Joint Pain

[jeffrey]

Hi everyone,

I am 50 and diagnosed with celiac disease just 3 years ago. Like many of you, finally a lifetime of problems explained. I've been on a gluten-free diet, very strict.

But in the last two years I have had increasing joint pain and fatigue. I can't walk 5 blocks when there's a flare up. When not, I can walk 5 miles. It comes and goes. I went to a rheumatologist -- it's not rheumatoid arthritis. I am going to a GI specialist, who will probably blame it on the celiac disease. But ... do any of you have lingering symptoms, in spite of the diet? Any other's have related autoimmune disorders that adversely affect the joints?

Thanks.

Jeff

[gf4life]

Jeff,

So sorry to hear that you have joint pain after three year gluten-free. If you know your diet is most definitely gluten-free, then I would think it might be something else triggering the pain and inflamation. Or you could be one of the few that take up to 5 years to heal and be completely symptoms free. I am 31 and have had joint problems since I was 4 years old. I don't exercise much, since it is too painful, and as I get older it is getting worse. I am so glad to know that gluten is what is causing my problems and can fix it with a gluten-free diet. You may have other food intolerances going on that might be triggering flare ups, or you may be getting some hidden gluten somewhere. How often are the flare ups?

Mariann

[seeking-wholeness]

Jeff,

It is fairly well documented in the medical literature that the nightshade vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers of all types) can cause joint pain and inflammation in susceptible individuals. Might you be one of these? A food diary would probably help you sort out secondary food sensitivities, if you aren't already keeping one. I hope you figure out the cause of your pain soon!

--Sarah

[mcdoncj]

Jeff.-Here is a new product that my Dr. has me on. I get it at my vit. store. It is called Zyflamend. It has helped me so much with joint pain, which I have. It is a Cox-2 Inhibition. And it is gluten-free.=Carol

[wclemens]

Jeff, I have been gluten free for a long time, but I still experience joint pain and swelling when I eat the nightshade vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes and egg plant bother me), so I have stopped eating them and am doing really well. Welda

[jeffrey]

Thanks, you all.

My brother also has said he avoids nightshade vegetables, and I have been for a couple of weeks, and I do feel better.

However, I am still afraid that, in spite of a gluten-free diet, problems linger.

I will let you all know what the doctor says next week.

Jeffrey

[mamaria]

Are you sure it is not RA? I developed severe joint pain 1 year after going gluten free and feeling great. First they thought I has Lyme disease then they decided it is probably RA even though the RA factor was negative- Great docs at University of Pitt said that it can take sometimes up to four years before you get a positive RA factor on blood tests. ALSO IF YOU HAVE ONE AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE(WHICH CELIAC DISEASE IS) YOU HAVE A MUCHER HIGHER RISK OF DEVELOPING ANOTHER AI DISEASE!!!!

[foxyfire24]

Jeff,

I too suffer from severe joint pain. The doctor's told me im B12 defficiant. So i go to get B12 shot's at the doc's every week to two. I used to get so tiared that after getting up in the morrning i would want to go back to sleep. I find that now when i get the shot's i feel so much better. Less tiared and i have more energy and not as many migrane's. Could you maybe lack in B12 as well??

[foxyfire24]

Jeff,

I too suffer from severe joint pain. The doctor's told me im B12 defficiant. So i go to get B12 shot's at the doc's every week to two. I used to get so tiared that after getting up in the morrning i would want to go back to sleep. I find that now when i get the shot's i feel so much better. Less tiared and i have more energy and not as many migrane's. Could you maybe lack in B12 as well??

[Lily]

I too have suffered from joint pain forever it seems. My nutritionist said that with the food allergies, one of the first things that happen is those free radicals running around in the body attack the joints. Has Celiac been caught before permanent damage is done? Theres a good question. She also told me I'll never be able to tolerate tomatoes (what a bummer!).

I hope you feel better Jeff.

Lily

[tagger]

Wow, I didn't know anything about nightshade v egetables. I'm so glad I founf this site! On the other hand, geez, my diet seems to be getting more and more restricted!...Tagger

[watkinson]

Hi Jeff,

I too, like everone else on this thread, suffer from joint pain (it used to be crippling at times) and extreme muscle pain. My left elbow bothers me sooooo much. It used to feel like it was constantly broken. The skin on the eblow feels very tender like I have a rug burn or something, although nothing is noticible. I would get shooting pains going down my arms and legs and my hands and feet would tingle and feel like they were asleep. Horrible muscle pain, sometimes charlie horses in my legs. Syatic (sp) nerve problems. Sleeplessness, muscle twitching, restless leg, all related to fibromialgia. I have also learned that some of the joint pain and the hands and feet tingling thing is called peripheral neuropothy, (nerve damage). Going gluten-free has made everything much better but it hasn't gone away completley. My doctor has prescribed Lidocain patches to place on the super sore spots like my hip joints. He also put me on a low dose antidepressant for the muscle pain. It doesn't really work as an antidepressent it's just that it helps with your serotinin levels which help to relieve the pain and helps you sleep better. A couple things I do that has always helped, is to be as active as possibble. I jog with weights strapped to my ankles, I lift weights, yoga, for stretching, all kinds of activity. Sometimes the excersise about kills me when I'm doing it, but later I always feel tons better. I take a multi vitamin with plenty of magnesium and potassium, and I take an extra B-complex by mouth, (I haven't gone the shots route yet). You can also put about 4 cups of epsom salts into a hot tub and soak about 45 to an hour. That will help draw out the swelling. Stretch wihile you are in the shower and try to make sure you getting enough sleep, the deep REM type.

About food...yes removing nightshade vegies can help but I think going as organic as possible would be more beneficial. Pesticides used on reular veg. contain the same toxins as nighshade vegetables, like nicotine. Nicotine calms us and energizes us at the same time which is why it is so addictive, one of the reasons potatoe chips and fries are so addictive. The reason these vegies are called nightshade is because they contain in much smaller amounts the same toxin as the deadly nightshade plant. Go online to find out more it's very interesting.

Good luck, Wendy