I keep losing my grip—any advice?

At first, I thought it was just kind of funny, but after spilling coffee on myself and my surroundings a few times, and breaking a couple of glasses, I’m starting to get genuinely worried.
For about two months now, I’ve been feeling this weakness, a slight stiffness in my fingers—honestly, I can barely even feel anything, like the pads of my fingertips have gone numb. All these symptoms are pretty subtle, but the consequences are becoming obvious.😬
I’m 47, which isn't exactly old, but I definitely shouldn't be dealing with tremors at this stage of life.
It’s getting stressful at work too, because my mouse just keeps slipping out of my hand...
Does anyone have any ideas???

Linda Jones71 said:At first, I thought it was kind of funny, but after spilling coffee on myself and my surroundings a few times and breaking some glasses, I'm starting to get genuinely worried.
For about two months now, I've been feeling this weakness—a slight stiffness in my fingers, and honestly, I can't even feel anything properly, like the tips of my fingers have gone numb. These symptoms are subtle, but the consequences are obvious.😬
I'm 47, which isn't exactly "old age" territory where you start shaking uncontrollably.
It’s becoming an issue at work, too, because my grip just... slips.
Anyone have any ideas???

Go get a referral for hand X-rays. You're likely looking at the early stages of degenerative changes, like rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.
Do your hands feel stiff in the morning, making it hard to make a fist because of the pain? That’s usually the giveaway. If it helps, take comfort in knowing you're noticing this right around the age when these things typically start cropping up. I'm only 30 and already seeing signs of degeneration. Things have improved for me since I started hitting the gym, doing hand exercises, and using those rubber grip strengtheners. You can slow the progression down (using things like Glucosamine sulfate and staying active), but it is progressive.👎

Angela Wright said:(corticosteroids like Glucosamine sulfate

😱 😱

Oh man, seriously... please, just try to steer clear of this kind of nonsense, I'm begging you 🙂

Rachel Brooks63 said:😱 😱

Good grief, please just spare me the nonsense. Give it a rest, will you? 🙂

Why don't you try being a little less rude? Just because you hold a moderator position doesn't give you the right to make comments like that😠! For all I know, besides dealing with all the other medical garbage here, I actually have some firsthand experience with this stuff since I went out of my way to ask a physical therapist😘

Did your physiatrist seriously tell you that glucosamine sulfate is actually a corticosteroid?

That's just great 😍

And just so we're clear—this observation has absolutely nothing to do with my role as a moderator, just for the record... 🙂

Rachel Brooks63 said:Did your physical therapist actually tell you that glucosamine sulfate is some kind of corticosteroid?

Brilliant. 😍

Just so we're clear, my comment has absolutely nothing to do with my role as a moderator, for the record. 🙂

If you want, send me a full name and phone number via DM, and you can go ask them yourself.
The woman in question was a lead researcher for a major clinical trial on Glucosamine sulfate right here in the States.
Glucosamine sulfate falls right into the corticosteroid category, honey.🙄

Linda Jones71 said:Does anyone have any ideas???

Talk to your primary care doctor as soon as possible
so they can refer you to the right specialists based on their assessment.
Personally, I’d definitely recommend making an appointment with a neurologist!

For anyone wondering about this, glucosamine is an amino sugar—basically a precursor used in the biochemical synthesis of glycosaminoglycans, which are huge components of cartilage.

It has absolutely zero connection—chemically or biologically—to corticosteroids, those complex organic steroid molecules doctors use as glucocorticoid receptor agonists. There’s just no link there... nothing at all.

🙂

EDIT: Honestly, I wouldn't mind if someone sent me a DM with the name of the doctor who clearly doesn't know basic chemistry... I'd love to have a little chat with her, if that isn't too weird.

Fine, I’ll be the bad guy here, but... the first sign of Parkinson is dropping things from your hands, and after that, the tremors start in the fingers and move on...

Rachel Brooks63 said:For anyone wondering, glucosamine is an amino sugar. It acts as a precursor in the biochemical synthesis of glycosaminoglycans, which are some of the most critical components of cartilage.

There is absolutely zero connection—neither chemical nor biological—between this and corticosteroids, those complex organic steroid molecules used in medicine as glucocorticoid receptor agonists.

🙂

EDIT: Honestly, I’d love to get the full name of the doctor who clearly lacks a basic understanding of chemistry via PM. I wouldn't mind having a little chat with her, if you don't find that too awkward.

Glucosamine sulfate (like the stuff we pick up from Natural Wealth, for instance) actually includes chondroitin sulfate, which I suppose could potentially be a corticosteroid, though I really can't say for sure. What I do know is that my doctor explicitly told me that this Glucosamine sulfate (we were talking about the Natural Wealth version) actually falls under the category of corticosteroids. Now, whether she meant the entire composition of the Natural Wealth supplement or just the ingredient itself, I have no idea.😕 I'll send you the doctor's name via PM, and I'll shoot over her number as soon as I track it down.

Jose Miller3, I sent you the data via DM
Let me know what you find out, I'm dying to know

So, I was digging through the Twinlab website looking at their info on Glucosamine sulfate and
I decided to copy-paste this snippet that seems to imply what Glucosamine sulfate actually does:

The impact of anti-inflammatory drugs

Most of the common medications used today, specifically non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (like Ibuprofen), come with a whole host of side effects such as: ...

http://209.85.129.104/search?q=cache...ient=firefox-a

And here is the page listing STEROIDAL ANTI-RHEUMATICS

along with some technical definitions and treatment methods:


Basically, treating rheumatoid arthritis still involves corticosteroids, regardless of how you slice it...

My theory? They don't give Glucosamine sulfate a straight description because of marketing. If they mention steroids entering the body, people will freak out and sales will tank. It's like they're trying to sugarcoat it in the Twinlab description by being vague. It looks like Glucosamine sulfate might actually contain corticosteroids, just in much smaller amounts than the other steroid drugs on that list, acting more like a preventative therapy.

Jose Miller3?🍿

Angela Wright said:Jose Miller3?🍿

Are you seriously trying to drain me of a) every last bit of my patience and b) all the knowledge I have on treating inflammatory diseases...? 🙂

I'm not sure if I'll actually have enough time to get through everything you wrote in that last post today—and honestly, even if I do, I can't be certain you're actually going to sit down and really listen to what I have to say... But regardless, I'm gonna try my best and give it everything I've got, just don't go expecting me to hit a specific deadline...

And I'll give the doctor a call too... 🙂

mistymoose57 said:Fine, I’ll be the pessimist here, but... the first sign of Parkinson is dropping things from your hands, and then it spreads to the fingers and moves on...

😱 I thought the exact same thing. It's rare, but I occasionally get these sudden twitches in my head or shoulders—just a quick jerk, totally out of my control.

Linda Jones71 said:😱 I actually thought the same thing—it happens to me once in a blue moon, but I'll get these sudden little twitches in my head or shoulders... just like a tiny jerk, totally out of my control.

ezop, you definitely need to go see a neurologist. Honestly, what you're feeling could be anything from just being stressed out and exhausted to those more serious issues people have been talking about here on the forum 🙂

Rachel Brooks63 said:ezop, you really should go see a neurologist. Honestly—your symptoms could stem from just about anything... we're talking everything from basic stress and exhaustion to those much nastier conditions people have been tossing around on this forum. 🙂

I definitely agree that seeing a neurologist is the first move—and if you can, try to find a top-tier specialist who focuses on extrapyramidal disorders, maybe someone like Maja Relja of KBC Rebro.

I don't want to be some kind of doom-and-gloom prophet here, but dropping things out of your hands... well, it *could* be an early sign of Wilson disease, though it doesn't necessarily have to be.

Rachel Brooks63 said:Are you seriously trying to drain me of both a) my entire supply of patience and b) everything I know about managing inflammatory diseases?🙂

I honestly don't know if I'll have the bandwidth today to tackle everything you dumped on me in that last post. Plus, there's the question of whether you'll actually bother to read or listen to what I have to say. Regardless, I'll give it my best shot, but I'm not making any promises on timing.

And as for our "distinguished" doctor, I'll just refer to them as 🙂

Check your PM for my full response.

But since I want everyone else here to see this:

I have zero intention of messing with your precious patience, and frankly, I don't expect anything from you at all😘 because what I've managed to dig up through my own research is more than enough... does that make you feel better?😛

:kola:

Angela Wright, do you honestly think those herbal supplements you can just grab off the shelf would actually be loaded with something as sketchy as corticosteroids? 😉

I mean, I’m no biochemist or anything, but common sense tells me that your theory just doesn't really add up, I guess.

brisknomad6 said:Angela Wright, do you honestly think herbal supplements you can just grab off the shelf would actually contain something as risky as corticosteroids? 😉

It really feels like there's a massive conspiracy going on in the industry! I honestly can't help but wonder what they're hiding from us. 😉

jer:

Angela Wright said:I honestly suspect that when it comes to Glucosamine sulfate, companies hold back on the full ingredient list just for marketing reasons. They probably worry that if people see how much steroid intake actually affects the body—like how it can make your hair stand on end—it wouldn't sell nearly as well!

😬

Linda Jones71 said:At first, I thought it was kind of funny, but after spilling coffee on myself and my surroundings a few times and breaking a couple of glasses, I’m starting to get worried.
For about two months now, I've been feeling this general weakness and a slight stiffness in my fingers. Honestly, I can barely feel anything—it's like the tips of my fingers have gone numb. While these symptoms seem minor, the actual consequences are pretty obvious.😬
I'm 47, which isn't exactly old, but I certainly wasn't expecting to deal with tremors at this stage of life.
It's even becoming an issue at work because my grip just... slips.
Does anyone have any ideas what might be going on?

Your best bet is to get a referral to a physiatrist or a rheumatologist and go see one.
Initially, you could be looking at Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, the early stages of arthritis in the small joints of the hand, or potentially Brachial Plexus issues caused by degeneration in the cervical spine affecting nerve signals to the arm. Regardless, this isn't something you should take lightly. You really need to look into your family medical history to see if there's a pattern of similar diagnoses. It would be wise to get a rheumatoid factor test and some X-rays of your neck and hands. Don't start any medication until you hear from a doctor, but in the meantime, try doing some light hand exercises or even kneading dough for baking🙂 to help keep the joints mobile. It’s also worth considering the type of physical work you do, as repetitive motions can accelerate wear and tear on joint cartilage.