Sudden pain here, there, and everywhere

[jj6426]

Hands, shoulders, legs, knees and feet--and more recently my neck.
Blood tests did not indicate rheumatoid arthritis or polymyalgia rheumatica--so I am at a loss to figure out what is causing this. ....Doctor concluded osteo arthritis, and the only relief is ibuprofen. But I'm wondering if it isn't more serious as the pain is pretty intense, especially in the morning. Today while taking a nap, I felt pain suddenly in my hands and arms--burning and throbbing. Has anyone else experienced anything like this? I would love to hear if there is something out there that the doctor may have missed. Thank you.

[karostay]

Lyme possibly Lyme Disease: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention (https://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/arthritis-lyme-disease)

[JackRussell]

Could be your statin. I had the same problem after taking Lipitor for quite a while. You can stop it and see if symptoms persist. It takes a week or so to leave your bloodstream.

[golfing eagles]

Hands, shoulders, legs, knees and feet--and more recently my neck.
Blood tests did not indicate rheumatoid arthritis or polymyalgia rheumatica--so I am at a loss to figure out what is causing this. ....Doctor concluded osteo arthritis, and the only relief is ibuprofen. But I'm wondering if it isn't more serious as the pain is pretty intense, especially in the morning. Today while taking a nap, I felt pain suddenly in my hands and arms--burning and throbbing. Has anyone else experienced anything like this? I would love to hear if there is something out there that the doctor may have missed. Thank you.

I guess the three big questions are: How sudden was the onset, how long has it been going on, and are there any additional symptoms?
Did you have a cold or flu-like illness 1-3 weeks prior to the onset of this pain, if so, consider a post-viral polyarticular polyarthropathy
If you are taking a hydroxy methyl glutaryl Coenzyme A inhibitor (statin), the above post may be correct
Fibromyalgia generally does not have a sudden onset, and usually first presents to patients in their 30's
It is still possible to have seronegative RA.
I do have some concern over the diagnosis of osteoarthritis if it was truly a sudden onset.
Best advice would be to see a good rheumatologist (yes, I know that's sort of an oxymoron)

Good luck and hope you feel better

[YouNeverKnow]

I guess the three big questions are: How sudden was the onset, how long has it been going on, and are there any additional symptoms?
Did you have a cold or flu-like illness 1-3 weeks prior to the onset of this pain, if so, consider a post-viral polyarticular polyarthropathy
If you are taking a hydroxy methyl glutaryl Coenzyme A inhibitor (statin), the above post may be correct
Fibromyalgia generally does not have a sudden onset, and usually first presents to patients in their 30's
It is still possible to have seronegative RA.
I do have some concern over the diagnosis of osteoarthritis if it was truly a sudden onset.
Best advice would be to see a good rheumatologist (yes, I know that's sort of an oxymoron)

Good luck and hope you feel better
Could be Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)Your symptoms sounds very similar to what happened to me. If a day or two on Prednisone makes the symptoms disappear than that’s a good possibility of what it could be. Worth discussing with your doctor and reading about it online.

[golfing eagles]

Could be Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)Your symptoms sounds very similar to what happened to me. If a day or two on Prednisone makes the symptoms disappear than that’s a good possibility of what it could be. Worth discussing with your doctor and reading about it online.

I believe the OP stated that his physician had already ruled out PMR by blood tests (PMR typically has an extraordinarily high ESR over 70 or 80)
Discussing with doctor---definitely
Reading online---not so much, you will either get bad or confusing info

[NotGolfer]

I guess the three big questions are: How sudden was the onset, how long has it been going on, and are there any additional symptoms?
Did you have a cold or flu-like illness 1-3 weeks prior to the onset of this pain, if so, consider a post-viral polyarticular polyarthropathy
If you are taking a hydroxy methyl glutaryl Coenzyme A inhibitor (statin), the above post may be correct
Fibromyalgia generally does not have a sudden onset, and usually first presents to patients in their 30's
It is still possible to have seronegative RA.
I do have some concern over the diagnosis of osteoarthritis if it was truly a sudden onset.
Best advice would be to see a good rheumatologist (yes, I know that's sort of an oxymoron)

Good luck and hope you feel better

I have RA, osteo-arthritis as well as fibromyalgia. I used GE post too as he's a retired dr., I believe. He's right about seronegative RA as it won't show up in blood-work. I didn't get my diagnosis for the RA right away...in fact I began the symptoms suddenly when we still lived up north. I went to my pcp (who didn't do labs) that directed me to a neurologist, who I fired (long story there). I eventually just decided I would live with it and it was horrible. That was about a year before we moved here..in 2008 or so. It wasn't til 2011 when an astute dr. in taking my history and asking a plethora of questions sent me for labs. They took 15 vials to rule out various things. It was then I was found to have RA. I can recommend Dr. Catherine Sullivan at the Specialty Clinic as a rheumatologist. I've gone through 5 before finding her and she's very good. You can private message me if you have any other questions.

[tophcfa]

Lyme possibly Lyme Disease: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention (https://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/arthritis-lyme-disease)

Agree that you should get checked for Lyme disease.

[YouNeverKnow]

I believe the OP stated that his physician had already ruled out PMR by blood tests (PMR typically has an extraordinarily high ESR over 70 or 80)
Discussing with doctor---definitely
Reading online---not so much, you will either get bad or confusing info
I have PMR despite normal ESR and other blood tests. Have been dealing with it for two years.

[golfing eagles]

I have PMR despite normal ESR and other blood tests. Have been dealing with it for two years.

Unfortunately, I can't teach rheumatology 101 in a paragraph. Suffice it to say there is a great deal of overlap in both the symptom complexes and lab evaluation of the rheumatologic diseases, so much so that there is even an entity called "overlap syndrome" The only significant difference between PMR and fibromyalgia is the typically elevated ESR in the former and younger age of onset in the latter, but of course there are exceptions. A lot of physicians don't even believe in fibromyalgia as a legitimate disease since there is no definitive lab marker for it, so everything becomes PMR with a normal sed rate, especially in the over 55 crowd. So, you're both right and wrong at the same time. What we really need is a definitive lab marker for fibromyalgia, which would help distinguish the two apart, but even then there would be exceptions

[Nucky]

GE, I think I'm suffering from Dunlap Syndrome?

Seriously how can you have pain and numbness in your feet and limbs at the same time? I have almost quit WEBMD totally. Many wasted weekends worrying about misdiagnosis by Dr. Nucky instead of waiting until my DOCTOR's appointment. The guy with the Certificate always has a better answer than I. Pain is ruining my little life. I feel for the OP and hope relief is around the corner.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

GE, I think I'm suffering from Dunlap Syndrome?

Seriously how can you have pain and numbness in your feet and limbs at the same time? I have almost quit WEBMD totally. Many wasted weekends worrying about misdiagnosis by Dr. Nucky instead of waiting until my DOCTOR's appointment. The guy with the Certificate always has a better answer than I. Pain is ruining my little life. I feel for the OP and hope relief is around the corner.

I have intermittent pain and numbness in my left foot. It's Morton's neuroma. Basically a little growth on a nerve between the 4th and 5th toe. There's no treatment for it, and the cure is to surgically sever the nerve. It can be managed with good shoes and orthotics with metatarsal support, massage, and that's pretty much it.

For me it's totally manageable, plus I'm more of a barefooter which is actually helpful since it allows the toes to spread out, thus relieving the pressure on the nerve.

[Rsenholzi]

Sounds more like a back problem with a pinched nerve - I have herniated discs and have similar symptoms - go to a neurologist and be checked out by them

[HelenLCSW]

Hands, shoulders, legs, knees and feet--and more recently my neck.
Blood tests did not indicate rheumatoid arthritis or polymyalgia rheumatica--so I am at a loss to figure out what is causing this. ....Doctor concluded osteo arthritis, and the only relief is ibuprofen. But I'm wondering if it isn't more serious as the pain is pretty intense, especially in the morning. Today while taking a nap, I felt pain suddenly in my hands and arms--burning and throbbing. Has anyone else experienced anything like this? I would love to hear if there is something out there that the doctor may have missed. Thank you.

See a neurologist first —could be a pinched nerve
If nothing, check your calcium level —if it is over 10.1 you may have a parathyroid tumor —then contact Norman parathyroid center inTampa

[fpmoravcik]

Our friend had Lyme disease and it took the doctors 2 years for a proper diagnosis. Insist on a test NOW. The longer you wait, the more permanent damage you incur

[Jannygirl]

Same thing happened to me about 4 years ago. After numerous tests and doctors, I kept getting, well it could be...let’s do some more tests, still no answers. After doing my research and eliminating everything I had been tested for, I came up with a gluten allergy. I eliminated gluten and started using cbd oil, and hooray my symptoms have disappeared. Good luck

[Buckeyes76]

Hands, shoulders, legs, knees and feet--and more recently my neck.
Blood tests did not indicate rheumatoid arthritis or polymyalgia rheumatica--so I am at a loss to figure out what is causing this. ....Doctor concluded osteo arthritis, and the only relief is ibuprofen. But I'm wondering if it isn't more serious as the pain is pretty intense, especially in the morning. Today while taking a nap, I felt pain suddenly in my hands and arms--burning and throbbing. Has anyone else experienced anything like this? I would love to hear if there is something out there that the doctor may have missed. Thank you.

6 years ago I got a shingles shot! It was a bad strain. The virus attacked my joints and muscles. The Dr’s tried diagnosing me the these issues . I’m part of a Merek major law suit! See a neurologist, do not go onto prednisone.

[Peggy Weaver]

How about fibromyalgia?

[Bridget Staunton]

I feel so sorry for people that suffer with pain. I just want to make a general comment. I thank “talk of the villages” and it’s readers for offering advice to a person who is suffering. It’s a great website, I read it daily because of its readers. Helping people is wonderful and I thank all of you

[Photogshmotog]

Agree that you should get checked for Lyme disease.

As a longtime Lyme warrior, I agree. Lyme is very difficult to diagnose and most of it lies with non informed doctors. Lyme literate docs are very difficult to find in Florida. If you want to Pursue this possibility and have difficulty finding a LLMD, I can help. PM me and I will enlist a bunch of my old contacts.

[Theprofessors]

Hands, shoulders, legs, knees and feet--and more recently my neck.
Blood tests did not indicate rheumatoid arthritis or polymyalgia rheumatica--so I am at a loss to figure out what is causing this. ....Doctor concluded osteo arthritis, and the only relief is ibuprofen. But I'm wondering if it isn't more serious as the pain is pretty intense, especially in the morning. Today while taking a nap, I felt pain suddenly in my hands and arms--burning and throbbing. Has anyone else experienced anything like this? I would love to hear if there is something out there that the doctor may have missed. Thank you.

My story: It started with symmetrical large joints pain. Diagnosis PMR. Was put on prednisone and I got immediate relief. All was good for 5 months as I was reducing the prednisone dose. Then I started having inflammation in hands and severe pain in small joints in hands and wrists and also some in my feet. Saw my rheumatologist and was told PMR can evolve to rheumatoid arthritis. Prednisone was increased to back where I started for PMR. It has reduced inflammation but still having pain, lack of movement and burning sensation in small joints in hands. I am to go for a blood test but that may not always point to RA. Have to have baseline macular/retina visual test then I start a new med (hydroxy chloroquine) for RA as I reduce the prednisone dosage. I am hoping that will work as current condition is NO FUN! Good luck!

[Joseph66]

Taken med for arthritis 30 year did new blood test I don’t have ?.? High iron count ,to much iron in joint same as arthritis wear out joint treated for it now bearable been nice if they found 30 years ago can’t replace what was wore out. Drs said it was genetic aunts and uncles all treated arthritis probably did have

[rmd2]

Could be Lipitor. I could hardly walk and after 1 week getting off of it I was fine.

[Fred2016]

As mentioned, do you take a Statin? If you do you need to take CQO10 everyday. It really helps. The other thing it could be is gout. I know some people say it only happens mainly in the feet but I had what you are talking about and they put me on Mitigate.
Helped

[Ronlynch@comcast.net]

Definitely follow up on the Lyme potential!

[golfing eagles]

Wow, all I can say is wow!

To the OP, please go see a good rheumatologist. While everyone means well, threads like this is the reason there is no AAAP (American Association of Amateur Physicians) The responses here vary from fairly reasonable to the bizarre.

Lyme is a reasonable suggestion worth checking out, but only primary Lyme disease would give the diffuse aches you describe within a week or two of being exposed to Borelia burgdorferi (the Lyme spirochete) , in association with a flu-like illness and sometimes erythema chronicum migrans (the bullseye rash). Secondary Lyme (years later) usually affects only a single joint.
To the person who thinks difficulty with diagnosing Lyme disease rests with "misinformed physicians", who is more informed about Lyme than physicians, him with a google account????

Certainly a statin induced myopathy is possible if taking one.

The "iron poster" is referring to hemochromatosis, a genetic disorder of iron metabolism that can cause arthritis among other things. Generally the OP would be aware of a family history of that disease.

A pinched nerve? Please educate me on the neuroanatomy that has a single nerve that innervates both shoulders, hands, legs, knees and feet. I suppose a severe cervical spinal stenosis with impeding cord compression could give that kind of pain, but would be associated with motor and incontinence problems as well, and the OP would be in no condition to be posting on TOTV.

I agree with avoiding steroids unless a diagnosis is made, and you can leave the CoQ10 in the bottle where it belongs

Once again good luck and hope you feel better

[Dave2000]

Welcome to "Old Age"

[Quixote]

.... Seriously how can you have pain and numbness in your feet and limbs at the same time?....

Yes, pain AND numbness AND burning AND tingling—simultaneously. For me the cause of the symptoms is ‘severe neuropathy’

Me: ‘What causes severe neuropathy?

MD: ‘It’s a symptom of diabetes.’

Me: ‘But I’ve been checked time and again—and I’m not diabetic.’

MD: ‘Then we have no idea what’s causing it...‘

There is so much they don’t know....

[golfing eagles]

Yes, pain AND numbness AND burning AND tingling—simultaneously. For me the cause of the symptoms is ‘severe neuropathy’

Me: ‘What causes severe neuropathy?

MD: ‘It’s a symptom of diabetes.’

Me: ‘But I’ve been checked time and again—and I’m not diabetic.’

MD: ‘Then we have no idea what’s causing it...‘

There is so much they don’t know....


You don't really expect us to believe this was an actual conversation, do you? With a medical doctor?, not some wannabe quack who uses the title "Dr.", such as a chiropractor or a podiatrist?

A MD probably wouldn't use the term "severe neuropathy", and would call it a COMPLICATION of diabetes, not a symptom. He would not state he had no idea what was causing it, when there are at least a dozen causes I can think of off the top of my head and most of them can be easily tested for.

Sorry, but this mythologic conversation doesn't pass the smell test.

[Bay Kid]

If something doesn't hurt when I wake I would worry. I was given Meloxicam for my hip a few weeks back. Helped all the pains also.

[Mosells]

I feel you pain, no pun intended. Turning 80 in a few months, in the last 4 months I’ve had a pulled neck , knee, groin and now back muscle. All occurred while in bed doing nothing. Last week the back pain was so intense I went to ER at the villages regional hospital, where they ran an EKG, cat scan of of my back, blood and pee tests, all test NEGATIVE. What is going on? Have appointment with my doctor next week. I guess this is life after 80. Thanks for letting me vent.

[jj6426]

Thank you so much for this info.

[jj6426]

Interesting. I have just recently started taking a statin for high cholesterol. I will ask my doctor what she thinks.

[jj6426]

Strangely enough I was tested for a gluten allergy but that did not indicate a problem. Thank you though for your reply.

[jj6426]

That's a shame. I had had a shingles shot about 8 years ago--and then got shingles last year. No fun but not the worst case scenario. I hope you're feeling better now.

[jj6426]

Thank you. Actually I was in Maine for two months last year so that is a possibility. I will speak to my doctor about this.

[jj6426]

I've heard about CBD oil and in fact, my daughter just bought some for me. So I will give that a try.

[jj6426]

Was actually tested for this (polymyalgia rheumatica) and although my numbers (from the blood test) were borderline, the doctor was not concerned with that.

[jj6426]

Yes as we age we certainly have more aches and pains. But I think you are right in going to see a doctor about what you're going thru. It was a lot that came on suddenly. I kind of feel that too.

[jj6426]

Yes, I did try prednisone but it didn't help. Thank you for responding.

[jj6426]

I have RA, osteo-arthritis as well as fibromyalgia. I used GE post too as he's a retired dr., I believe. He's right about seronegative RA as it won't show up in blood-work. I didn't get my diagnosis for the RA right away...in fact I began the symptoms suddenly when we still lived up north. I went to my pcp (who didn't do labs) that directed me to a neurologist, who I fired (long story there). I eventually just decided I would live with it and it was horrible. That was about a year before we moved here..in 2008 or so. It wasn't til 2011 when an astute dr. in taking my history and asking a plethora of questions sent me for labs. They took 15 vials to rule out various things. It was then I was found to have RA. I can recommend Dr. Catherine Sullivan at the Specialty Clinic as a rheumatologist. I've gone through 5 before finding her and she's very good. You can private message me if you have any other questions.

Thank you. Can you tell me what they took 15 vials of? You had said RA won't show up on a blood test. How did this rheumatoligist discover you had it? I believe that's what I have too.

[NotGolfer]

Thank you. Can you tell me what they took 15 vials of? You had said RA won't show up on a blood test. How did this rheumatoligist discover you had it? I believe that's what I have too.

The dr. was wanting to rule out a whole bunch of things...such as Lyme, Rocky Mt. Fever (that's all I remember). RA "IS" found via blood tests and that's how my diagnosis came to be!!!! They can see your inflammation markers via this. Mine apparently were high. BUT as the dr. said in this thread, you can also be seronegative--where the markers won't show up high but you'll still have the symptons. Only a rheumatologist would be able to answer your questions and NOT a social media site. One other thing the rheumatologist did at my 1st visit was to have x-rays taken of my hands. They can see indications (apparently) from those as well. PLUS it's a baseline for progression later.