7 Weeks Joint Pain - Only Symptom

[cmc112581]

I have been having joint pain for about 7 weeks and have been gluten-free for 6, Dairy Free and Nightshade free for 2.  My Joint pain came out of nowhere one morning.  I woke up with an achy/burning feeling in my fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulders and feet.  Within a week it was also in my hips and knees.  After going gluten free the pain seems to have gotton better.  It rotates around but tends to stay in my hips, fingers, wrists and feet.  The first week of the pain (before going gluten free) I could barely move.  Now it seems to be more of an annoyance than a disabling pain.  Sometimes it burns, sometimes it itches, sometimes it feels like knives going through my joints.  I have no swelling, fever, redness or any other symptom.  Just the pain.  I don't have insurance so am hoping the gluten-free solves the problem.  Has anyone else had this happen for this amount of time?  How long did it take being gluten-free for you joint symptoms to improve and then go away.  Did you have good days and bad days or did it just stop quickly once eliminating gluten?  I know there are many posts out there similiar but if anyone can offer any advice It would be greatly appreciatied. 

[Cara in Boston]

Have you been tested for Lyme Disease?  My celiac son had a similar situation and I assumed that he was getting gluten from somewhere.  After MONTHS of searching my kitchen, his blood tested fine so we knew we had to look somewhere else to find the cause of the problem.  Turns out he had Lyme Disease from a tick bite that was almost a year old (at the time of diagnosis.)  Having a photo of the weird rash he developed on vacation really helped with the diagnosis.  4 weeks on antibiotics and he was good as new.

 

Lesson learned. . . . it is not always gluten.

 

Cara

[cmc112581]

Have you been tested for Lyme Disease?  My celiac son had a similar situation and I assumed that he was getting gluten from somewhere.  After MONTHS of searching my kitchen, his blood tested fine so we knew we had to look somewhere else to find the cause of the problem.  Turns out he had Lyme Disease from a tick bite that was almost a year old (at the time of diagnosis.)  Having a photo of the weird rash he developed on vacation really helped with the diagnosis.  4 weeks on antibiotics and he was good as new.

 

Lesson learned. . . . it is not always gluten.

 

Cara

Thank you for the response.  I have read about Lyme but have not been tested.  I don't ever remember having having a tick bite....but maybe I could have missed it.  When I have tests ran I will be sure to mention that .  Thanks again

[spirit-walk]

That is how my symptoms started almost 2 years ago. I too have joint pain with no swelling. It started in my fingers/hands, then moved to my wrists and progressed to hips, knees, shoulders. Later the joints began popping. My jaw pops too now. I've been on the hunt for what's wrong for nearly two years and still don't have answers. It's why I came to this board.

 

You could have RA, Lupus, or some other type of autoimmune issue. At the very least you need to go get some standard bloodwork done to rule out RA. The first round of tests I had done were to check uric acid levels, RA factor, blood-sugar, and Vitamin D.

 

Whatever I have is difficult to diagnose as I've been to several doctors and even the Mayo Clinic and still no answers.

 

Good luck, and keep us updated. I for one am particularly intrigued.

[cmc112581]

That is how my symptoms started almost 2 years ago. I too have joint pain with no swelling. It started in my fingers/hands, then moved to my wrists and progressed to hips, knees, shoulders. Later the joints began popping. My jaw pops too now. I've been on the hunt for what's wrong for nearly two years and still don't have answers. It's why I came to this board.

 

You could have RA, Lupus, or some other type of autoimmune issue. At the very least you need to go get some standard bloodwork done to rule out RA. The first round of tests I had done were to check uric acid levels, RA factor, blood-sugar, and Vitamin D.

 

Whatever I have is difficult to diagnose as I've been to several doctors and even the Mayo Clinic and still no answers.

 

Good luck, and keep us updated. I for one am particularly intrigued.

Thanks for the response spirt_walk.  I can't imagine how you feel after 2 years of being undiagnosed.  I am going to have tests done once I can get some decent insurance.   Please let me know if you find out anything...i'll be praying for you to get some answers. 

[Cara in Boston]

Many people infected with Lyme go months (or even years) without being diagnosed.  They don't remember a tick bite, they didn't get (or didn't notice) the rash associated with it.  Frequently they are misdiagnosed with other "syndromes" (chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, etc.) and given meds to relieve the symptoms, but the illness is still there.  I found the process of getting diagnosed VERY SIMILAR to when we were going through the celiac diagnosis.  Even the symptoms (for us) were similar!  My son's blood tests were inconclusive (again, a lot like celiac), luckily he DID get the rash and I had saved a picture of it.  Otherwise we may never have figured it out.

 

We got it and we live in the city, don't camp or hike, no woods around, never seen a deer anywhere near our house.  No idea where he got bit.

 

Best of luck to you -

 

Cara