Aching Arm Muscles?

jackie1955

Hi all,

I have not had a definite diagnosis yet, just gp said my blood test was positive and was referring me to a rheumatologist.

I've read lots on here, and have many of the symptons described - but I wonder does anyone else have aching muscles in their arms, above the elbows? Sometimes they ache so much I feel as if I've been carrying something heavy - even when I wake up!

Does that particular sympton indicate something specific? Is it a sympton of RA?

Worryingly, my gp said he would worry about his shoulder pains if my test came back positive as he gets them too - he also said that he was more concerned about me describing the arm muscle pains than the other symptons "as it can signify all sorts of problems........ " :shock:

Thanks all, Jackie

Shell

Hi
I get achy arms and also in my muscles in my legs but i was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia last oct and i also have PA. But i think the achy arms is down to the fibro more than arthur. I find i cant lift my arms above my head sometimes and using a hair dryer is agony.
Michelle

frogmorton

No apointment date yet Jackie?
This is such a worrying time isn't it when you don't know what's happening and everything worries you. AT least it did me!
The rheumy will know exactly what you mean and it will probably help him/her with their diagnosis and it would be very useful for them if you write down ALL your symptoms ready. Lots of seemingly irrelevant symptoms to us can be very informative for them.
I do hope your date comes through very soon Jackie
Take care
Toni x

jackie1955

Hi, thanks all for your replies

I think all this has been coming on for months now; I also wonder if the onset was last winter when I had such terrible back pain that I couldn't do anything but lie on my stomach (I put that down to tripping over a couple of months previously).
Anyway, I saw my gp then, and a community physio, and then privately a consultant. The diagnosis was sciatica. I have been on diclofenac ever since for that :!:
Then in the summer my feet started to feel like they had no padding under them, and I got strange pains in my heels when I went for a stroll........

I wonder if all this is related :?: It certainly seems a coincidence :roll:

colinone

jackie1955 wrote:

Hi, thanks all for your replies

I think all this has been coming on for months now; I also wonder if the onset was last winter when I had such terrible back pain that I couldn't do anything but lie on my stomach (I put that down to tripping over a couple of months previously).
Anyway, I saw my gp then, and a community physio, and then privately a consultant. The diagnosis was sciatica. I have been on diclofenac ever since for that :!:
Then in the summer my feet started to feel like they had no padding under them, and I got strange pains in my heels when I went for a stroll........

I wonder if all this is related :?: It certainly seems a coincidence :roll:

Hi Jackie I suffer with RA and PA it started in my shoulder, chest and the muscles in my arms and legs also the feet just the same as yours I never thought that arthritis could effect the muscles but it does. You have to take it easy and stop worrying it will only make you feel worse. Nothing you can do untill you see the Rheumy it could be anything. I dont know how long you have waited for your appointmen but is should be no more than 12 weeks from referal to seeing the rheumy. I know its a long time if your in pain and your mind is boggled with thoughts but it wont be to long now. Make sure you let us know how you get on. Take care
Colin

woodbon

I have oa in my neck and back and my upper arm musles ache. I have also had bad muscles spasms in my chest &back. My GP says they are caused by the nerve pains from the arthritis. You don't always feel the pain in the place its comming from :? Sue

jackie1955

Hi all, Got my appointment now - its for middle of March. I just want to go and find out exactly whats wrong with me (I still don't feel ill, although I get tired).

I do try not to worry, but I'm probably my own worst enemy because I can't/couldn't help looking stuff up in med books and the 'net....... everyone on here seems to suffer mostly with OA or RA, but there are some other things that have really scared me and the symptons are all quite similar

But - honestly, I'm not really a negative person :!:

frogmorton

Hi Jackie
Now you have your apt you could ring up and let them know you'll take a 'cancellation' at short notice. I did this with my back and got one the next week. I must warn you though it CAN be short notice!!!
Good luck
Toni x

jackie1955

Cheers Toni, yes I have done that, thank you

renard99

Hi Jackie
I'm in a similar situation. I had terrible aches in my arm and hand in august last year that came on out of the blue. I put up with it for a while thinking that I’d either slept awkwardly on it, hurt it playing football or basketball or, having started to use a computer more than I used to in a new job, I’d developed RSI or something similar. After a month I went to the doctor and he said RSI or tendonitis so treated me as such. It died down a little after that and was only intermittent until October when I started to notice other body parts aching, mainly my legs. I went back to the doctor who said I was probably over compensating i.e. my right arm hurt so I was using my left more, making that hurt too etc etc. Then, by November, my knees began to feel very weak and eventually began to hurt, along with a few other joints to the extent that I had to give up all sports and it had begun to affect my work. By this point I’d moved house and changed doctors so had to go through the whole story again with the new surgery (worryingly, when giving my back story, the first doctor interrupted me and asked what RSI meant!!!!!). One of the other doctors tentatively mentioned RA after doing an examination of me and put me on Naproxen and requested blood tests. They came back negative, but, by this point I was in a lot of pain, so went back to the doc who said the tests weren’t comprehensive so did a whole lot more. These came back positive just before Christmas. RA stopped being mentioned in passing and became the main topic. A referral was requested and I’m now waiting (in pain) for the appointment. I’m still getting muscle pains, aches and spasms but now they don’t seem so unrelated as they’re all around joints that now hurt.
That's my story so far.

jackie1955

Hi Renard,
Yes, your story sounds very familiar to me :!: I initially dismissed lots of the symptons I had, finding numerous reasons why I would be aching in various places :!:
When I started waking up in the morning to find my hands had somehow become 'alien' to me I thought I'd better get off to the docs and find out whats going on :shock:

It feels very strange to find your body 'turning against you' isn't it :!:

marnie

Its so good to know we are not alone with our aches and pains i have been havin terrible muscle pain in arms for ages, in bed i cant even pull the cover over myself it feels too heavy, but its good to hear others have the same problems and im not imagining it, im sure alot of people i know think it is all in my head and sometimes i wonder myself.

renard99

jackie1955 wrote:

It feels very strange to find your body 'turning against you' isn't it :!:

Oh yes, I completely agree. It doesn't help with people constantly saying "you're only 25, you should be as fit as a fiddle" as if I need reminding!