Swelling/joint Pain Post Pregnancy

HI,
I came down with similar symptoms after having my second son. My feet swelled so much that my toes were separated and my wrists and fingers were so swollen I could not close the clasps on his diaper. It all started as soon as I had him, there would be better days than others, however as the months progressed(4months old) it got worse with weight loss, swollen lymph glands, nodules in joints on elbows and wrists. Carpal tunnel sydrome can also cause your fingertips to tingle and aching in your wrists. I tried natural remedies to no avail and finally ended up 10 months later being diagnosed with severe RA.....it is now 3 years later and I still struggle with this disease....however after much self education I have found out that cutting dairy products, tomatoes, and red meats have been helpful in my symptoms. I also practice Tai Chi which has helped me to focus internally and listen to my body.....rest is a huge factor and with a new little one I know it is hard to get the solid sleep to restore your health....ask for help if you have it!
Best of luck to you and I hope this was of some help.

Sounds like Carpel Tunnel, very common with pregnancy. With me it was so bad in my wrists I couldn't make a fist, and it went on for more than a year. I think it was exacerbated by overuse of those joints with my first child, who was very big and heavy and required lots of soothing and constant holding. Over time and as he walked more, it got better. But the thing that seemed to help was a PT's advice to make sure and rest the wrists at night, laying hands flat using a pillow, not curling them up or whatever.
It did help

Hi C.! It's been a long time now, but a month after I had my last child, I was diagnosed w/RA. They couldn't id it at first thru blood panels. I had to go in the hospital for a week & do alot of different tests. Finally they said I had severe migratory RA. It'd go from joint to joint till I could no longer move a thing! They tried me on all kinds of different drug combos till they hit on one that worked pretty well (back in those days). What you have sounds like it might not be the same. So, what I would STRONGLY advise is to keep letting a rheumatologist test you, till they get to the bottom of this! No matter what it is, DIET is key! My body gives me INSTANT feedback when I'm not eating properly! Beef, soft drinks, sugar, alcohol, or any processed food makes me feel so incredibly crummy that, again, I can hardly move, even on all the latest, greatest drugs! If I eat bread & cereal that has no less than 3 grams of fiber, iced-tea w/Splenda, fresh fruits & veggies, brown rice, salads, etc, I feel pretty good. Anyway, I don't want to scare ya, but just let them test the heck outta you! They'll eventually get it right. Don't give up. Switch drs, if you have to, till you get some relief! Hang in there & take care! S..

C.,

Go to a chiropractor/functional medicine doctor; she/he will help you with this. Many times regular medicial doctors and specialists run tests that come back "normal," but their not digging deeply enough. A functional medicine doctor will look into your glandular systems (thyroid, adrenals, pituitary, etc.), and a chiropractor will use non-invasive treatments to get you back on track. I have had wonderful success with mine!

Good luck,

J.

Try taking vitamin B6 which is good for joint issues. My husband had Carpel tunnel and he took 300 mg of B6 for three weeks and hasn't had a problem for a year and a half. Also, I had the legs going numb/tingly with my last pregnancy and my yoga instructor told me to lay on my back on the floor with my entire legs against the wall (bottom of feet facing the ceiling) for 15 minutes a day to help with circulation. This helped a lot. Best Wishes!

I have a six month old and this was my fourth pregnancy. I had what sounds like the same problem in my right wrist and hand but it has finally gone away. With my first child I did get migratory arthritis. Usually caused by strep throat. It went away with an antibiotic. Hopefully you find out what is wrong soon, I know how troubling it can be while taking care of your children.

Have you tried a chiropractor? I had pinched something while pushing my son out in birth and my legs would get tingly fast. After just one adjustment from a good chiro I already have a huge inmprovement (hardly ever get that asleep feeling unless I am sitting in a weird postition). A lot of times pregnancy and labor will throw your spine and joint out of alignment and that can pinch nerves that affect the whole rest of your body.

I had this too after my second kid. I had my muscles tested in my hands and found that they started to die or atrophy. I ended up having surgery on my right hand for carpal tunnel and have no problems since. I just had my third little one and I have it worse in my left hand now and I think I will get surgery on that one now. Mine didn't go away for a couple years and was tired of the pain. No major scar on my hand and I am happier for it. Good luck to you.

I also swelled tremendously... more so with my second child than with my first. By the end of the 2nd pregnancy the little and ring fingers on both hands were numb most all of the time. This did not go away after delivery - it got a little better but didn't go away. I went to my OB/GYN and he referred me to a hand specialist and I got an injection for carpal tunnel (fairly common to flair up in pregnancy) this corrected it for me with no residual problems! (injection not very painful either:) Hope this helps.

C.,
I would consult with a chiropractor. I just went yesterday and he did x-rays of my spine and hips and my spine and hips are out of alignment and he also explained to me about what pregnancy does to your hips and spine and if it is out of alignment could be pressing on nerves causing your swelling and "falling asleep" extremeties. this very well could be the source of your problem. Let me know if you'd like a referal.

After both children, I had what they called pregnancy carpal tunnel in my wrists (one wrist with the first child and the other wrist with the second.) I also had a lot of hip pain. A chiropractor helped me both times. I also had acupuncture treatments after my second child.

Dr. Bo Brantley in McKinney is a great chiropractor.