I am having trouble with sewing. I use a lighter pressure when I sew because I have to be careful on how much I exert any part of my body.

Even when I sew gently, after awhile, two of my fingers go numb. They will stay like that for a full 24 hours. Is there any way I can hold the fabric as I sew that might lower the amount of exercise that my hand is getting?

I use more than just two fingers whenever possible. More fingers or my whole hand is even better.
Some times I feed the fabric through with my fingers, then I will switch to using my seam ripper. For me it is keeping them in the same position for too long, overusing the same muscles.

Stop very often, massage my hands, warm them up and rest them higher than my heart (for the swelling), use larger ergonomic tools.

I have tried snug fitting gloves too.. they do help to take the strain off of my hands. Mine are a nylon, breathable and fingerless, found them at a sporting goods store :D:D:D

I don't have any answers, but just want you to know I feel bad for you. My daughter in law has fibromyalgia also. You all are in my prayers.

I agree with Amma...I use Handeze gloves...and the main idea is to fool the body by changing positions all the time...

I have it as well and my Dr has me on Lyrica it helps with some of my tremors and pain. I start and stop a lot with my sewing and massage my hands when they start to get to tingle and I use the Handeze gloves as well.

I feel for you. Hope you can find some way of making it more pleasant for yourself :)

I also have Fibro and I have to stop occasionally and stretch my fingers. Also, if I use my right hand too much, I'll have muscle spasms up into my shoulder...then I have to quit sewing (or being on computer) for a while. I get the tingly feeling in the tips of my fingers, also. I use the Handeze gloves and they help a lot. I don't know of any magic cure for the pain...have tried most every medication there is. Just stop and rest and stretch.

if you are going numb..you need to have your spine checked...
numbness is not just associated with fibro and believing that everything you have gone wrong is related to fibro could be causing you more damage! get the dr to xray for arthritis and check your sugars..both can cause numbness...and so can a million other things...

Jackie...For me it is arthritis, too...they just go hand in hand...

maybe carpel tunnel? i have FMS..my hands go numb just sitting..and i have CT in both hands..a hand splint at night helps.you should NOT assume it is the FMS..

we all ignore our symptoms..because we are in so much pain all the time, in different parts of our bodies..we,as women, just "get on with it" and go about our lives..go get checked again.

i have to do lots of stopping and stretching when i sew..

aint it the truth...I was content to go on living with all of my hip/leg pain until my leg did not move...I found out this week, what I was casually "assuming" was pain associated with FMS is actually 2 herniated discs in my lower back with compression on my spinal cord!

thanks for sharing that with us...

Helps my hands to use Mr. Clean sponges. I place my palm on top of the sponges and they cling to the fabric moving it so that I don't have to place pressure on my fingers. I alternate using and not using the sponges and nitro gloves from the gardening section of Wal Mart.

Please be checked out by a good doctor. The numbness in my hands was caused by carpal tunnel. After surgery on both, I no longer get that numbness, unless I do something too long of course. Are you having more hand problems in the summer, is it hot and humid where you live? Two summers I had horrible pain and what felt like swelling in my hands. I assumed it was caused by arthritis. Turns out it was fibro rearing it's ugly head-increase in Lyrica solved the problem for me.
Please see a doctor to figure out what is the problem.
Kat

My recently prescribed Lyrica is helping me. And, yes Jacqi, I've seen my PCP, my chiropractor, an neuromuscular doctor, a rheumatologist and a neurologist in the last two months. Plus multiple X-rays and a lumbar MRI. I should be glowing. All this from someone who doesn't normally go to doctors. Oh, liquid Vit B12 prescribed by the rheumatologist has helped, too. I will be getting that online when it gets down. Physical Therapy is next. Fun and games.

love my gloves.. purchased them at a local quilt store for $8.00 dollars.. they are so soft, breathable at palms and have rubber tips, all tips.

Good luck.. I am so sorry about your wanting and having such difficulty.

Ell

I have the same thing, I take Lyrica at night and I wear the quilting gloves or rubber tips for my fingers, it really helps me hold on to the fabric, also I use a 1/4" foot so I just guide the fabric threw instead of holding it all the way, also try pinning your fabrics so you don't have to hold together when passing threw the sewing needle.

Try using some sort of rubber based gloves/finger tips so you won't have to push so hard to hold the fabric. Works for me.
Syl

I feel for you. I'll get the spasm effect if I don't take time outs! I was wondering...do men get Fibro???? I don't know of any...well what crossed my mind was that if it affected as many men, they would probably find a cure!! LOL They sure came up with Viagra (no pun intended) fast enough!! LOL Oh, now I'm being so bad!

I have lupus and rheumatoid arthritis and I know what kind of pain you are going through. My hands get numb also,which I do have carpal tunnel. Like everyone says, you just have to rest some of the time. I hope you able to work on projects as much as possible.

I have Fibromyalgia as well. The computer mouse really bothers me. For some reason at home I hang on to it all the time when on the computer but do not do the same at work where I work on the computer all day. BAD HABITS!!

Yes men can get Fibro as well. A good friend of ours has it.

I was to see a specialist a few weeks ago and she told me my fibro is really bad. But I have lived with these very stiff muscles for so long I don't even think about it. She suggested that I start taking yoga to see if I can release my pelvic and leg muscles. Which are really causing me internal problems.

It is raining like crazy here in Saskatchewan. Good day to be in the house! Need to get off the computer and go and quilt..

Quilterfay

I too have FM and carpal tunnel. Lyrica has been a godsend for me. I use braces every night, and day sometimes, too. I wanted to suggest also that you raise the height of your chair so you are working with hands below you waist as they are on the machine. It is harder to see so don't start bending over or more problems can develop, but it really helped me when I raise the chair a lot higher. Hands stopped going numb. Same for chair at computer. Good luck

ok I'm going to throw you all a bone sort of speak to see if any of you have ever hear about or investigated this. But first I want to let you know that I found this information just late night while doing my research on different causes of cancers &/or natural things I can do to help rid myself of breast cancer.

I found this information in a book written by Dr. Sherrill Sellman, ND called "Hormone Heresy". Chapter 14, Discovering Some of the Benefits of Natural Progesterone, section "Aches and Pains of the Muscles (Fibromyalgia)" states, Dr. Lee found that fibromyalgia, which is reaching epidemic proportions in the US, would disappear within 6 months to a year upon using progesterone supplements."

This statement caught my eye because my daughter has so much trouble with pains throughout her body which the doctors say is fibromyalgia. This book is a very interesting read and worth the time to read if for nothing more than a good place to start doing your own research on how progesterone deficiency can effect all types of problems form simple PMS to cancer and my other things in between.

For what it's worth, I would recommend this book to everyone that really wants to get to the root of things.

Have a great day!
Sue

i have fibro too and polymyagia rheumatica......sorry

i have fibro too and polymyagia rheumatica......sorry

Please get checked by a good Dr. Not all is fibromyaligia. Take good care of yourself.

First I assume you are seeing a pain or neuro specialist and you are taking medications for your diagnosis. If not I strongly suggest you seek the help of one. The changes you've made in your sewing routine are helpful for your condition but will not treat your entire problem. I hope you'll be feeling better soon. :D

ditto. In the past I went without medical help thinking it was just Fibro. See a dr.

I am so sorry to hear about the pain you have as a result of fibromyalgia. I was told that fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue immune dysfunction syndrome are the same. It just depends on who does the diagnosis. There is a CFIDS Journal published by the Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Association. It helped me tremendously when I was going through it. It is certainly no fun to live in chronic pain. I went to a DO that practiced like an ND. He put me on Glucosamine Chondriton and Flax Seed Oil among other things. I went to a Chiropractor who used an accupressure treatment. The newest version of that treatment is called The Fiengold Method. I also took Hylauronic Acid as well as an antidepressant much like Cymbalta that they advertise on TV. Use anything you can to get better.

So sorry about you pain. I saw in Connecting Threads or Nancy's Notions recent catalog a velcro strip that you can put around your hands (across the fingers, leaving the thumb free) that allows you to just lay your hands on the fabric and the velcro hooks will hold the fabric and guide it through the machine. That might work for you and take the weight off your fingers. Hope so.

So sorry about you pain. I saw in Connecting Threads or Nancy's Notions recent catalog a velcro strip that you can put around your hands (across the fingers, leaving the thumb free) that allows you to just lay your hands on the fabric and the velcro hooks will hold the fabric and guide it through the machine. That might work for you and take the weight off your fingers. Hope so.

I had lots of pain in my shoulders even gat trigger point injections every 6 months then finally went to a Dr. that did blood work and my vitamin "D" level was only 17 should be 30 to 100 took prescrition vitamin "D" now 2000 units a day my level is 49 and the pain has been improved by 90% by all means see a Dr. as there are many causes

Have you tried the exercise where you pull your hand up as far as it will go toward the top of your arm. Do not jerk just stretch and do it frequently during your sewing. And stretch both hands. I do that with carpel tunnel.

I take cortisone injections every 3 months or so for arthritis and rheumatisim.Just had them in my knees Thursday next month will have them in my shoulders.Can't take lyrca as it made my eyes sight blurry,can't take cymbalta either so I take what I can.Went the naturpath way too.I don't have it nearly as bad as some I don't think.

Doc tells me that fm is rheumatisim

i have seen a band used that goes around all 4 fingers of each hand and then is used to guide fabric. will try to find out where i saw it and get back to you. i know how frustrating it can be when something goes numb. lots of luck :)

dO YOU TAKE MEDS. dOLIBIS IS AN OLDIE AND NO SIDE EFFECTS LIKE THOSE OTHERS,

I use wrist support to help me from making my fingers numb. I found that this helped a little. Unfortunately this disease takes a toll on the body one way or the other. I now find that I do a little and then take a break. My best wishes go with you. Patience is the key.

I use wrist support to help me from making my fingers numb. I found that this helped a little. Unfortunately this disease takes a toll on the body one way or the other. I now find that I do a little and then take a break. My best wishes go with you. Patience is the key.

Some medications can also produce these symptoms. I have osterporosis and tried 2 different once a week type meds, and felt as if I had carpel tunnel. Under doctor direction I went off each due to the symptoms, and everything cleared up. Now I'm using the nasel spray for osteo. So far so good. Thank goodness we discuss these things, the medical world is so vast...