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23 year old suffering chronic joint pain, please help!

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Posted 5/5/2011 5:42 AM (GMT 0)
Hello all. I'm 23 years old and for the last three years I've been suffering chonic joint pain in my knees, anckles, toes, fingers, wrists, elobows, and left hip. The pain is usually a warm inflamed sensation, painful stiffness (with snap, crackle, and pop), or a feeling of weakness; usually a combination of all three. The pain is worst when I wake up in the morning and usually recedes slightly after a hot shower, but never goes away completely and returns several times throughout the day. I am in constant pain and can no longer run, jog, lift weights, push-ups, or any kind of physical activity that involves the joints.

In the last three years, I have seen at least five doctors (including 3 rhemetologists), done blood tests and x-rays, and no one has been able to give me a diagnoses. They have all for the most part ruled out Rhuremtoid arthritis because it does not show up on my blood tests, I dont have any visible swelling, and I dont have fever. I have been prescribed IBUProfen, Plaquenil, Meloxicam, and another steroid I can't remember. So far, nothing has had any effect. The only thing that does anything is Tramadol, which is a muscle relaxant pain killer and doesnt do anything for the joints but provides extremely temporary relief from the pain.

I am on here because I am extremely frustrated after dealing with this for so long, and for dealing with doctors who seem to just be stringing me along, prescribing me drugs to "test" in between doctor visits, and I feel like they just dont know and but wont admit it. I'm not looking for pity, but this pain has consumed every aspect of my life and I just don't know what to do. Doctors dont seem to be any help. If anyone has dealt with anything similar and/or has any ideas, it would be greatly appreciated.
Posted 5/5/2011 12:01 PM (GMT 0)
Have you ever seen an allergist? Sometimes food allergies can affect the body in strange ways - one of them being joint pain.

I also have had joint pain for as long as I remember and nothing has ever shown up on tests. Doctors don't know everything and sometimes it's just a matter of waiting and seeing or hoping eventually something will show up on a test some time in the future. All these meds they throw at you can make you feel like a guinea pig huh?

I'm sorry to hear that you're suffering. I hope that eventually you will find the cause of your joint pain.
Posted 5/5/2011 12:08 PM (GMT 0)
I'm sorry you are having such a hard time getting a diagnosis. Fibromyalgia can cause joint pain, but it's hard to know if that is what it is without a diagnosis. So frustrating, I know. Many of us on here have had to go through multiple doctors to get a good diagnosis.

One other thought, have you been tested for Lyme disease? I know it can cause joint symptoms, too. A lot of the fibro symptoms and Lyme symptoms are similar.
Posted 5/5/2011 2:42 PM (GMT 0)
I don't have any answers but I just wanted to let you know most of us have gone through years of docs before we finally get some kind of diagnosis. Not that that takes your pain away but you are in good company. And we all commiserate with the drug trials as we've pretty much all been through that too. I did 9 different medications in 6 months in the beginning. sometimes it just takes enough medical records and having seen enough docs to finally get to the one who says this ain't right and that's the person who figures it out.

Often times, esp Fibro people, get accused of using colorful descriptions for our pain but don't be afraid to tell it like it is even if it's the 100th time you've told them. Keep a journal of your pain, where it is each day & how it has impacted you and your activities of daily living like cleaning house, cooking, shopping, visiting, etc. sometimes it helps to take a blank calendar and write on each day what you experience that day or, in your case, maybe a pain level number...whatever is important to you that you want to convey to the docs. Then take that calendar to your next doc appt. and give it to them. I finally did that with my doc and it had great impact. His eyes flew open and he said no one should live like this. But that's what it took to get him to really see what I meant by "I feel like crap every day" cuz a healthy person can't understand what we mean when we say every day.

I would also suggest you get copies of all your medical records and keep copies of anything you tell them. I always type my notes and give a copy to my doc who then scans it into my records. It makes your appts quite efficient and let's your doc know what's most on your mind. I wish you the best of luck and hope they find out soon for your sake.
Posted 5/5/2011 5:37 PM (GMT 0)
I TPH, and welcome!  I'm glad you found us and joined in!  Maybe it's not your joints.  Fibromyalgia affects muscles, tendons, and ligaments and these, in turn, help move the body parts.  These are all around the joints so it can feel like joint pain but it's your painful muscles you are really feeling.  Also, your joints aren't being affected like what happens with arthritis.  That's good news for us. 

 

I've had times where I really thought I was getting arthritis.  Actually, that's how fibro hit me.  I was watching TV and in a 45 minute period, I developed pain starting in my toes and worked up through all my joints in my body!  When it reached the elbows, it was like I slammed my elbows and I got those terrible "electrical-type" pains shooting down in my hands...and it stayed that was for two weeks!  I couldn't do anything and cried a lot.  But, by using ibuprofen and keeping moving, it finally settled down. 

 

I do hope you can get to the bottom of it, though.  But, it seems if the rheumatologists haven't seen joint inflammation, then you probably don't have arthritis.  I'm not a doctor but that seems to be the logical conclusion.

 

Be sure to read Fibro 101...the second thread on the forum.  Especially check out the links called Symptoms, What Else Could It Be, and A Thorough Explanation of Fibromyalgia.  That could be a real eye-opener for you and you just might see yourself there.

 

I'm looking forward to getting to know you better.  Don't hesitate to ask questions because we are here to help you.  I hope to hear more from you soon.

 

Sherrine

Posted 11/6/2016 4:29 PM (GMT 0)
Hi I know it has been several years since your post but I was wondering if you ever found a solution. I have had joint pain since 2005 and was told it was from my ulcerative colitis. In 2013 I had my colon removed because it was crumbling and was just done with all the pain. Well the joint pain is still here and worse than ever. Now I'm being told it's fibromyalgia. All of my joints feel like a sledge hammer is smashing them and I struggle getting out of bed in the morning and some days I just can't. Just praying for answeres.
Posted 11/7/2016 12:12 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Lady Vicodin, and welcome! I was misdiagnosed with UC for 11 years and then they discovered I really had Crohn's disease by doing a colonoscopy and going a little into the ileum. I ended up losing my colon but still have some joint pain.

I've been told the joint pain was arthritis from Crohn's. It's not bad so I think it is just muscular pain from fibro.

I use ibuprofen with food, Tylenol, magnesium malate, vitamin D3, and a muscle relaxer called Robaxin that has made a significant difference in my pain. I also keep moving and walk daily as a gentle form of exercise. It does loosen you up.

By your user name I am assuming you take Vicodin. I did try that and it didn't touch my pain! It's weird how some things work for one but not for others. It's a trial and error type thing with fibro.

I hope you find something that helps you with your pain. I hope you have had other illnesses ruled out that have manynof the same symptoms as fibro...things like lupus and Lyme disease.

I'm looking forward to getting to know you better. Don't hesitate to ask questions because we are here to help you. Hope to hear more from you soon.

Sherrine
Posted 11/7/2016 12:18 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Sherrine, they was pretty sure mine is UC but could not be positive. I have tried vicodin, Percocet, robaxin, relafin, flexeril, duexis, butrans patch, neurontin, heating pads and demeral. All seams to work for a while then I have to switch to something else, or I could not handle the side effects. I too take magnesium and d3 along with actonel for my bones. I have notices the joint pain gets worse when I'm ovalating and when I'm due to start. My colitis would flare then too. When they removed my colon there was a growth that attached one of my ovalries to my colon. They removed the growth with the colon but I still wonder what it was and if it grew back and is still reeking havoc with me. Do you or anyone else out there get worse at these times?
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