PLEASE help figure out what is wrong with me!!!

[StaceyinLA]

And what I can do about it!

 

I am having some pretty aggravating pain in my knees, and some of my other joints. I recently had blood work done and everything was perfect.

 

I know there are some diets/foods to avoid that are supposed to help with joint pain and things of that nature. What are they? I am miserable, and I feel like I am too young to be miserable.

 

I am not overweight (5'3 1/2 and in the 120s, though I could stand to lose 5 pounds right now), but I definitely don't exercise enough. I eat a good diet 90% of the time. I am under a huge amount of stress and have had a lot of anxiety lately if that makes a difference with this sort of thing.

 

Can yall diagnose me? I leave for Hawaii in 2 1/2 weeks and I have a million things to do and am not sure it's a good time for me to start a bunch of medical stuff so I'd like to try dietary changes.

 

Thanks!

[abbeyej]

Did they check your vitamin D levels in all that bloodwork? Raising mine from "crazy low" to "only borderline deficient" made a pretty significant impact in my life and helped eliminate the joint pain I was having at the time...

[Carpe]

Did they check your vitamin D levels in all that bloodwork? Raising mine from "crazy low" to "only borderline deficient" made a pretty significant impact in my life and helped eliminate the joint pain I was having at the time...

 

I second vitamin D.

Also vitamin C is good for pain in general.

[DebbS]

Did they check your vitamin D levels in all that bloodwork? Raising mine from "crazy low" to "only borderline deficient" made a pretty significant impact in my life and helped eliminate the joint pain I was having at the time...

 

Something I read about Vit. D is that if it takes several days to absorb through your skin completely. It's fat soluble on your skin so if you wash with soap soon after sun exposure, you won't get the full benefit. Sun is still the best way to get Vit. D, but, I've been told, you should just use water on some parts of your body(say your arms or back or legs) after sun exposure to give it a chance to absorb more.

[jenniferlee]

get rid of all grains!

if that is too hard at least try gluten-free

[sbgrace]

For me that was vitamin D as well. You want a 25 OH D blood level if you would like to test. The Vitamin D council (website/online) will have lots of information about why you need that test, why the level is important, and how you can safely supplement high amounts. You want a level in the 50's or above. The lab slip might say 30 is ok. It's actually low and even 40's are sub-optimal.

 

That said, most people not aggressively supplementing will be low. You could just supplement. It's safe for a healthy adult to take up to 10,000 IU per day of the D3 form so as long as you stay just under that you'll be find no matter your underlying level. You could take 10,000 IU of D3 (only D3 form). You could use 5,000 IU pills and take two a day for six days a week.

[sbgrace]

Something I read about Vit. D is that if it takes several days to absorb through your skin completely. It's fat soluble on your skin so if you wash with soap soon after sun exposure, you won't get the full benefit. Sun is still the best way to get Vit. D, but, I've been told, you should just use water on some parts of your body(say your arms or back or legs) after sun exposure to give it a chance to absorb more.

 

I've heard that. Not everyone absorbs from sun though. I saw a well done study where people of all skin types who spent a high amount of time in Hawaiian sun (avg 28.9 hours a week) were nearly universally low. The study called 30 sufficient (it's not) and most were still low. Only a few were even in the 40's. Here is a post I made here with more detail and a link to the study. http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2297087&postcount=17 But the point is no one should assume their D is ok because of time spent in the sun. FWIW, my mother was extremely low and she's an avid gardener who gets lots of sun. I believe there is probably something genetic going on in some (many?) people.

 

OP, I wanted to mention there are other causes of joint pain including other deficiencies. But I think vitamin D is probably the most common, many of us are low, and it's vital to your health anyway so it's a good and easy place to start.

Edited July 14, 2011 by sbgrace

[StaceyinLA]

And I wonder about gluten.

 

What about nightshades? Do those irritate joints?

[Dawn in OH]

get rid of all grains!

if that is too hard at least try gluten-free

 

My first thought was gluten.

[Pippen]

Diet caffienated soda gives me joint pain.

[AuntieM]

Diet Coke makes me feel like that. Fresh pineapple is a good natural anti-inflammatory. Half cup, three times a day. And they are cheap in Hawaii. ;)

[LibraryLover]

Did they do a Lyme titer? You can test negative for Lyme and still have symptoms from current or past exposure. Joint pain is a huge issue w/ Lyme.

Edited July 15, 2011 by LibraryLover

[pfamilygal]

I'd say "gas." Or at least my grandma would. Every problem can be solved with Senakot Children's Laxative.:lol:

[AngieW in Texas]

I went to a sports medicine doctor and found that I was doing everything wrong. I sat wrong, I stood wrong, I walk wrong, ... He sent me to a physical therapist to retrain my body. My feet roll a lot. About two years before I saw the sports medicine doctor, I got plantar fascitis and ended up with custom orthotics. Unfortunately, even though the orthotics corrected my feet, I kept walking and standing the same way I always had.

 

I saw a big reduction in pain after just my first pt appointment because the pt made me aware of what to watch for. I was able to go from standing to sitting and from sitting to standing without any pain for the first time in over one year. I still had pain (had to be careful), but it wasn't every time I put weight on a bent knee.

[Vida Winter]

Have you or anyone in your family had Fifth Disease recently? Years ago I caught it from one of my kids and although I didn't get much of a rash I developed severe joint pain which lasted months. It eventually went away. Probably a long shot but there are illnesses which can cause joint pain for a long time after you think you're over them.

[QueenCat]

Early stages of osteoarthritis-arthritis? That wouldn't show up in blood-work (rheumatoid arthritis shows up in blood-work). Your symptoms are similar to mine, and I have osteoarthritis in both knees, one ankle, and some fingers. For the knees, I get orthovist shots. The rest do okay with tylenol.

[trailofsparks]

Do you have any relief with exercise? I wonder if it could be as simple as lactic acid build up.

[Guest IdahoMtnMom]

I have pain in my joints and mostly my knees. I was in the hospital last fall for 3 months and paralyzed from neurological damage for almost 5.... anyway, I take 5000iu Vitamin D, 500mg Calcium, 2000 Vitamin C, B-50 complex, 2 fish oil, and a multi vitamin daily to help... for the knees, I ride a bike because there is no pressure on the knees when you peddle but it works the muscles (I also go on a real fancy machine called an Alter G that makes your walking and running gravity free to keep pressure off the knees) and I also drink pure cherry juice (8oz) immediately after any working out, as it restores the muscles back to prework out condition...

[StaceyinLA]

on me so not sure Lyme Disease is possible.

 

Not sure what Fifths is but I'm gonna look it up.

[abbeyej]

...But the point is no one should assume their D is ok because of time spent in the sun...

Yes, it had never occurred to me that I could be low in D because I live in the south, have fairly light skin, spend time outside, and don't avoid the sun (only using sunblock on my face, swimming in summer, etc). But I was at around half of the "deficient" number. Yikes!

[whitestavern]

on me so not sure Lyme Disease is possible.

 

Not sure what Fifths is but I'm gonna look it up.

 

Re: Lyme...many people, including myself, never remember getting a tick bite. Especially w/the nymphs as they are SO tiny and love the head/neck area. Joint issues are very common w/Lyme. I would def rule it out. Are you having any other symptoms at all that you can think of? That might help to narrow down the possibilities.

[Lolly]

My joints in my hands were to the point that I could barely hold things without dropping them. I found that it was caused by artificial sugars. I am pain free now, unless I allow myself to have artificially sweetened things again. I have proven it to myself several times. Not sure why I do that!:tongue_smilie:

[laughing lioness]

Have you had your thyroid checked? Joint pain with fatigue are both symptoms.

[StaceyinLA]

A sinus infection this last week. I looked up Fifths though and I don't think that was it. In addition, the joint pain, especially in my knees has been ongoing. The hand/wrist is recent, but it is horrible. Today I can barely touch my middle finger on my right hand, and I cannot make a fist. I think I'm going to have to suck it up and see the bone/joint guy at least for that if it hasn't improved by Monday. I haven't hurt it though, so it makes no sense to me.

 

I'm going to start with some supplements ASAP, and may eliminate the gluten as well within a week or so. I just have to see how easy it will be to implement with the travels coming. I may need to try supplements, and do GF when I return if I've had no improvements.

[DebbS]

But the point is no one should assume their D is ok because of time spent in the sun.

 

:iagree: I'm one of the luckly ones who can get enough from the sun in the summer, but you're right - it shouldn't be assumed. Being from the north, I have to start supplementing in late September all of the way through April or I'll end up mostly sleeping through the entire winter. Another tip for Vit. D is that it takes quite a while to build up sufficiently in your body once it's fallen too low. You have to keep on top of it.

[songbirdie]

Several years ago I had human parvo virus, aka fifths disease, aka slap-cheek. In children there is the telltale rash, but in adults it presents with joint pain without the rash. There can also be swelling/edema around joints or in the feet and ankles. It lasted for about six months. There was also fatigue just from tolerating the pain. No family doctor found it. . .it was the rheumatologist who diagnosed it. HTH!

[Vida Winter]

Several years ago I had human parvo virus, aka fifths disease, aka slap-cheek. In children there is the telltale rash, but in adults it presents with joint pain without the rash. There can also be swelling/edema around joints or in the feet and ankles. It lasted for about six months. There was also fatigue just from tolerating the pain. No family doctor found it. . .it was the rheumatologist who diagnosed it. HTH!

 

I caught it from my kids - that's the only way I knew what it was. I got a rash only on my feet and ankles, and that is where the joint pain was concentrated. It did last for several months, although the rash went away quickly. I can see where you could get this and not even know you were sick - it is not a severe illness at all, but the resulting joint pain is awful.

[RahRah]

Inflammation (non-injury) can cause achy joints - have you had your c-reactive protein level tested?

 

Also, how much protein are you consuming? Some people are sensitive to some amino acids and a build up in the joints causes pain (it's a type of gout) - on the flip side, not enough high quality protein can also cause joint pain too.

 

Were your vitamin D levels checked? Pain in joints and muscles can be a sign of vit-D deficiency.

[Mom0012]

Did they do a Lyme titer? You can test negative for Lyme and still have symptoms from current or past exposure. Joint pain is a huge issue w/ Lyme.

 

Yes, this was the first recognizable sign of lyme for me. Joint pain in both knees is a red flag. I never found a tick on myself and I had been aware and checking myself.

 

Lisa

Edited July 15, 2011 by LisaTheresa