joint and muscle pain and weakness

[graceking]

I know this may be a long shot since I doubt it's related to pcos, but does anybody have any joint and/or muscle issues? I've had horrible pain and weakness in my joints and muscles since Christmas, and none of the doctors I've been to has any clue as to what it is or how to fix it. I'm getting referred to a specialist but still, I hate not knowing what this is....

I'm literally sitting here sobbing my face off because I want apple juice and I have the bottle right next to me but I can't open it because I try to close my fingers around the cap but I can't unless I use my other hand to push them around it (which, btw, hurts like hell), and I don't have the muscle or whatever to twist the damn thing open. My hands are literally throbbing from trying to open apple juice. Wtf. I feel so helpless, and the pain isn't helping things either, and I just don't think I can deal with this much longer.

Sigh....

[Eva37]

aww, sorry that you are gong through this!1 have you started any new meds ?? only cos i was getting pains like you described when i first started liptor (atorvastatin) cholesteral meds.
eva

[SweetCyster]

I'm so sorry that you are dealing with that.

It sounds a lot like what I went through at the beginning of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Actually, I still struggle with weakness and 'forcing' my joints to function despite being medicated.

I wish you all the best on your journey to diagnosis and recovery.

[KayJ]

I get similar pains. I was diagnosed with Arthritis and I was shocked. I've always associated any form of Arthritis with being old, after all I'm only 28 years old. Its terrible for me as well. I wake up in horrible pain with stiff joints and muscle weakness in my legs and knees. I attributed it for a while to the fact that I wasn't excercising and ignored it until it got to the point where virtually every joint in my body was aching. I have problems with gripping things as well and have to ask my 9 year old step son to open jars and bottles for me. Its horrible. I can't sit low, I have difficulty sitting on and rising from the toilet. I have to virtually assess everywhere I want to sit before I do so cause of the pain I feel in my knees when sitting and rising. You must know this is hard for me cause I am a tall person and most chairs are 'short'.

I went to the Doctor finally and he sent me for blood work. His first impression was Rhematoid but the blood work did not come back confirming this. I was however, found to be positive for anti nuclear antibodies in my blood. Apparently, this is a sign that my immune system is attacking my joints. He sent me back for tests to ensure that I didn't have Lupus and thank God that came back negative.

I'm still at a loss as to whats happening to me. I live in the Caribbean and quite frankly, we don't have the best medical care here. I don't know. I fear for my future cause as it is, I have PCOS, excessive weight plus I can't push myself too hard, in terms of excercise, because of the pain.

[graceking]

Thanks ladies for your replies.

Eva- nope, no new meds. I was put on glucosamine chondroitin a few weeks ago but the problems already existed at that point, and gc is supposed to help joint issues rather than create or worsen them, so I'm thinking that's probably not the issue....

SweetCyster- I thought it sounded like rheumatoid arthrits too from the research I've done, but when I went in a few weeks ago to the doctor they did oodles of bloodwork and countless xrays and everything came back normal (which is very puzzling to me btw), so apparently that rules out ra? I have yet to discuss that officially with my doctor, we held off on a formal appointment to discuss the results and refer me to a specialist until after I'm out of school since I have finals next week....

It's become a joke among my family that the way things are going, I very well may be a candidate for being featured on the show mystery diagnosis, lol. But once this mystery is solved, I'll be sure to let y'all know what exactly's going on.

Thanks again!

[graceking]

KayJ- you must've responded as I was responding, lol, I didn't mean to leave you out! I thought this sounded like some form of arthritis too.... At this point it sounds like my doctor wants to leave this to the specialist to figure out for sure though, so for now I'm stuck waiting til I can get in with them. I'm sorry you're stuck with arthritis at such a young age, it can't be easy, especially with your stepson to raise and all. I hope it disappears as suddenly and miraculously as it sounds like it appeared!

[stac8454]

Grace... it could be fibromyalgia. That's what I have. All my blood tests and xrays etc. came back normal too.. It was a lengthy process in getting diagnosed. They diagnose by ruling out everything else. It's a pain in the butt! But at least now I know what it is.

[stac8454]

Read this info on fibromyalgia and see if this sounds like you.

Introduction
You hurt all over, and you frequently feel exhausted. Even after numerous tests, your doctor can't find anything specifically wrong with you. If this sounds familiar, you may have fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain in your muscles, ligaments and tendons, as well as fatigue and multiple tender points — places on your body where slight pressure causes pain. Fibromyalgia is more common in women than in men. Previously, fibromyalgia was known by other names such as fibrositis, chronic muscle pain syndrome, psychogenic rheumatism and tension myalgias.....

read the rest on the website.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fib...79/UPDATEAPP=0

[Jashobeam]

I agree it could be fibro or chronic fatigue. I have pain off and on, but not enough to where my doc will give me a DX it seems. My sister has chronic fatigue and my cousin fibro I think. I have had pain on and off since I was a small child. It goes away sometimes for months to a year. Some winter or summer nights it feels like growing pains all over again. As a kid they said it was growing pains. As an adult they said it was my obesity. I'm not tenically obese now, and I still get pains.

[KKF1965]

It could also be related to a low cortisol level and having lived this the past 6 months -it could be your responding to the inconsistent insulin levels in your body. Mine were really off in the middle of the night - waking me up - but, things are getting better now that my doc changed me to Met ER.

Hope you are feeling better.