I've been experiencing ongoing fatigue and pain for about 4 yrs. now. The last two years I have been seeing an R/A & Orthopedic specialist. The pain is mainly in my back, hips, knees, ankles and feet (Joint areas). I've been fairly active in sports and outdoor activities my whole life. No steady or seriously rough sports, but the occasional baseball, basketball an jogging. Currently I'm 40 yrs. old. I'm a white male. Never been severly sick or in the hospital. No family history of bone or joint disease. I'm not overweight and generally have a healthy diet.
I experience most of my sypmtoms after a days work of strenuous exercise. That can include anything from mowing, raking leaves, chopping wood, etc. I don't have any problems performing these jobs, but the day and many days after the strenuous day...I ache, hurt and feel drained. It takes a few days to recover where I don't feel the stiffness and beat feeling. Often I have to slowly get out of bed and not start walking right away. My legs/ankles will give way with pain if I try to start walking too fast. I usually play basketball on Tues. nights for about two hrs. and I'll be wore out and sore until Sat/Sun on a regular basis.
I do have a pretty bad case of tendonitis in my achilles tendon. So severe that just touching them is painful. That adds to some of my troubles of course. I've been through some rehab therapy for that and it subsided some.
I've had several blood analysis test and such done. I've had a bone scan and CT scan. There were no tumors or abnormalities in the scans except that I had a pretty sufficient deterioration of cartilage from the top of my spine to my toes. The blood tests have all been clear of any disease or problems. The only thing that did come up on one of the tests was a marker for Lupus. I do not have a Lupus diagnosis.
My doctor described and compared my cartilage deterioration level to that of a 65 yr. old pro football player who had severely punished his joints from a early childhood, high school, college and on into the pros. I have not been involved in anything other than recreational sports.
Here is what the doctors have ruled out thus far: Lupus, R/A, Cancer, Arthritis, Lymes, Fibromyalgia.
I'm currently on Prednisone, Dicloflenac, Folic Acid, Methotrexate, and Carasoprodol. I've taken more drugs in the last two years than I have taken my whole life. I will only actually take the pain meds as a last resort. I just don't like taking meds constantly.
I've taken ove the last two years: Lyrica, Plaquenil, Tramadol, & various anti-inflamtory type drugs. These were stopped due to not doing anything to relieve symptoms, made me sick or just didn't need them for what was ruled out as being the problem.
The specialist took me off the prednisone for about a month and half and my symptoms returned as far as pain, hurting and recovering from any work/hard play. He is leaning toward some type of auto-immune disease, but has no precise diagnosis due to what drugs have and have not worked. As long as I'm taking the current medication I don't really have any problems or pain.
I've come to understand that I experience a little depression from all of this. I'm just wore out all of the time. I just chalked it up to a blue day. I have no motivation to get out and do anything when I feel like this and that is most of the time (90%). I have to really push myself and just do what I need to do and be prepared to suffer afterwards.
I've never been diagnosed with RLS but I do experience the symptoms of that. I can hardly sit on the couch @ night w/o constantly bending and stretching my legs. If I try to not disturb my wife and lie/sit still...I can't stand it. It is like feeling that "ready to go" feeling as a kid and you just can't sit still waiting.
I know that is a lot of info. I've probably left out some stuff. Any help from someone feeling this way or being diagnosed with something that relates would help. I appreciate any suggestions or questions.
DK
I experience most of my sypmtoms after a days work of strenuous exercise. That can include anything from mowing, raking leaves, chopping wood, etc. I don't have any problems performing these jobs, but the day and many days after the strenuous day...I ache, hurt and feel drained. It takes a few days to recover where I don't feel the stiffness and beat feeling. Often I have to slowly get out of bed and not start walking right away. My legs/ankles will give way with pain if I try to start walking too fast. I usually play basketball on Tues. nights for about two hrs. and I'll be wore out and sore until Sat/Sun on a regular basis.
I do have a pretty bad case of tendonitis in my achilles tendon. So severe that just touching them is painful. That adds to some of my troubles of course. I've been through some rehab therapy for that and it subsided some.
I've had several blood analysis test and such done. I've had a bone scan and CT scan. There were no tumors or abnormalities in the scans except that I had a pretty sufficient deterioration of cartilage from the top of my spine to my toes. The blood tests have all been clear of any disease or problems. The only thing that did come up on one of the tests was a marker for Lupus. I do not have a Lupus diagnosis.
My doctor described and compared my cartilage deterioration level to that of a 65 yr. old pro football player who had severely punished his joints from a early childhood, high school, college and on into the pros. I have not been involved in anything other than recreational sports.
Here is what the doctors have ruled out thus far: Lupus, R/A, Cancer, Arthritis, Lymes, Fibromyalgia.
I'm currently on Prednisone, Dicloflenac, Folic Acid, Methotrexate, and Carasoprodol. I've taken more drugs in the last two years than I have taken my whole life. I will only actually take the pain meds as a last resort. I just don't like taking meds constantly.
I've taken ove the last two years: Lyrica, Plaquenil, Tramadol, & various anti-inflamtory type drugs. These were stopped due to not doing anything to relieve symptoms, made me sick or just didn't need them for what was ruled out as being the problem.
The specialist took me off the prednisone for about a month and half and my symptoms returned as far as pain, hurting and recovering from any work/hard play. He is leaning toward some type of auto-immune disease, but has no precise diagnosis due to what drugs have and have not worked. As long as I'm taking the current medication I don't really have any problems or pain.
I've come to understand that I experience a little depression from all of this. I'm just wore out all of the time. I just chalked it up to a blue day. I have no motivation to get out and do anything when I feel like this and that is most of the time (90%). I have to really push myself and just do what I need to do and be prepared to suffer afterwards.
I've never been diagnosed with RLS but I do experience the symptoms of that. I can hardly sit on the couch @ night w/o constantly bending and stretching my legs. If I try to not disturb my wife and lie/sit still...I can't stand it. It is like feeling that "ready to go" feeling as a kid and you just can't sit still waiting.
I know that is a lot of info. I've probably left out some stuff. Any help from someone feeling this way or being diagnosed with something that relates would help. I appreciate any suggestions or questions.
DK