Pain, esp. hand injury - drug side effect?

[frog]

Hi,

I'm wondering if any of the following could be a side-effect of one of the meds I'm on.

I got a hand injury from typing - the hands felt very stiff and cold, and I couldn't keep up with a typing job, then they started REALLY hurting. My fingers, the fingertips... I couldn't type or even write or even, for a long while, read. I went to a sports doctor and he told me it was an overuse injury. (I was later tested for carpal tunnel syndrome, and it was found that I didn't have it.) I tried alternating hot and cold, and the anti-inflammatories, but it didn't get better. I was also tested for rheumatoid (arthritis) factors - nothing there.

A friend told me that I should just rest it. I rested it... for months... and months... and months. Didn't improve. Still couldn't type without immediate pain.

Finally a crisis unit phoned my doctor and told her to refer me to physio.

I've been doing the exercises for a few months, and some of my typing ability has been restored. I'm constantly stretching and massaging my hands, and I've been doing some strengthening exercises with a squeeze ball and a can of beans. But my wrists get really weak really quickly.

With the physio, things have improved, but not fully.

The other day I typed so much that I developed bruises on my hands: at the fleshy bases of the thumbs, and on the backs of the fingers. I went to a walk-in clinic and was given a requisition for a blood test (B12, hemoglobin, thyroid, platelets, electrolytes). I had my blood drawn yesterday.

I've also had other problems: knee pain (on the fronts), hip pain, pain at the base of my neck and skull, weird burning pain under my toes.

The neck and skull pain seems to be brought on by a lot of sitting, but once I stop sitting, it doesn't go away.

The knee and hip pain happen while I'm walking, not at rest, and they're only occasional. But one time the knee pain was so bad that I could hardly walk for a day.

My initial hand injury came from a job that I only had maybe 3 hours a week.

I'm on Seroquel and Lamictal.

Anyone think the above can be side-effects? Any similar experiences?

Thanks,

frog

[lachesis]

I'm sorry I have no special wisdom for you. Maybe fybromyalgia or a form of chronic fatigue syndrome. Those sorts of travel around the body symptoms get blown off by doctors yet are a nightmare to live with. Psyche meds can dull pain as a side effect.

[chipmunk]

What did the blood tests reveal? I have typed literally ALL day and never gotten bruises on my fingers. That's not good. Please keep trying doctors until you find someone who will help you get to the bottom of that.

[frog]

What did the blood tests reveal? I have typed literally ALL day and never gotten bruises on my fingers. That's not good. Please keep trying doctors until you find someone who will help you get to the bottom of that.

I'm actually not sure if they're bruises or just blue from poor circulation, but whatever they are, nothing showed up on blood tests. No muscle problems, no thyroid issues, electrolytes okay, hemoglobin fine, no rheumatoid factor, and I forget what else. Also did a carpal tunnel test, and nothing. One of my drugs was lowered last week, and I've been able to type a bit more before I get stiff, but my neck has been bugging me for days (that's been on and off for years too).

[chipmunk]

Are your fingernails blue as well? There is something called Raynaud's Syndrome where the body restricts blood flow to the hands and feet in the cold and sometimes in times of stress. If you have a hard time warming your hands up when you come in from the cold (the hands stay cold for 15 minutes+, after everyone else is back to normal again) then you might ask about that. I hope you find a solution soon.