I can't wait to start my Remicade infusions on Thursday.Today for the first time in weeks I picked up my Jimmie Vaughn Strat to try out my Cool at Transparent Overdrive I bought Friday and almost immediately my hands started paining.Little Wing was just impossible to play so I thought I'd try something somewhat easier and tried Spanish Castle Magic no such luck,after 2 minutes the pain had become absolutely excruciating,they literally felt like I had slammed a car door shut on them.My doctor had to take me off Methotrexate as I have developed several large and painful ulcers in my mouth and on my tongue and one on my tongue has actually developed into a hole so this is why my condition has worsened.

I don't know what I'm going to do if the Remicade doesn't work,I just can't bear to think what it would be like not being able to play.I'd have to get a referal to the Mayo Clinic or something as I'd rather lose the use of both legs than the use of just one finger.

_________________
'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

i'm sorry to hear about this mate , i can only imagine what you'r going through , but here's hoping the docs can sort you out , i know what i would be like if i couldn't play , hang in there guitslinger , cheers
Alan

_________________

Yeah like my namesake said hang in there matey, fingers crossed for ya. I know its not much but sending you healing vibes from Blighty.

I cannot imagine the emotions you're feeling right now.

Good thoughts, good vibes and heartfelt prayers going out to you, GuitSlinger...I sincerely hope the new meds work!

_________________
Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

_________________
1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

Sorry to hear it guitslinger but keep the faith and try to stay positive. I've had my own hand problems to deal with, so share your frustrations brother. Don't let it bring you down.

_________________
Luck won't do it and ignorance can't

George Van Eps.

Not cool, but if it makes any difference Your not alone. I cant play at all because of my left hand. Just hang in there & it'll get better.
----Danny,

Derek,I am sure you have tried everything you possibly can by now ,but can you at least throw a slide on one of those fingers and play some slide? It's better than nothing.I know back when I had the carpal tunnel surgeries I couldn't play guitar at all for a while so I just wailed away on my harmonica.Do you enjoy other instruments that don't require such intense use of the hands? Perhaps give something else a go until you can get those hands in working order again.I'm praying for ya bro that these Remicade treatments help you out.Best of luck

_________________
1986 Fender Sidekick Reverb 35
1990 Fender Red Knob - "The Twin"
1992 Fender Newporter - Acoustic
2000 Fender American Series Strat - Natural ash
2010 Fender Mustang 1
2011 Fender Blacktop Jazzmaster -Sunburst
2012 Fender Champion

I have one. These may not look like much, but you should hear the crazy, wailing, solos I can pull with it. It never goes out of tune either, which is a plus

_________________
1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

Hang on Derek, wait for the remicade to kick in. I hope that it works out fine for you.

Guit my sincere sympathy and prayers go out for you. I hope the meds work for you. If it makes you feel any better I can't play Little Wing worth a darn with a good pair of hands. I'm willing to bet you play it better even in pain...

Thanks for the support guys I really appreciate it beyond what words can express. As Chief Dan George said in "Little Big Man"-"It makes my heart soar."God Bless you all- Derek.

_________________
'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

I just started Humira injections last week for Psoriatic Arthritis. The difference was noticable in just a couple hours. I hope you have the same success with your remicade infusions because the pain of not being able to play was (almost) worse than the actual pain.

Thanks Bam74 that sounds real encouraging,I hope that I have the success that you've had.Cheers.

_________________
'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

How is that going?? My mom has the same condition and is doing much better, but not after what Humira did to her. Humira almost killed her last year. I forgot the exact terminology, but some sort of cell count was almost at 0 last year, and if it reached 0, she would have died. I think it was something with her immune system actually treating the drug as a virus and her body attacking itself. Cases like that are rare, but it happens. She found an alternative though. The sad thing is, I'm probably in the early stages of it. Sometimes, my skin flares, and my joints flare as well and apparently this disease is hereditary. I really hope you don't get to the stage my mom got to with it, especially caused by a drug. It's a horrible condition I wouldn't wish on anybody. I'm just glad to know someone else out there knows what it's like.

_________________
1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic