Haven't Finished the Last Story I Know...

...but I'm a little disabled! I've managed to come down with radial palsy in my right hand which basically means the hand is a limp lettuce leaf hanging of the end of my right arm.

It is now all strapped up and has a metal splint holding my hand straight. This doesn't actually make it fully usuable, but at least I can position my hand and fingers, whereas without it I can't. For instance, I'm now using my right index finger to type, but still can't write.

The doctor is hoping the nerve that has stopped working will 'spontaneously recover'. This is most likely if the cause was compression of the nerve during sleep.

However, if by tomorrow it hasn't recovered, then they're suspicious that I actually have mononeuropathy, possibly caused as a side effect of my anti-retroviral medications that I've been on for a few years. Toxic damage, I suppose.

If this is the case, then there's the option of electromyography. I'm hoping this will fix it. I'm also hoping it doesn't spread..

I'll know more tomorrow.

p.s. I just found this on the web....

Review Articles
The peripheral nerve complications of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
B. J. Brew, MD, FRACP *
Departments of Neurology and HIV Medicine, St. Vincent's Hospital and National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, University of New South Wales, Darlinghurst, Sydney 2010, Australia
email: B. J. Brew (b.brew@unsw.edu.au)
*Correspondence to B. J. Brew, Departments of Neurology and HIV Medicine, St. Vincent's Hospital and National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, University of New South Wales, Darlinghurst, Sydney 2010, Australia
setDOI("ADOI=10.1002/mus.10484")
Keywords
acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) • antiretroviral medication • cytomegalovirus • human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) • neuropathy
Abstract
Peripheral nerve complications occurring in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are frequent and challenging. This review discusses these various complications according to the degree of advancement of HIV disease. Particular emphasis is placed upon emerging causes of neuropathy found in the context of HIV disease, such as infection with hepatitis C and human T-lymphotropic virus type I, as well as neuropathies related to antiretroviral medications. Muscle Nerve 28: 542-552, 2003