virus attacking joints

[Scarlett]

I was in on Saturday with a stomach big that passed fairly quickly, but at the end my joints started to swell and go weak. Now left knee is now so swollen and I can't lift my leg at all. It is also really painful. I can barely walk- am having to use a stick. My other knee is hurting and weak (feels kind of "mangled up" inside) as is my wrist and ankle. The Doctors just tell me to take paracetamol (USELESS) but I want to know what is wrong.

The chemist said you can get a gastroentiritis type bug which attacks the joints. Has anyone ever heard of/had this?

Please help! I am missing work which I can't afford, and have no idea when i can walk again. My kitchen and bathroom are downstairs and I can hardly get down there to eat or use the loo! HELP!!!

[dancealot13]

It may be exactly what the doctors said. But I have to ask, have you been on ANY type of medication for a long period of time? There are many drugs out there that have side effects like what you are describing, they are rare but can lead to being paralyzed temporarily. My uncle was one of the rare cases and he couldnt get out of bed for 4 months. So make sure it doesnt get worse, maybe get a second opinion also. Im sure its just what the doctors said, but it sounds pretty severe.

[Dr Hungry]

Yeah it sounds like a Reactive Arthritis, when you get various inflammatory processes going in your body as a reaction to the infection that you had. This can be caused by several bugs which cause gastroenteritis. Your doctor is poor if all they did was give you paracetamol. You should have drugs called NSAIDs, like iburprofen, to help the inflammation and maybe steroid injections if it is bad.

The chemist is talking about septic arthritis, but that's something different. I would have hoped that your doctor checked that you didn't have that, and you'd be feeling really ill as well as having a painful joint if that was what you had. Don't worry, nothing is attacking your joints if it is a reactive arthritis.

Go back to your doctor and get them to give you some proper treatment. This website can give you a bit more info: http://www.gpnotebook.co.uk/simplepage.cfm?ID=-1174011879

You might experience some conjunctivitis symptoms, which make your eyes feel a bit gritty and watery, or something called urethritis, which is like a urinary track infection, but with no bugs involved.

I hope you feel better soon, and don't let your doctor get away with not giving you the proper medication. They might send you to the Rheumatology department at your hospital. And don't worry, nothing is eating away at your joints, most reactive arthritides clear up completely.

Get well soon!

[Scarlett]

Dancealot- nope, no drugs for me.

Dr. Hungry- Thanks for your reply. I will look it up.