Pain in more joints

[Deleted User]
[Deleted User] Posts: 0
edited 30. Aug 2017, 08:29 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hi,

I am currently under Rheumatology and am yet to receive a diagnosis. I have been told that I have hypermobile joints, sacroillitis and seronegative arthritis (but they are yet to determine which type). My main trouble has been with severe pain in my hips, lower back for years and then I started having problems with my right wrist, but recently I have noticed pain around my shins and ankles as if I have walked for miles which I have not done; as well as waking in the night with cramp in my legs. I also have noticed pulled muscle pain between by ribs when I breathe in and out. I haven't done anything that I can think of that would have aggravated it and I just wondered if anyone else knew whether these can be linked with inflammatory arthritis and if it is normal to start having problems in other joints? Just feel like its one thing after the other at the moment so would be grateful for any feedback, thank you.

Kirsty

Comments

  • dibdab
    dibdab Member Posts: 1,498
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Kirsty,

    Sorry to hear that things aren't so good just now. I have sero negative RA, which was originally diagnosed as palindromic rheumatism. I think all the inflammatory arthritis diseases affect more than just joints, I certainly have all manner of joint trouble, but I also get really tender muscles and sometimes a sore rib-cage. When I mentioned it at a rheumy appointment the doctor said that it was probably all part of the inflammatory process and to take my anti-inflammatory meds when I needed to. May be it's worth a call to your rheumatology help line, or a chat with your GP? Sadly when the disease is active it's hard to know what is rheumy connected and what is something else.

    Deb x
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    This sounds very familiar to me; I have psoriatic (a sero-negative) and osteo arthritis, with fibromyalgia too. Last night was a grim one with aches, pains, twinges and other assorted nonsense from the waist down but that is how things go. I can empathise with the pain up and down the shins as I have that too, to cope with it I distract myself with my Kindle and a cuppa.

    I think the pain in the ribs may be related to the intercostal muscles but I am not a doc. Do you have any anti-inflammatory meds to take? If not a trip to the GP may be in order and please let your rheumatology unit know that this is happening. I hope things ease soon. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    You have a double whammy there with both inflammatory arthritis and hypermobility. Which condition is responsible for which pain is not for a layman to tackle but, over many years, my RA has virtually got into all my joints so it never surprised me when it cropped up somewhere new.

    The shin pain and leg cramps might (Remember I'm not a doc) be to do with overusing reluctant muscles. When stuff hurts we walk differently and awkwardly. i guess the answer is to try to walk more naturally but that doesn't come naturally at all when everything hurts.

    If it were me, I'd ask for a physio referral. It might help.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thank you for all of your replies, that's really helpful. I will mention it in my next appointmen and I do have the helpline number so might give that a call also if it doesn't shift soon. I am on naproxen and sulfasalazine at the moment but I don't find much benefit from the naproxen, so I've always wondered if I'm taking it wrong. While the pain is bad I will make sure I take the naproxen with the sulfasalazine and see if when it builds up it works. Thank You all.

    Kirsty x
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    The naproxen should be taken on a regular basis, not as-and-when. Like many of our meds it has a cumulative effect, it needs time to build in the system. I hope you have also been prescribed a stomach protector too? I took nap and a protector for some time and it did nothing for me apart from giving me superb oral thrush. I was then given Diclofenac, which worked like a dream so, needless to say, I am no longer prescribed them due to the slightly raised risk of heart trouble. :roll: DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Daisy,

    Thank you for getting back to me. I haven't been given a stomach protector but my GP did say if I was starting to get stomach pain or indigestion I should go back and he would then prescribe me one. As I have only be taking it on and off it doesn't seem to have caused too much trouble at the moment but the next time I go I will try and get some prescribed just so it doesn't cause more problems.

    I was given Diclofenac for a while and found that seemed to work a bit better for me, but like you said I started to worry it might cause other problems because I read about the raised risk of heart troubles. Maybe I'll mention it at my next appointment.

    Thank you so much for your help and I hope you are not feeling too poorly at the moment. Kirsty x