Please Help.

Hi To All,
    I just turned 22 years old, and i have been experiencing excruciating hand pains for the last... mmm actually as long as i can remember. I played softball for about 10 years, growing up, and I just always associated my pain with playing. It has been 5 years since the last time I played, and the pain has just gotten worse. I was sent to a rheumatologist by my general doc because he said that a blood test showed positive for an autoimmune disorder. So i went and they told me that they couldn't "quite put their finger on it" but to try taking some anti depressants. I declined.
    This is what I feel...
         My ring and middle fingers on both hands, mostly left hand, feel like im getting poked by needles on my fingertips. The pain shoots up to my palms. It happens randomly... but usually at night time.
         The area of my right hand between my index finger and thumb gets swollen and turns a purply color and feels super tense or tight idk how to explain it.
         Any slight pressure on my fingers hurts. There's days i cant even hold my fiance's hand because it hurts too much :(.
         I tend to bruise easily... and the only reason i say that is because sometimes i notice bruises that i dont remember how they got there. Usually in the morning when im in the shower i notice them.

I am a student at Cal State University of Long Beach and the pain really interferes with school. There's days that I cant even take notes because it hurts so bad. I know something has to be wrong but why can't they find out what it is. I'm scared..... Has anyone experienced these types of pain or circumstances? Any advice would really help. Thanks in advance.

[trying43]

Sounds like you need another dr.  When I was having headaches I was told first there was nothing wrong, then I was just depressed,(which ticked me off!) then it was just tension, then migraines, then finally I got a good dr who found it was actually seizures! I also had an autoimmune disorder that several drs were perfectly willing to let me suffer with it because they couldnt put their finger on it either.  I found a good one who narrowed it down to AS and got me on meds for it.  As far as your situation, did you think maybe possible carpal tunnel?  I would have some hand xrays to rule that out or to see if there is arthritis in there.  Good luck to you.

[Moms_Guardian_Angel]

Thank you for for response. I suffer from migraines as well. So all the symptoms you were experiencing turned out to be seizures? that's pretty intense. But i hope that you are doing better now that they figured that out.
This is going to sound kind of crazy but i also have these 'spells' where it feels like im tryin to do things fast and i feel like im floating?... like everything is going in slow motion and i hear a ringing sound. I explained that to my doctor as well and he just laughed and told me to lay off the "drugs", which i thought was completely inappropriate. I did have x-rays done and they said that there was nothing out of the ordinary. I actually made an appointment with another doctor but it's not until january 7 so i'll have to wait and see. I just wish i can come across a doctor that actually genuinely wants to help.

[trying43]

Those floating spells you are describing might actually be seizure activity, they call it an aura.  I get those before I have a seizure but not everytime.  I would see a neuroliogist and have an EEG done to rule it out.  Some autoimmune diseases can have seizure activity, Lupus is one of them.  I am pretty upset with the medical communtiy right now as it took me almost 5 years and 8 doctors to get some help.  I actually went to a hospital that had student doctors who were eager to learn so they actually cared about what was going on and looked into my case.  Might be something you want to try.  Good luck to you.

[Moms_Guardian_Angel]

The whole student doctors thing makes soo much sense! I'm going to have to look into that. Again thank you. I'll post if I figure anything out. :)