CF Happens

Well hello y’all…here I am again to give an update on my stubborn body. My body is very complicated and body that likes to throw curve balls all the time. I make my doctors use their degrees to the fullest extent! Buckle up…

I have been dealing with my hands going numb, mostly at night, for over a year probably. It has gotten much worse in the last few months. I wake up multiple times a night with my hands throbbing in pain. I then have to sit up, most of the time stand up, and let my arms hang down until the throbbing stops enough to be able to lay back down. Rinse and repeat ALL night long. I already get up multiple times a night to pee, thanks to taking blood pressure meds and simply being 45 and premenopausal. haha

Once I’m up and moving in the morning, my hands are much less numb, although it takes some time. In the morning, grabbing a cup and holding my morning pills takes patience. Also, when I squeeze my breathing treatment meds into my neb cups, it’s uncomfortable.

I saw my primary doctor today about the hand numbness. I’ve had enough of it and need sleep! We decided that I would try the nerve pain medicine, Lyrica. I have avoided taking all nerve pain meds so far, even with having the nerve sheath tumor in my back that was ultimately removed, obviously. This numbness and throbbing pain in my hands is very uncomfortable and hurts. I’m now willing to see if the nerve pain med helps because I’m pretty miserable at night.

If the Lyrica doesn’t help, we’ll start with finding the source of the hand numbness and throbbing pain. The first step will be a nerve conduction study and an EMG. The nerve conduction study and EMG that I had for my left thigh numbness and pain was very uncomfortable.

Now to answer common questions I have gotten about the hand numbness:

No, it is not carpal tunnel. This is most likely from something being compressed in my neck. It is ONLY my hands that go numb, not my arms and shoulders. The neurosurgeon that did my back surgery already did a cervical and thoracic (neck and upper back) MRI to check for more nerve sheath tumors before my back surgery, around October of last year. There were NO other tumors. So no, it is not another tumor causing issues and nothing to do with my back surgery. There was nothing alarming on those MRI scans. This has NOTHING to do with me having CF. Except for the fact that I’m just rare in general. Just like the genetic disease, cystic fibrosis (CF), duh. haha. I think that covers the questions I’ve already gotten from friends and family.

QUICK LUNG STATUS/UPDATE: I’m finally on the tail end of whatever virus it was that tried to take me out. My asthma has been quite the butthead the last few days. I’m super tight and breathing treatments really don’t give me any relief. Also, the last few days I have been getting out of breath super easy with little activity. Much easier than my liking, but that’s a given. I’m letting it be for now and not asking for anything like antibiotics and/or prednisone. I’m trying to give my body a break and time to really get over whatever this virus is/was. Thankfully my pulled chest muscle is much better. Every once in a while, if I lean a certain way while sitting, I still feel a rubbing/popping where the pulled muscle is/was. That’s a lot of fun…NOT.

SIDE NOTE: my blood pressure was high at both of my doctor appointments today, yearly gyno appointment this morning and primary doctor this afternoon. We are going to get back to checking my BP regularly at home again. I got away from checking it once it finally got lowered and stayed steady with the 2 BP meds. It’s probably elevated for a few reasons. One, being that I’m so out of breath. My heart is working a little harder pumping to compensate for my crappy lungs. They always check my BP right when we get into the exam room after I just walked back to the room. Secondly, pain can cause your BP to go higher. Ok, I think that sums everything up. haha

Until next time…