aches, pains and stiffness

[fruitsalad]

I really cannot understand why sometimes I can move around easily without any pain, then another time like tonight for instance I ache so much i can hardly get up out of the chair, its like all my joints and muscles have gone stiff, and its painful to move about, Im quite active and do cardio at the gym at least 3 days a week, walk as often as possible it seems worse if I am still for to long.

[LoftyLottie]

Sounds like typical arthritis to me fruitsalad. Are you worse in the mornings and get better once you start moving about. Keeping moving is the best option, although sometimes it is difficult. Burning sensations are quite common as the first signs of arthritis. I have arthritis all over the place!!

[LoftyLottie]

Talk to your GP. If it is arthritis you need advice about what you should or should not be doing at a gym. It could alter your regime and the gym instructors need to be aware of it.

[fruitsalad]

No woof the joints dont go pink or red the warm feeling seems to be underneath the skin, Lottie a while back I had a bone scan and the only hot spot they could see on the scan was in my thumbs, mainly the right one, but they couldnt find signs of arthritis anywhere else. although what you have said is exactly how I feel worse in the mornings and gets better as the day goes on, unless I am sitting down for any length of time in which case I seize up again, I do find I feel better when |I am moving about.

[woofgang]

I still reckon asking for a menopause blood test might be a good idea...(sorry to say this) "at your age"

[fruitsalad]

yes i agree with you but I just wonder if it would be accurate as I am sure i have read somewhere they are not.

[woofgang]

the OTC ones aren't great as I understand but one at the docs should give you a good indication.

[LoftyLottie]

My warm spots were under the skin and no redness or swelling!! According to my GP scans and Xrays may look OK but it can still be rheumatic or arthritic pain. The amount of damage showing on X rays will not necessarily reflect the amount of discomfort. My arthritis x rays are not too bad actually, but sometimes I can hardly move!!

Do see your doctor fruit salad. But I think keeping active, maintaining a healthy weight and eating wisely are a good start. Not that I am suggesting you don't do these things. Sitting about is the worse thing you can do. I always feel better if I can at the very least go for walk. But I do think you should get it checked out before you continue at the gym. Other things need ruling out.

[fruitsalad]

yes lottie as much as I hate visiting the surgery (as my old Dad used to say you pick up all sorts of bugs in the doctors waiting room) I will be making an appointment very soon.

[Sqad]

fruitsalad......you gave a poly arthritis for which there are many causes, with rheumatoid arthritis being just one and certainly not the commonest. Blood tests will divide the causes into those that are rheumatoid factor + and rheumatoid factor negative.

I agree with lofty that you need to see your GP. but there is no urgency in my opinion..........dont run before you can walk and start with simple analgesics which may well do the trick.

[roger]

Have you been checked for Lupus ?

[Sqad]

roger....bloody hell....that is a 10.000 to 1 outsider............don´t scare her.

[fruitsalad]

will have to google lupus cant say I have heard of it, Sqad can I take 3x 200 mg ibroufen to make up to the 600?

[Sqad]

friutsalad ...yes you can if you like.....and at one go.


Dont Google Lupus........it doesnt apply to you.

[Eve]

I was going to suggest arthritis too. I have inflammatory arthritis all over the place with secondary fibromyalgia and get a lot of pain and stiffness.

It is worse for me when I've been still for a while and have to keep myself moving as much as possible. When I had an MRI on my spine after my rhumatologist spotted something on some spinal XRays I had to be helped up off the table as I couldn't get back up lol :)

I also find if I damage something then it tends to impact on my body in general and sets off a flare. I had a stumble on New Year's Eve (reminded me why high heels and arthritis don't mix!), wore some gorgeous heels which had sat redundant for years so decided to go for it NYE and ended up with a very painful swollen and bruised (still) ankle. Sent me into a very painful flare .

I get days when it's not so bad and I can move a lot better and with less pain.

Have they done any blood tests for inflammatory markers? That was one of the indicators as to what was causing my pain, ESR blood count kept coming back showing inflammation. I have always had a negative rhumatoid factor.

Do be careful in the gym if it's anything like that, I used to be pretty active but can't do a lot of the things I used to and have been told not to do things that impact on my joints which rules out my preferred keep fit options like step aerobics and dance and the cross trainer. Swimming is all good though.

I'm bad at overdoing it then suffering for it later.

The shoulderblade pain is evil! I get it and find massage helps Dot. I have had a lot of help from osteopaths though as they are pricey so I find going for a cheaper massage can also help relax the muscles a bit.