'm on the floor cleaning. I think we both need to stop that nonsense. haha.

    Also how do you put your picture on your profile but not on every post? I want to do that like you did.

    Thanks.

    Shannon

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    I too have a lot of painful cramps in hands, feet, legs and have heard numerous suggestions as to what might be the cause of these cramps. Some of the cramps in my hands are caused by Dupytrens Contractures, a condition that often goes along with diabetes in people of northern European descent. The other cramps were thought related some how to changes caused by diabetes, dehydration, lack of minerals, vitamins, or side effects of various meds or combinations of meds.

    The only one that is fairly easy to do something about is to avoid dehydration by drinking lots of fluids. It may sometimes pay to get tested for deficiency in vitamins or minerals but this is seldom an identified problem. Most of us Weggies though need extra calcium and vitamin D because of the pred meds and I have been told that shortage of it can cause bad cramps.

    Most of us probably also take some extra folic acid plus a multi vitamin and mineral to help prevent shortages caused by our meds. We can also try eat a healthy diet with some fruits and vegetables and try avoid things like diet pop and junk food full of toxic crap.

    Other wise I have no idea of how we can avoid painful cramps. One thing I learned though is to not force a cramped muscle to straighten out since that might tear it or damage it more. Instead rub it and massage it till it relaxes and then slowly stretch it out.

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    Hi Shannon. I think you have to go to your profile and delete your avatar or the settings when to display your pic. I love my hair, it's so thik it's upsetting to see it thinning. I have only been on meds 4 weeks now. I'm working up to 25mg of methotrexate. You've been on medication for a long time? Is it relapses or to prevent relapse? Have you noticed any side effects from long term use? Are your symptoms mostly under control?
    Live well.
    Victoria

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    Thanks for your replies. I appreciate them.
    Live well.
    Victoria

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    Quote Originally Posted by Victoriaitsnosecret View Post
    Hi Shannon. I think you have to go to your profile and delete your avatar or the settings when to display your pic. I love my hair, it's so thik it's upsetting to see it thinning. I have only been on meds 4 weeks now. I'm working up to 25mg of methotrexate. You've been on medication for a long time? Is it relapses or to prevent relapse? Have you noticed any side effects from long term use? Are your symptoms mostly under control?
    Hi, Victoria. I also have thick hair and had more loss on CTX. Now that I'm on MTX the loss seems to have stopped, and it seems to be thickening again, although it could depend on the dose, as I'm on a pretty low one, only 10mg. a week and it probably won't go higher because I think it is more or less a "maintenance" dose as opposed to the hard-hitting doses they use to stop Wegs in it's tracks. I haven't been declared in remission, but am at that end of things, if all goes well. I also have the cramps, mostly in my and feet or lower legs. Sometimes just thinking about something else will make them go away, and otherwise all that helps is massage or changing one's position. I've always heard that taking extra calcium can help cramps, even on short notice, such as when lying in bed and needing some relief, so getting up for a glass of milk, yogurt, or other quick calcium source.
    Anne, dx'ed April 2011

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