Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: angelindskiexx on September 17, 2015, 10:55:30 AM
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Hello everyone. I hope you are all well.
I am having widespread pain again. The last flare was May 2014. I have pain in my thumbs, finger s, back, neck, knees, hips... I can hear everything grinding together and pulling. I feel awful. I can't stay in one position for long as it's so uncomfortable. I am also struggling with fatigue and muscle twitching. I had a mild anxiety attack on the way to work last week..... I actually thought that this might be the start of another hormonal crash prior to a period. The pain has gradually become worse over the course of two weeks. I am in agony.... usually the Ibruprofen gets rid of the pain but it was barely touching it this time. Went back to the doctors for blood tests. As most of you know, my ESR and CPR were raised in the last blood test, had another one and they came down. Had a blood test for the Rheumatoid Factor but came back negative. The doctor wants to repeat the tests again,, but this time do another test for Rheumatoid A which is a more accurate test than the standard RF. I'm really starting to wonder if I have this condition..... I'm really quite scared and I feel really crap. I was doing fairly well until this. Anyone else suffered widespread pain like this? The doctor asked how long I'd been having this problem... I told him several years..... said it was a long time to be suffering that long. I need to go to work this evening.... not sure how I will get on but I have to go......
Thanks for being here and any comments or support will be greatly appreciated!
Jess
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Just a :bighug:. Is it really that necessary to go to work when you are feeling so poorly?
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Thank you, JuJu :thankyou:
Unfortunately I have no choice but to go to work. X
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RA also shows a swelling in the joints of the hands/fingers, with heat …….
What pain relief are you taking? Your GP can refer you to a Rheumatologist once the results are back even if the blood tests are 'within normal limits'.
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Hello CLKD
I'm taking Ibuprofen for the pain. I have a swollen middle finger but the doctor didn't seem concerned about that. He looked at my hands, wrists, and knees, ankles and said he didn't see any swelling but he is doing the test anyway to eliminate things. I will ask to see a rheumatologist if everything comes back normal but I have a feeling something is going on with me......
You know how I struggle with health anxiety!
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Probably RA ;)
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Sorry to hear about your pain - good that it's being investigated properly.
Whereabouts are you in menopause re periods etc - maybe hormonal changes could have something to do with it as well? I don't know what ESR and CPR are ??? . What were your thyroid results like ( ie TSH readings)?
Hurdity x
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Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate and C-Reactive Protein tests... can't remember what they are for but have carried them out in the dim and distant past.
Galadriel x
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I sympathize with your pain. I have just been diagnosed with Achilles tendinitis and it is very painful.. How are you feeling today?
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The ESR test shows whether there is inflammation anywhere in your body but not where it is. Your blood becomes "sticky" when you are fighting inflammation and the rate at which it separates out when in a test tube is measured to see what degree of inflammation you have. This gives details of CRP tests http://labtestsonline.org.uk/understanding/analytes/crp/tab/test/
Angel - I've had repeated bouts of widespread pain and my dad had RA but it's never shown up in my case. It comes and goes but is always much less when on HRT.
Taz x
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:thankyou: …… never did know what ESR etc. stood for ::)