joint pain, probably being a hypochondriac

[ebtbmom]

I almost feel silly posting this here after seeing the really serious issues that others are dealing with.
In March I experienced about a week's worth of extreme joint pain in my fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, and toes. It was so bad I couldn't do anything, even open a bottle of diet coke! After a couple of days I went to my doc and she ran tests and nothing came back except for an elevated sed rate. So she basically shrugged her shoulders and told me to take NSAIDS.
Ever since I am having a terrible time with my hands and wrists. Every where else feels better, but I'm waking up every morning with stiff, contractured fingers. Especially the pinkie and ring fingers on my right hand and to a lesser extent on the left. It's starting to interfer with some of my activities (I take a karate class) and last night the pain in my hands and wrist was so bad that it kept me awake for several hours. I wondered if it's a trigger type of thing, but how could that happen on both hands at the same time? I also had 2 cases of Raynaud's last winter. My mom has several autoimmune disorders so obviously I'm a little concerned.
Sorry for my long sob story, I'm just feeling miserable and am almost embarrassed to return to my doc since she acted so nonchalant about it.
Anyone with any experiences with this or insight? Thanks!

 

[quasar4legs]

It sounds painful having to deal with ongoing joint pain, I really would go back to the doctor and ask her to do further investigations or refer you on to a specialist.

Sometimes it's not easy to go back to the doctor with the 'same problem' but It would be best to get this sorted ASAP. Try not to worry, easier said than done I know.

Take care
Quasar

 

[mommasita]

Hi there.

I can relate to this in SO many ways. Firstly, I am very sorry you are dealing with this. My question would be, did you see a specialist? When I first saw my primary with lots of your issues, he send me to a rheumatologist who IMHO is the Dr. to see. With your Raynaud's and your Mom's history, I sure hope they did! If not, I would be on that pronto.

Please, never ever feel silly posting anything here. .This is truly the Coping & Compassion board..

Thoughts and prayers going out to you.

 

[ebtbmom]

No, it was my primary care. I was thinking about seeing on ortho to make sure it's not something simple like trigger finger or carpal tunnel. I just hate to pay the huge specialist copay (but it's OK to pay 50$ per person to eat dinner with Winnie the Pooh ). I think I'll go next week b/c it kept me awake last night, I had to get up around 1:00 to take ibuprofen before I could fall asleep.

 

[ebtbmom]

Hi there.

I can relate to this in SO many ways. Firstly, I am very sorry you are dealing with this. My question would be, did you see a specialist? When I first saw my primary with lots of your issues, he send me to a rheumatologist who IMHO is the Dr. to see. With your Raynaud's and your Mom's history, I sure hope they did! If not, I would be on that pronto.

Please, never ever feel silly posting anything here. .This is truly the Coping & Compassion board..

Thoughts and prayers going out to you.

Did your rheumatologist find anything if you don't mind me asking?

 

[mommasita]

Did your rheumatologist find anything if you don't mind me asking?

Yes actually. I did/do have carpal tunnel, Sjogren's, fibro, and another Auto Immune. He is an amazing Dr, who took me seriously, and I see him every month now.
I have no knowledge of the co-pay, as we don't have that, but I think I would still get a referral. THey really are the specialists in these matters.

 

[Blessed0507]

I would not feel embarassed about going back to your doctor and asking for more tests. Do you know what tests were run? If you can, schedule an appt with a rheumatologist, I would start calling now (it's not abnormal to wait a month or even two before a first appointment).

I had some similar symptoms and was recently diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Your doctor can run an RA blood panel to investigate the elevated SED rate.

{Hugs} I know joint pain, the not sleeping and the feeling of not being able to open my bottle of Diet Coke or the gallon of milk for my kids.

I wish you the best and hope you get answers!

 

[ebtbmom]

Saw an ortho today (a PA actually) and he wants me to have an EMG to see if I have pinched nerves in my elbow. Not looking forward to it, I hear it can be really painful. How could I have pinched nerves in both elbows at the same time? I wonder if this is the correct direction for me?

 

[mommasita]

Saw an ortho today (a PA actually) and he wants me to have an EMG to see if I have pinched nerves in my elbow. Not looking forward to it, I hear it can be really painful. How could I have pinched nerves in both elbows at the same time? I wonder if this is the correct direction for me?

An EMG is not pleasant for sure. I take a Motrin before going, and it is uncomfortable more than painful for me. It is most definitely a start.

 

[rodeo65]

Definitely something to be following up on - and shame on the primary who poo-pooed your first visit. My dad has RA and I had a very similar occurrence in December as we were packing and getting ready to head to FL. It started three days before we were to leave while I was trying to do laundry and up and down two flights of stairs; in my knee first then ankles on both sides, then shoulders - both, and finally wrists.

The day we were leaving I stopped in to see my "woo-woo" doctor. She is a practitioner of a self healing modality and treats both my mom and myself and is aware of my father's diagnosis (and disdain for anything not "medical".) She told me it was certainly an RA-type flare up but she felt is was viral in nature rather than a chronic issue. She was not able to fully treat it because we were leaving right then - she had squeezed me in. I ended all through Christmas with travelling pain - a few joints here today and a few there tomorrow. I ended up with a cold sore a few days before we were to leave the coast for Disney and took (can't remember the name) the RX anti-viral medication I have for it. Within two days all of the pain was gone. I was completely amazed.

I do intend to stay on top of any other bouts of joint pain; between my dad's issue and this flare up of mine I feel that I have a pre-disposition. On the other hand my dad has told me repeatedly that stress was a huge factor in the original flare up he had and now over 20 years later - retired, and away from his job stress, he seems to be in remission.