Bruising & Rib pain

[CROOD]

Does anyone with lupus suffer odd bruising on the body for no reason and rib pain?

[HazelW]

Yes - I have had mysterious bruising for years , although it seems to happen less often these days. My late husband used to joke that people must think he was beating me up !

[suzannah16]

I get rib pain across my back, feels like the muscles as it hurts when I breathe in sharply like sneezing. I have osteoarthritis and can't understand why it hurts. If I had rheumatoid arthritis it would explain the pain.

[Hidden in reply to suzannah16]

Why ?

[suzannah16 in reply to Hidden]

rheumatoid is more in the muscles whereas osteo is just the bones. I have been tested for rheumatoid and told I only have osteo yet I still get muscle pain.

[Hidden in reply to suzannah16]

As far as I know most rheumatic diseases can affect the costochondral muscles - not just RA. Costochondritis is also very common for those with Fibromyalgia I believe.

[suzannah16 in reply to Hidden]

I will mention it when I see DR B, not 'til end of june though. I have asked her about it before but she just brushed it off. May be I should tell her you'll be coming to my next appointment if she ignores it again, that should cheer her up

[Hidden in reply to suzannah16]

Well at least you get her rather than the other Dr B - master of deflection! I’ve only seen her twice but I see him more often and he’s Dr Cool but everything gets gently but smoothly deflected ie all down up fatty liver, age related, damage done etc etc

I think our rheum told you that your muscle pain and chostochondritis are both Fibromyalgia related? You can have Osteoarthritis, Lupus, inflammatory arthritis and Fibromyalgia all together at same time or relapsing and remitting/ taking turns.

However from her email responses to mine and from my 2 consultations with her and one phone consult our rheum is unlikely to change her mind about you having OA and Fibro as the source of your present pain. She’s stubborn but she could also be right? X

[suzannah16 in reply to Hidden]

I did see another rheumy consultant who told me there was nothing wrong with me, could have been him. I once saw a junior rheumy and he was great, said he would arrange half a dozen tests, none of which got done and have never seen him again. I wouldn't mind so much about not getting treatment for things if she would just explain more about conditions and why no treatment rather than just be ignored. now my ankles are making popping noises when I walk, ouch. may be down to podiatrists exercises. XX

[Hidden in reply to suzannah16]

The CTD clinic is run by Dr B (rheum) and Dr B (vascular dr). The registrar works in the main rheumatology clinic on a different day.

I agree I think it costs them nothing to explain what they think and why. But I also think there are no treatments for lots more related conditions than we sometimes realise. So we have to accept that we must become our own experts via dr google and places like this community.

I guess the presence of online forums etc changes the nature of doctoring too because they need to build in the strong possibility that their patients know more or as much as they do about aspects of having rheumatic diseases. On one hand this frees them up to focus on their more sick and the new patients. On the other hand they need to remember that each patient is unique! X

[suzannah16 in reply to Hidden]

true, but if we knew which of our things were treatable it would help. often it's the not knowing that seems worse. I feel I can deal with things if I know what they are, I guess it's the unknown that worry us most.

[Mainecoone in reply to suzannah16]

Popping noises can be crepitus... air bubbles coming out of the tendons... I was told not to be concerned... in regard to costochondritis I had little golf ball swellings on the ribs that had it. If lower ribs i would ask GP as it could be spleen (esp if bruising too), colon or liver going left to right. If upper ribs and hurts on inspiration then GP more appropriate as would query lung function/or a bit of chest infection. There is also a condition called Rheumatoid lung where the lungs get a little fibrotic from reduced exertion.

[Hidden in reply to suzannah16]

Rheumatoid is mainly the joints, although it can affect other organs. Has your doc considered fibromyalgia?

[suzannah16 in reply to Hidden]

she did diagnose me with fibro but no real explanations as to how it could affect me.

[Mainecoone in reply to suzannah16]

From what i understand Fibro is pain in muscles or pain from pressure on muscle bellies. Muscle cells (tiny - can only see with microscope) are all connected by connective tissue called endomysium if i remember correctly. The muscle bellies would contain the higher amount of endomysium and therefore yield higher pain with pressure - just trying to work this out logically.

There are two layers of muscle between the ribs for inspiration & expiration (intercostal muscles) in addition to other connective tissue holding it all together. If you gently press on the rib and then between the ribs which is more sore? Is it the muscles or the bone that is more sore?

In regard to unexplained bruising you REALLY need to follow it up, omega / fish oil can thin the blood so if appropriate would stop that, but is not a symptom you can leave. You need to chase and nag.

After years of austerity the NHS is understaffed, in regard to unexplained bruising you need to chase both GP and Rheum Team for answers.

[Elena1234]

Yes I too get rib and back pain almost daily and also severe pain every now and again. I was told it was a muscle condition then that was it just left to cope with it. I think it’s linked to inflammation as when it’s high I get this symptom quite often then when it’s more calmer and the inflammation calms down then all my symptoms subside. I would keep a diary of all your symptoms to show to a dr and specialists as it may help them decide what’s wrong and what help you need. Have a great day. Take care. Elena 😀

[LuvnCaliLife]

Hi. Yes to both. We have connective tissue between our ribs or our intercostal space. One Rheumatologist I had said it best.....”every inch of our body is in some way effected by or includes some type of connective tissue. That is why Lupus pain is so widespread and symptoms are so deverse. Everybody’s disease path is as different as their fingerprint.” So many Dr’s want to put everyone in a box and make them check off certain criteria before giving them care. I realize that is how you diagnose, but Lupus is the great impersonator. Physicians need to start thinking outside the box and really listening to their patients. I’m sorry I’m rambling. I wrap my heating pad around my midsection when I have rib pain and try to not stand in one place for any length of time. Anything that puts stress on my spine adds to the pain in my case. Gentle hugs to you. 🤗

[Cas70]

Reading these posts has reassured me a little - for the last year I have had huge bruising on my upper thighs that hasn’t gone away. A practice nurse ran bloods and said “nothing clotting” . My new Rheumatologist said she had never seen anything like it before but would refer me to Dermatologist and Haematologist- that was in November ! Still waiting ! I figure I am alive, so I won’t bother chasing them. Useless ! Ever felt invisible?

[Hidden]

I too have some unexplained bruising on my shin and upper thigh.

[chriscarter]

Thanks for taking the time to leave messages...nice to know i'm not going mad. Will discuss this with my rheumy on the 23rd. I also get intense itching on my sides...what fun it is

[shareasmile]

I'm not sure about fibro causing the rib pain, but if you have a connective tissue disease, that certainly can cause rib pain. There's plenty of cartilage around the ribs and rib pain was one of the many symptoms I had when first diagnosed with CTD. My rheumy explained that it is not unusual. Mine was so bad that I thought I had broken ribs. I also had unusual bruising, but that stopped when I quit taking fish oil.