Sunday, November 23, 2008

Feel the burn!

If I were to chop off both my hands at this very moment, I'd feel better. Imagine sticking your hands into a campfire, rubbing them in the dirt and then sticking them back in the fire. That's how my hands feel. Last night I was shopping with my girls and my left hand was hurting something awful. It has been and I was blaming it on NaNo since I've been typing so much. I wandered around the store griping when I finally decided to buy a topical cream. I had a few tubes of Icy Hot at home, so I didn't want to get another one. I decided to try this stuff -- Capzasin HP. I knew it was pepper stuff, but I figured I could handle it. The thing is, I forgot to put it on before I started driving home, so I decided to do it while driving. Yes, while driving, in the dark! I thought I had squeezed out a tiny bit only to realize I had a GLOB on my hand. I rubbed some in and then wiped the rest off with a tissue. It started to heat up and I figured everything was fine. By the time I got home, my hands were on fire. No matter how much I washed my hands, it seemed to get worse. I finally read the instructions (well, duh!) and it said to use a thin layer on the affected area. No, it didn't say to GLOB it on as thick as possible. It also said to wash your hands immediately after applying. No, it didn't say to hang onto the steering wheel with greasy hands and hope a deer didn't come darting across the road. Duh again! I also touched my mouth, so my lips were burning. Taking off my make-up last night was a new experience in pain. Rick told me to use dish soap because it didn't have oil in it. I guess he would know with all the pepper spray he's sprayed and been sprayed with. I went to sleep with my hands burning, but when I woke up, they felt okay. Then I took a bath and got them wet and now they're on fire again. Surprisingly, the pain in my hand is gone, so this stuff works. I imagine it would be awesome on back pain. The moral of the story is -- READ THE DIRECTIONS BEFORE USE! Well duh ...

18 comments:

  1. Omg Rena, LOL.

    I'm laughing with you, not at you.

    Really. :D

    ;)

    Gale

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  2. Wow, is this trading one kind of pain for another or what? How could you have known? I'm so glad it worked, but I hope this tube says READ THE DIRECTIONS FIRST in huge red letters. You can't be the only one who's gone through this. Wow.

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  3. Yikes! Did you call the number on the package to see if there was something you can do?

    If it burns everytime you get it wet, that ain't gonna be good...

    I hope things are cooling down for you now...

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  4. That's one big ouch! Poor you.
    Good advice! Read first!

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  5. Oh so sorry but glad you made it home safely and no deer jumped out in front of you.

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  6. Thanks everyone! You know Brenda, I read the packaging and it said it could burn slightly for the first few days. Right after I took a bath this morning it was really burning, but it's been fine ever since. I just washed my hands again and they're fine, so all is good. For now -- LOLOL!

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  7. OUCH! That's a hunka, hunka burning hand! Glad it is feeling better!

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  8. LOL Kelly -- hunka, hunka burning hand! Love it!

    Fortunately, they're still feeling okay. I'm kind of scared to use that stuff again though.

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  9. Ooh, yes, if all else fails, read the instructions! I expect the small amount they suggested would have felt quite pleasant. I'm glad the effects seem to have worn off now.

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  10. Oh Rena! How frustrating! And, I'm glad the pain both in and on your hands went away.

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  11. Yikes! I hope you feel better!!!!

    BTW, your dream blog is mentioned in my blog today. I actually dreamed about your blog over the weekend! :0)

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  12. Rena,

    They call it carpal tunnel syndrome, but we all know it should be called "Writer's Pain."

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  13. I'm cringing as I type! Yikes, what a hard lesson. And that it burned the next day, too! Yikes. I'll look for this though the next time my wrists start bugging me tho...thanks!

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  14. Yikes! Good thing you didn't rub your eyes while you were driving.
    Whenever I cook with peppers, it burns under my fingernails for days...I never think to wear gloves.

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  15. My sister has had the same hand ache for years--she recently went to a new doctor who told her to take vitamin B-6 (or a good b-complex vitamin).She thought "yeah,right"--but she tried it.AND IT WORKED! Her hands feel better than they have in years-and she had tried everything--creams,pills ,etc.At least it wouldn't BURN if it works for you!

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  16. Thanks everyone! The burning has stopped, but now my right hand is aching. Ugh!

    propwashz -- Thanks for your suggestion on the B vitamins. I have a B-complex, so I'm going to start taking that and see if it helps. Many years ago I was in wrists splints and had all the nerve tests done. They ruled out CTS and said I didn't have that. When I stopped doing my monthly newsletters and cut back on my typing a lot, the hand/wrist pain went away. Since I've been trying to work on my NaNo project everyday, I think that's what is triggering it again. But I'm definitely going to give your suggestion a try, especially since I have the vitamins right in my cabinet. Sure sounds better than having my hands burn! Thanks so much! :)

    Rena

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  17. Oh ouch, I'm cringing for you. I'm glad it worked, but I don't know if the pain is worth it (I guess it depends on which pain was worse).

    I use Aspercreme. It doesn't smell and it doesn't burn, and it works for me, at least for muscle aches and such.

    BTW, I think they should put a big huge warning on the pkg if it burns like that. Hope you don't ever need to use it again!

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