Trigger Finger Questions...PLease Help!

Susan,

I'm not on an AI, but I am in menopause. I'm not diabetic and I don't have thyroid disease. I was diagnosed with trigger thumb about a year ago. Had 2 cortisone injections about 6-8 weeks apart and each time the triggering and pain began to return again after about 4 weeks. When it returned after the 2nd injection, I decided not to have a 3rd injection and instead decided to have surgery but postponed it for a while because I was about to go away for a wedding out of state. About 1-2 weeks before the surgery date, the pain and triggering began to go away on it's own, so I cancelled the surgery just a few days before the surgery date.  It's been almost 6 months now and it has not returned, so apparently it can sometimes self resolve if given enough time. 

Hi Susan:

Your specialist needs to go back to med school!  My sister, who is not diabetic, and has no thyroid problems, and was not on an AI, developed trigger thumb several years ago.  She also had cortisone, and then surgery, and has been fine ever since.

Cheers, Linda

Wow!

This is exactly what I was looking for.

I've been on Arimidex (Anastrole) for about 9 months, and for the past month or so I've been having pain, stiffness and snapping joints in my right thumb. I've wondered if it's related to the meds. About 3 months after I began taking Arimidex I was diagnosed with carpel tunnel. There's no reason for me to have this since I'm not diabetic, have no thyroid problems and don't do any repetitive motions.

I'm considering going off the med. and finding a more natural way to control my estrogen.

I'm suppose to get a bone density test this week. Will that show anything going on in my thumb or hands? It's reassuring to know that this may be caused by the Arimidex and not some other serious condition.

Thank you 

My son had trigger fingers when he was eight...cotisone injections worked. he certainly wasnt on an AI... Very common problem so unlikely related to the AI.

Sorry maryannecb but I will have to disagree. I am sure they are common but I am also sure mine was from the Femara.

had trigger finger and carpal tunnel while on Arimidex. It was severe at times and I had seen a hand surgeon..who injected me with cortisone..in my hand at least 3 times over a year's time. He wanted to hold off on surgery as long as possible. I ended Arimidex in Sept. and by Jan. my issues disappeared..I am now on Aromasin WITHOUT any of those issues.

I was diagnosed with trigger finger and had surgery for it.  It's all better now.  I was not at the time diagnosed with cancer and I have yet to receive any cancer treatments.  I won't even have my surgery until the end of Oct.   I'm also not diabetic nor do I have thyroid problems.  It is a type of tendonitis and sometimes people just get it.  It's not encouraging to me to find out that cancer treatments can cause it too.

My husband and daughter were both diagnosed with trigger finger this year. My husband has done well with the cortisone shot but it didn't work for my daughter and she opted for the surgery to correct it.

The doctors were surprised with my daughter because she was only 21 when diagnosed. It was her pinky and even though the doctors couldn't confirm it, we feel it's a result of playing oboe for several years because she also had carpal tunnel from that.

My husband has his middle finger affected on both hands. He's been an aircraft mechanic for more than 30 years and the doctors felt it was just a result of the type of work he does.

They're both much better now, but were in a lot of pain earlier. I hate to hear so many others are having trouble with this for whatever reason. Good luck to you in finding relief.

Hi Susan,

I suggest you send this link or a copy of the article to your "specialist".  AIs have long been associated with arthralgias and joint problems particularly of the hand and wrist.

http://www.current-oncology.com/index.php/oncology/article/viewFile/179/152

Particularly point out to him page 6 and section 2.3 Investigation of AI-Associated Arthralgia

Clinical signs included severely limited mobility in the affected part of the hand or wrist. "Trigger finger" and carpal tunnel syndrome were the most frequently reported clinical signs,

I developed severe hand and wrist pain with trigger thumb and trigger pinky about 5-6 months after being on Aromasin.  It was very painful during the acute phase but after about 3-4 months it got better on its own.  I have been on Aromasin now for 2.5 years and I just experience stiffness in my hands but the locking trigger fingers and acute inflammatory pain is gone.  I think it just took time for my body to adjust to the AI.  I am glad I did not pursue surgery on my hands. 

Bump for Notme

I had a trigger thumb release procedure done in Oct 08.  My BC was diagnosed in Nov 08.  I started Femara in March 09 and my L thumb began to lock.  (I do have a thyroid condition which was diagnosed in Sep 08).  I had my L thumb released (surgically) in June 09.  I too was concerned since my left side was where lymph nodes were taken.  All has gone well, both thumbs are operational and no signs of swelling in my L arm.  I am achy from the Femara (I guess).  

I am  on arimidex (into my fifth month) and have just been diagnosed with "trigger thumb" by my orthopedist. Not diabetic and no thyroid disease. It is my right thumb and I am right-handed. It is a major nuisance. I have a splint on it now and am supposed to take lots of advil. I had no idea it was related to the arimidex until I googled them together. Who knew?

I have had a trigger finger for 4 years. First hand specialist gave me a cortisone treatment and I developed a ganglion cyst. Still have both. Went to another specialist a year later. Wanted to do surgery, but I didn't feel comfortable. Went to another specialist last week. Set surgery date for yesterday, but did not go through with it. I couldn't floss my teeth without prying my finger loose. I have a sonic relief that I purchased a year and a half ago.I paid about $150 for it.  Used it for tennis elbow and sore wrist and sore knee. How stupid was I to not use it on the trigger finger for the passed year and a half. It is a small hand held instrument with a head about the size of a half dollar. It sends sound waves. The sound waves vibrate so fast that they create heat. The head of the instrument doesn't get hot. Actually, I don't feel a thing. I have been using it for the passed 3days, 3 times a day. My finger is sore, but it does not locked anymore. I have also started taking glucosamine everyday. I just ordered a couple gripp balls to exercise my fingers. I can't believe that I have seen this much improvement in a couple of days,

I am negative for diabetes and thyroid problems--in fact just had routine blood work for both and came back normal. However, I had trigger fingers for years while on AI's. My sister who is a massage therapist in Boston taught me some simple exercises which completely eliminated them for years--hard to describe here. She got the exercises out of a professional massage therapist journal. Never had trigger thumb but the thumb on my right hand used to ache and throb.

With palm of hand up grab the fingers of that hand with your other hand. Bend all the fingers back as far as you can without pain and then release. Do this about ten times. Then turn you hand over so the back is up Curl your fingers up into a ball. Grab that ball with you other hand  and bend the fingers, curling them into a tighter ball for a few seconds then release. You should be able to feel the tendons pulling. You are stretching the sheath so the tendons don't get pinched anymore. This is hard for me to describe--I could show you in a quick minute. Really helped me more than anything else.

I had a cortisone injection in my right thumb which helped quite a bit after a week or two... although the thumb still doesn't feel normal, I can bend it. This morning I woke up and I had trigger finger in the left thumb!