Hi, me again...now my joints are killing me..

[Sherry20]

Sorry it's been a while again, but I need feedback on joint symptoms.  Thought I'd post here as this is typically read more often. 

I ended up with a swollen left knee in January which lasted for about 5 months.  Not alot of pain, just alot of swelling and stiffness.  Some sharp pain on the inside of the kneecap when going up the stairs - which continues and is starting to get worse.

3 weeks ago my right knee started swelling.  I have sharp pain in the same spot on the right knee when going upstairs, etc in addition to horrendous aching.  The pain and swelling get worse as the day wears on.  I've also been noticing sharp pain in both shoulders when doing anything and every joint - and I mean EVERY joint - fingers, wrists, ankles, toes, knees, hips, neck, lower back, even my ribcage when twisting my torso - all feel like I have no cartilage left, just bone rubbing on bone.  Creaks, pops, crackling, grinding, you name it, I have it.  Even when I type I can feel the bones in my wrists popping as they move against each other.  It's like every joint in my body dried out and lost all cartilage at the same time.

Does anyone else have these same symptoms?  Can Osteo affect EVERY joint at the same time within a matter of months?  I've been noticing more creaking in my joints for a number of years now, but this is unreal.  Could this be Sjogren's related?  Thyroid related?  Any ideas?

I would love to hear what others deal with from a joint perspective.

[Scottietottie]

Hi Sherry 

You KNOW what I'm going to say. You need to see your doctor! You need x-rays to see what is going on with these joints. It's also possible that SjS is causing some pain and that osteo arthritis is covering others.

I've had a partial knee replacement due osteoarthritis. It was really bad before it got x-rayed because there was an assumption it was SjS related and it wasn't. It was osteo. The op worked like magic!! Big success.

I now know I ave osteoarthritis in both knees and both shoulders. I have pain in my hand and finger/thumb joints but it's SjS related. Rib cage hurts but it's SjS related too.

If everything hurts you need to rule out RA as well.   Could be you're having a big flare (SjS) but you need to find out.

I'm sorry you're in so much pain and hope it eases off soon.

Take care - Scottie 

[Sherry20]

Yeah, I know, but I can't even get my rheumy to answer the phone anymore.  It's impossible to get into him now.  My GP sent me to a sports doctor for my left knee who said come back mid-summer.  Well my left knee swelling went away so I didn't make an appointment.  I do have one now with him on Sept 5th for my right knee so I'm sure he'll order an MRI (thank God), instead of just an xray like my GP would do.

Did you also get heat in your swollen joints?  My right knee is very warm, no redness, just heat.

[Pooh]

Sherry,
I'm going to sound like a parrot, but "see your doctor".  This could be OA, or the start of RA or a combination of both and something else thrown in. 

Get it checked out when you see the doctor on the 5th.  I'm sure he/she will ask you anyway about your pain.  And yes, both my knees are warm to hot all the time.  They swell a good bit, but I'm still moving so I won't complain until I can't move. 

Take care dear and please have it checked out.  Sounds like you are in a flare too.

Hugs, Pooh

[ProudAuntieNWash]

Scottie,

Last year I had a total knee replacement. Best thing I ever had done. I have to have my other leg done now, but they are waiting until the SJ is better. Which I can say I am some better. Outside of a good knock on the head today and now am a sore head LOLOL I am doing better. I ate more solid food today and my breathing was better. Only slightly blue. I am improving!!! Hurray!!!!! 

Denise

[ProudAuntieNWash]

Sherry,

Sorry that your knees are hurting. Try putting some ice on them to help with swelling and pain. Hope you can see your doctor soon.

Denise

PS Nice to meet you Sherry.

[Scottietottie]

Hi Sherry 

My knee didn't feel hot and was only slightly swollen but it was still Grade 4 osteoarthritis and the only way they could alleviate the pain was to do a partial joint replacement.

My shoulders arn't that bad and physical therapy helped them a lot. I was offered a shoulder replacement but didn't feel it was anything like painful enough to warrant that!  (I'll only agree to hospital if I really feel I've no choice!)

Take care - Scottie 

[annette2]

Is it worst in the morning?  Often that's a sign of RA
Annette

[eyeamdry]

Scottie....I, too, had a partial knee replacement 5 years ago, several years before I knew I had Sjogrens.  It has been a great success although I know it's possible somewhere down the road i may need a full knee to replace the partial, or my other knee may need replacement.  Partial knee reps are not real common.  Lucy

[Sherry20]

I usually don't have any pain in the morning, it gets progressively worse throughout the day and is most painful in the evening, so I think this is osteo.  This is the first time that I had knee pain with a weather change.  I've had pain in my thumbs before a weather change, but not my knees.  My right knee is really bad, I never had any aching pain in my left knee when it was swollen.  And I just get alot of sharp pains in my shoulders so far.

I'm beginning to think that my right knee will eventually need replacing.  I'm just hoping that everything else will settle down.  My fingers have settled down over the years and are not as painful as they used to be.

[Scottietottie]

Hi Sherry 

All I can say is that, if you knee does need replacing - go for it! It's painful but then as it heals - as long as you do the exercises -the pain just subsides and is soooo much better than living with a wrecked knee.
A partial is a good option if only one side of the joint shows severe damage.

I was told that I'd probably only get about a 90 degree bed back but I persisted with the exercises and can certainly bend it further than that. The scar's faded way down too.

I don't really think I'd realised just how sore it had got till it got better.

Take care - Scottie 

[Sherry20]

Well I just got the whole slough of blood tests again to see if something actually shows up now since I'm in so much pain.  My shoulders are now aching so bad that I can't sleep.

And I just saw my sports doctor cause I can't get into my rheumy - his secretary just picks and hangs up the phone without answering so I've asked for a referral to someone else.  If I can't even get them to pick up the phone how can I possibly make an appointment???  Anyhow, he said that I have extremely loose tendons.  Does that mean that I am hyper-mobile?

I can see why I have joint pain if I'm hyper-mobile, it only makes sense that the joints would wear out faster if they aren't stable.  And he said it's time for me to see the rheumy again....it's been about 2 years since I've seen anyone in that dept cause I haven't been that bad.

Final question, does a connective tissue disease actually cause hyper-mobility?

[Scottietottie]

Hi 

I'm not sure that a connective tissue disease causes hypermobility but I think that you are more likely to develop a connective tissue disease if you are hypermobile. Does that make sense?

Take care - Scottie