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quote:Originally posted by Marc1301
quote:Originally posted by DieHard4
quote:Originally posted by Marc1301
quote:Originally posted by Mr. Perfect
If you're affected symmetrically, it's more likely rheumatoid arthritis.
They did a Rheumatoid factor blood test on me a couple of years ago, and it was negative.
I always thought fibromyalgia was a 'blanket term' for unexplained symptoms?
All I know is this is passing simple joint pain that one would expect from osteoarthritis.
Believe you are right about the fibromyalgia. They diagnose you with that if they cannot diagnose you with anything else. I'd have to look but I think Lyme disease will leave you with a bullseye shaped rash. Osteoarthritis can be 1 side or both. Rheumatoid will be both sides at once. Could be age too.
I think that is true as well for most people, but it's very temporary from what I have heard, and disappears.
There were times I camped out in the woods for a week at a time back in my hunting/camping days. If I picked up a tick in an area hard to see,....chances are I would never have noticed it.
What I posted above changes everything though. I never knew that you could carry the stuff around for years, or decades without getting ill. All depends how strong your immune system is according to my doc.
I should have that test result back by next week, and have an answer. I know this sounds crazy, IF it's positive, I have a real problem, because it means I have had it for a very long time, and I don't know how much they can do about it at that point. At the same time, at least I would know WTH is wrong with me, and causing all this pain.
Also going to find out about my neck after the CT scan.
If I have a problem in my neck, then that would explain a lot of things. I already know I have low back problems, as I am a candidate for surgery,......if my neck is in the same condition, then that could explain why I have pain over my whole body in rotation.
This is the best description I can give.
Lets say I wake up on a Monday,......my lower back, left knee, right elbow, left wrist and hand might be hurting bad.
Two days later it might be my right foot/ankle, neck, left elbow, right hip.
It constantly changes locations where it is hurting the most noticeable. Heck, at this point, it has to be pretty bad pain for me to even pay attention to it, as I have hurt for a long time.
Just not like this.[xx(]
This is chronic, never ending pain, and it is wearing me down slowly. I have never had thoughts like I have lately before in terms of not knowing how much much longer I can take this everyday.
The idea of living 15 to 20 years or more like this, and realizing it will only get worse is not a positive thing.
Heck,.....I'm only 51, and I feel like I'm 80 a good part of the time.
By the time I am finished working at my job, I have to 'force' myself to keep going to take care of other things that need to be done. The thing I look forward to most is getting my shower over with, and getting into bed, and being 'semi' comfortable for 4 to 5 hours.
Anyway, I didn't mean to have a pity party for myself,....sorry.
I can't say for sure what is going on and I won't try now. Because it is different joints at different times, I wouldn't go with OA or RA. If there was a nerve issue in the back, it would affect your muscles, sensation, or feeling below the area, not the joints. And with most of your major joints being an issue, it must be something else.
I have nerve/muscle/sensation issues as well, but not anything that bothers me as much as the other does. That comes from my bad lumbar spine largely.
I appreciate all the input, and kind thoughts BTW. I will go against what you said DieHard4, and guess that I am eaten up with OA.
Most people in my family have had it to one degree or another, but I have put my body through a lot since I was in my teens.
Total stupidity on my part, but I can't take it back now.
I know you think the joints should all hurt at once, and not move around if OA.
They probably do hurt, I just don't feel it anymore, except for the MOST painful.
All I can do is have the tests done,......if negative for 'weird' things, I go to a rheumatologist next.
It is what it is, and I know that many people are going through far worse than I am at this particular moment in terms of pain, and illness.
"Beam me up Scotty, there's no intelligent life down here." - William Shatner
Your original questions seems to have been answered, so I won't add to them. However, I would say get over your fear or aversion to pain meds.
I had my first back surgery at age 25 (as many long-timers on this board may recall), and a second surgery at around 31, and have needed a 3 layer fusion since I was about 35 but refused to do it. It kept me from working for years. Finally, I had a doctor put me on long lasting pain meds such as Oxycontin which worked well, but caused me a lot of side-effects so I eventually went to Kadian which is morphine. I take this stuff everyday to keep the up and down pain levels at bay and take Percocet as needed. He used to tell me NOT to wait until I was really hurting badly, but take the meds when I THINK I did something that would irritate it, or at the first hint of more serious pain. I can tell the difference between normal back muscle pain and the pain that will turn into major sciatica.
Anyway, with the simple change in philosophy to take the meds and not try to tough it out has been a life-changer. I have now worked the past ~8 years with no missed work days because of pain. Yes, I still hurt all day every day, but it is more the dull constant pain rather than the sharp pain that makes you cringe and/or drops you in your tracks.
People often think that if they get on pain meds they will be too doped up to function and that may be true for people that use more than they should. It also may when you first go on to it. However, I graduated from college, took my CCW class, and took various computer-industry exams all while on the stuff so your mind does work fine once you are used to it.
I did also change industries when I first got hurt because I realized way back then that my life of manual labor was over. You may consider the same if your work requires too much physical lifting, bending, etc.
Comments
quote:Originally posted by DieHard4
quote:Originally posted by Marc1301
quote:Originally posted by Mr. Perfect
If you're affected symmetrically, it's more likely rheumatoid arthritis.
They did a Rheumatoid factor blood test on me a couple of years ago, and it was negative.
I always thought fibromyalgia was a 'blanket term' for unexplained symptoms?
All I know is this is passing simple joint pain that one would expect from osteoarthritis.
Believe you are right about the fibromyalgia. They diagnose you with that if they cannot diagnose you with anything else. I'd have to look but I think Lyme disease will leave you with a bullseye shaped rash. Osteoarthritis can be 1 side or both. Rheumatoid will be both sides at once. Could be age too.
I think that is true as well for most people, but it's very temporary from what I have heard, and disappears.
There were times I camped out in the woods for a week at a time back in my hunting/camping days. If I picked up a tick in an area hard to see,....chances are I would never have noticed it.
What I posted above changes everything though. I never knew that you could carry the stuff around for years, or decades without getting ill. All depends how strong your immune system is according to my doc.
I should have that test result back by next week, and have an answer. I know this sounds crazy, IF it's positive, I have a real problem, because it means I have had it for a very long time, and I don't know how much they can do about it at that point. At the same time, at least I would know WTH is wrong with me, and causing all this pain.
Also going to find out about my neck after the CT scan.
If I have a problem in my neck, then that would explain a lot of things. I already know I have low back problems, as I am a candidate for surgery,......if my neck is in the same condition, then that could explain why I have pain over my whole body in rotation.
This is the best description I can give.
Lets say I wake up on a Monday,......my lower back, left knee, right elbow, left wrist and hand might be hurting bad.
Two days later it might be my right foot/ankle, neck, left elbow, right hip.
It constantly changes locations where it is hurting the most noticeable. Heck, at this point, it has to be pretty bad pain for me to even pay attention to it, as I have hurt for a long time.
Just not like this.[xx(]
This is chronic, never ending pain, and it is wearing me down slowly. I have never had thoughts like I have lately before in terms of not knowing how much much longer I can take this everyday.
The idea of living 15 to 20 years or more like this, and realizing it will only get worse is not a positive thing.
Heck,.....I'm only 51, and I feel like I'm 80 a good part of the time.
By the time I am finished working at my job, I have to 'force' myself to keep going to take care of other things that need to be done. The thing I look forward to most is getting my shower over with, and getting into bed, and being 'semi' comfortable for 4 to 5 hours.
Anyway, I didn't mean to have a pity party for myself,....sorry.
I can't say for sure what is going on and I won't try now. Because it is different joints at different times, I wouldn't go with OA or RA. If there was a nerve issue in the back, it would affect your muscles, sensation, or feeling below the area, not the joints. And with most of your major joints being an issue, it must be something else.
I appreciate all the input, and kind thoughts BTW. I will go against what you said DieHard4, and guess that I am eaten up with OA.
Most people in my family have had it to one degree or another, but I have put my body through a lot since I was in my teens.
Total stupidity on my part, but I can't take it back now.
I know you think the joints should all hurt at once, and not move around if OA.
They probably do hurt, I just don't feel it anymore, except for the MOST painful.
All I can do is have the tests done,......if negative for 'weird' things, I go to a rheumatologist next.
It is what it is, and I know that many people are going through far worse than I am at this particular moment in terms of pain, and illness.
I had my first back surgery at age 25 (as many long-timers on this board may recall), and a second surgery at around 31, and have needed a 3 layer fusion since I was about 35 but refused to do it. It kept me from working for years. Finally, I had a doctor put me on long lasting pain meds such as Oxycontin which worked well, but caused me a lot of side-effects so I eventually went to Kadian which is morphine. I take this stuff everyday to keep the up and down pain levels at bay and take Percocet as needed. He used to tell me NOT to wait until I was really hurting badly, but take the meds when I THINK I did something that would irritate it, or at the first hint of more serious pain. I can tell the difference between normal back muscle pain and the pain that will turn into major sciatica.
Anyway, with the simple change in philosophy to take the meds and not try to tough it out has been a life-changer. I have now worked the past ~8 years with no missed work days because of pain. Yes, I still hurt all day every day, but it is more the dull constant pain rather than the sharp pain that makes you cringe and/or drops you in your tracks.
People often think that if they get on pain meds they will be too doped up to function and that may be true for people that use more than they should. It also may when you first go on to it. However, I graduated from college, took my CCW class, and took various computer-industry exams all while on the stuff so your mind does work fine once you are used to it.
I did also change industries when I first got hurt because I realized way back then that my life of manual labor was over. You may consider the same if your work requires too much physical lifting, bending, etc.