Joint pains and headaches

[tapir2020]

I was in ICU in February, only for about a week, due to a long-term health condition. Since then, I have tried my best to exercise, but I now have pain and limited movement in my left shoulder and all the main joints in that side - wrist, hip, knee / groin and ankle. I also have a tingling in my left fingers and a headache around the scar following previous neurosurgery. I’ve been in ICU before, but I don’t recall these ‘side effects’. Do any of these sound familiar to members? I’m also having a prescription reviewed following separate side effects, principally to do with balance, from a new drug, the anti-epileptic Lacosamide.

[Sepsur]

Do you know if you were proned?

😀

[tapir2020 in reply to Sepsur]

That was my query - and I was. The ICU follow-up suggested it was more likely a neurological issue, which would fit - albeit unexpectedly - with my long-term health condition. Some tests are booked for later this week.

[Sepsur in reply to tapir2020]

That will explain your shoulder issues ( probably). You will need to do very specific physio to help strengthen and stretch the muscles across your shoulders. Critical illness can cause extreme muscle waste - when they waste, they also shorten hence it’s difficult for us to lift our arms above our shoulders, behind our head etc. I struggled to pull a t-shirt over my head, put a jumper or shirt on unassisted.

My physio recommended specific exercises.

Neuropathy & myopathy are common legacies of ICU too.

Perhaps you were more fortunate last time - not everyone has lasting effects after ICU.

[tapir2020]

Thanks - I’ll try to find details to call back the follow-up team for details of a physio. Hopefully the tests later this week will also rule out an infection ‘post’-pneumonia. Definitely feeling very lame just now.

[Sepsur in reply to tapir2020]

I sent you a PM

[tapir2020 in reply to Sepsur]

Thanks for your message. Unfortunately, the pain has been getting worse, moving now into my clavicle and neck, and making walking at least very slow and painful. I’m hoping to get time with my GP, but I suspect they’ll just tell me to wait until I see my neurologist. Thankfully some days are better than others; yesterday was not a good one.