Wake up in lots of pain, muscles tight

[Anonymous]

This just got bad in the last few weeks, doctor's appt. today. My question is what should I be tested for? I'm going to get a whole blood panel done, get screened for RA,MS, lupus. Any other thoughts? Not trying to be a hypochondriac but its hard for me to take off work so I want to get the bases covered.

My symptoms are:

Severe exhaustion
Joint or muscle pain, I suspect muscle. It feels like the muscles are tightening up
Worse upon waking or after sitting for a long time
Stiffness in fingers, severe pain in hip area
Often wake up with feet asleep

I have no known allergies, food intake a mix of excellent choices and poor choices
Sleep in 2-3 hour stretches
Exercise very little
50 yrs old, dealing with peri or menopausal symptoms

[Anonymous]

Make sure they test your thyroid in addition to other blood work.

[Anonymous]

Is the heat on?

[Anonymous]

See a rheumatologist, especially if you're having that panel done.

[Anonymous]

op, let us know, K?

[Anonymous]

On the blood panel, make sure they check for inflammatory markers: ESR (sed rate) and CRP (C reactive protein). Both should be done--in some illnesses only one typically is elevated.

There are rheumatological illnesses where these results are elevated , but the ANA and rheumatoid factor are normal. These are nonspecific tests, but if they are elevated it would point to further testing. Concur with seeing rheumatologist, although first logical place to go is your GP.

[Anonymous]

OP,

I could have written this post. Exact symptoms, exact age.

We got everything checked - from Lyme (2 different tests), to mononucleosis, to cancer, complete metabolic panel, to RA. to thyroid (I am a hypo patient from before)...and there was nothing except for the blood sedimentation rate was high so that proved that there was massive inflammation. Was it Fibro? Was it RA?

Please get all the checks done and all the tests done. I was on prescription strength pain killers and muscle relaxants. My anxiety level was so high that I asked and got a prescription for Zoloft as well. I went to a cardiologist, an allergist, an endo but to no avail.

This is what finally worked for me and I was able to get off meds.

For sleep - Melatonin, D3 and Magnesium at night. Soak up as much sun as you can. I would lie down on a towel on a sunny spot in my house on the weekends for upto an hour and it worked wonders.

For pain and inflammation - Turmeric and Cinnamon in hot milk every 3 hours. (4 hours after taking thyroid medication). It worked better than Meloxicam and other pain meds that was making me develop IBS type symptoms. If you can get off carbs and gluten, try that too.

I am also taking 15 drops of Losol Iodine in the morning with my thyroid medication as well as Guggul.

Take an iron supplement during your periods. It is a must because the amount of blood loss is also one of the causes.

[Anonymous]

I am in my early 30's and exercise regularly and had similar symptoms in the last year. Did a bunch of test to rule out lupus and other things and my PCP had no idea- sent me to Physical Therapy.

It wasn't until my PT saw me walking and did my initial intake that I learned it was my legs, mainly my feet being so off balance and needing correction that it effected my legs all the way up to my hips! It has done wonders for my mobility and the stiffness has gone away completely!

Not sure if this helps at all but after you have exhausted everything else- I would recommend seeing a PT, they are magic! (and it also felt good to have an explanation of what was causing my pain when the DR. couldn't help!)

[Anonymous]

OP,

Keep also a record of how you feel through out the month especially in regards to your periods. because it could also be endometriosis.