Sudden onset of osteoarthritis in all my fingers and toes (???!)

[Sick-and-Tired]

Hi everyone,

A bit of (boring - sorry!) background:

At the age of around 16 I went to the doctor complaining that my right wrist was painful. I couldn't put any weight on it without pain. The doctor I saw at the time didn't examine me and just told me to take ibuprofen.

Over the years I continued to go to the doctors complaining about my wrist, which didn't just hurt when I put weight on it, but had started aching. I also started to have symptoms which are probably related to my hashimotos such as fatigue, headaches, strange tingling under my skin etc.

I also developed a large lump in my hand, which I was told was a ganglion cyst and that they are painless (the implication always being that the pain I was feeling was, therefore, not real).

Finally, after 13 years of pain I managed to get a doctor to agree to do an ultrasound on the lump. (He basically admitted he was only going it to shut me up about it!)

This was the first time anyone had even examined my wrist that I had been complaining about since I was a teenager.

The ultrasound guy said that the lump was definitely not a ganglion cyst, but that he couldn't confirm what it actually was. He recommended that I get an x-ray.

The doctor was very reluctant, but I managed to persuade him to refer me for the x-ray. They said that there was a "bony lump" and recommended an MRI to see what it was.

At this point I had to beg my GP to let me have the MRI, and when he did the results came back that I have osteoarthritis.

That was around 18 months ago, and I've learned to give myself a bit of a break in terms of not lifting anything too heavy, not filling the kettle or watering the plants etc to try not to inflame my wrist and I've just been getting on with things.

The thing is, at the start of July I woke up one morning with my whole right hand in absolute agony. I couldn't move any of my fingers and they were just constantly aching. I couldn't sleep due to the pain, I couldn't do anything with my right hand.

A couple of months have passed and the pain isn't as breathtaking as it was at first, but my fingers are still in a lot of pain, and I have also developed pain in my other hand's fingers and all my toes.

The ache is keeping me awake, and I'm not sure how much I should be using my joints.

I decided it was time to go to the doctor, and I went yesterday.

She didn't look at my hands or feet and just shrugged and was like "yeah, you've got arthritis".

I said that I didn't have it in my fingers or toes, just in my right wrist.

Again, she shrugged and said "well you do now".

I asked if it was normal for it to spread to so many joints so suddenly and she said that yes it was quite normal. She also made a comment about "everyone has wear and tear in your joints if you go looking for it", which I think was meant to suggest that I'm not in any more pain than anyone else (I'm 31 and I don't think this is normal!)

As you can imagine, I don't totally trust the doctors to give me all the right information. I have hashimotos and am on 100mcg levothyoxine. I am currently under an endocrinologist, but my next appointment isn't until November.

I've been taking the levothyoxine for around 18 months and so far haven't felt any benefits. I've also tried gluten free for 6 months with no apparent improvement.

I take 5000iu vitamin D a day, use a magnesium spray and was taking turmeric pills but stopped because it didn't help and got nervous about my liver.

Does this sound like it could be related to my hashimotos in any way?

Thanks!

[diogenes Remembering]

I regret to have to say that, if you get one autoimmune disease like Hashimoto's, you are more likely to suffer other autoimmune problems like rheumatoid arthriis, diabetes, SLE etc. It can't be dodged. I haven't any remedy except to be vigilant and insist on proper medical attention for each complaint, pointing out the linkage.

[Sick-and-Tired in reply to diogenes]

Thanks so much. That was my thought too, but they say it's definitely osteoarthritis, not rheumatoid, and that it would have been the result of a childhood injury in my wrist (although I have no recollection of ever hurting myself).

Maybe I should post in the arthritis forum to see if it's normal for osteoarthritis to jump to other parts of the body?

Thanks so much for your response!

[Marz in reply to Sick-and-Tired]

Have they tested you for RA ? Do you always obtain copies of all your results ?

[Sick-and-Tired in reply to Marz]

Hi! Looking back through my test results, in 2017 I had a couple of tests which I guess rule it out (?)

Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate : 2mm/h (0-10)

Plasma C Reactive Protein: 4.0mg/L (0-10)

I try to always get hold of my results as a result of all the help on here!

Thanks!

[Marz in reply to Sick-and-Tired]

There is a more specific test for RA 😊

[Sick-and-Tired in reply to Marz]

Oh cool, it doesn't look like that's been done so I'll go back and ask for it! Thanks!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Has this got worse since you reintroduced gluten into diet?

arthritis.org/living-with-a...

[Sick-and-Tired in reply to SlowDragon]

No, all of it started before I reintroduced gluten... It was just out of nowhere when I was about 3 months into the gluten free diet!

Although that looks like another reason to try the gluten elimination again soon (*sigh*)

Thanks for sending this information through

[Barrister]

Ask for a Rheumatoid Factor blood test.

Clemmie

[Sick-and-Tired in reply to Barrister]

Oh great, thank you. Will do!

Thanks again! ☺️

[cyntexas]

I feel your pain. I have had problems for many years. The levothyroxine is a good start. See if you can find a doctor who will let you add Armour Thyroid. Start a little at a time. You must be patient and willing to add a little at a time to get to your best meds. Only after years have I found a doctor who will treat me "for my symptoms" instead of my "labs" and add a little at a time. Ask a doctor if they are willing to treat for symptoms!! I now take 50 mcg of levothyroxine twice a day and also Armour Thyroid 90 mg twice a day. I have to divide mine in 1/2 to be able to get what I need in a days time. Otherwise it is too much at once. It is possible to find a dose which will work for you. I pray that God helps you find a doctor who will work with you. They are out there, but you have to kiss a lot of frogs! LOL You have to keep searching for a Doctor near you who will work with you! If you have to travel to find a doctor then do so! Do NOT give up!

[Sick-and-Tired in reply to cyntexas]

Thanks so much... I've been kissing a lot of frogs for a lot of years now - haha!

I will do some research of armour.

Thanks again for your help!

[cyntexas in reply to Sick-and-Tired]

I hope it helps. All I can share if what helped me. I am not an expert on anything, and all I know is what worked for me. It took me over 40 years to get to this point. It is not an easy journey. May God bless you.

[Chippysue]

Where to start!

If I was in your position (I am not telling you what to do)

I would see a good functional nutritional therapist/naturopath who will get to the bottom of the root cause of your problems. It may well be that you will need to be gluten and dairy free, nightshade and sugar free, possibly.

You will not find the answers with standard medicine because all they can do is add drugs and diagnosis building up to the carrier bag full of drugs but still feeling ill.

I highly recommend that you read dr Izabella wentz books.

I highly recommend the arthritis book by Margaret Hills too who was told at 18 she would be crippled with osteo and rheumatoid arthritis and she found a way to live a pain free active life and had 8 children!

You should not be in pain, you should not be on this path!

[Sick-and-Tired in reply to Chippysue]

Oh fantastic, I'll get hold of those books - I'm very happy to make any lifestyle changes, however hard, if it helps my symptoms!

Thanks again!

[topaz1]

Have you tried eliminating nightshades from your diet? Also I learned recently about salicylates in foods. Having eliminated nightshades completely I am now eliminating my favourite foods which contain salicylates for a week at a time, then re-introduce to see if there is a reaction.

[Sick-and-Tired in reply to topaz1]

Sorry for the delay in responding! I briefly tried the autoimmune protocol a few years back, which includes eliminating nightshades but got quite ill (I think it was all the coconut oil) and gave up very quickly.

I had never heard of salicylates before but from looking online that does look like something I should also be investigating. Thank you!

[topaz1]

I think it's easier to take one food out of your diet for a while (my Naturopath suggested a week would be long enough) and then introduce it again. I know I cannot eat tomatoes - my fingers get so sore and stiff and throb, but I'm going to try a tiny white potato which I havnt eaten in about 2 years. It will take time but one food at a time is easier on our poor tired systems I think.

[Sick-and-Tired in reply to topaz1]

Thanks for the advice! So I wouldn't have up give up all nightshades at once? I could do potatoes one week, and then tomatoes another week? Or nightshades all at once, and then salicylates all at once?

Thanks again!

[topaz1 in reply to Sick-and-Tired]

Eliminate one food at a time or you wouldnt know which one was affecting you.

[Zib78]

Hi. Sounds like you should be further investigated for other possible autoimmune diseases. Maybe rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, lupus, just to name a few. Try gather information from reputable websites to help explain why you feel you deserve these investigations. If they disagree with you, then ask them why. Good luck x

[Sick-and-Tired in reply to Zib78]

Thanks, I'm going to make either doctors appointment and see if they'll investigate this further.

Thanks for your help!