Do these symptoms sound familiar?

[KittyB52]

I have posted in General Health and was directed to this forum for further advice.

I suffer with lower back pain which is worse in the morning and if I am too active first thing - pains in hips and upper thigh but not like sciatic pain. I also suffer from plantar fasciitis. I have recently (last couple of months) developed sore/weak hands - can barely make a fist first thing and left hand is swollen so I need to remove my wedding ring. I also wake several times as I get uncomfortable with various sore spots on joints.

Other symptoms include:

• clicky ankles
• Left shoulder pain (can't sleep on left side any more, although I often wake on that side)
• Stiff back muscles
• Stiff/painful neck muscles
• Painful spot on hips
• Light-headedness
• Clumsiness - I often wobble off balance a little as I am walking about
• IBS - mild constipation, not severe enough for me to require any medication
• despite going to bed early, I never feel like I've had a decent night's sleep
• History of infertility due to hormonal imbalance and immune issues
• Occasional vision disturbance/blurry eyes (thought this might be visual migraine)
• Occasional lapses in concentration, unable to focus on one thing, forgetful

I need to go back to GP (didn’t realise what a list that was until I wrote it all down) but have no clue what tests I should be asking for. I have had hormonal tests as I suspected I was perimenopausal (I am 44), but GP said levels were ,normal’. Vitamin D is low and I am going to increase supplement of that. I was tested for rheumatoid arthritis, and that was also ‘normal’. I saw an osteopath for my back and he said I ‘fit the profile’ for fibromyalgia.

Does these symptoms sound familiar? What should I be asking GP to do next?

Thanks in advance and sorry for the epic post.

Update for 2020. 😁

I’ve been on hydroxychloroquine for months, it’s made little difference to my stiff hands (which frankly are only a problem first thing in the morning). Rheumatologist not interested in other symptoms (brain fog, weakness, poor concentration, weird sensation in toes, thinning hair, always cold). So I did some reading round and wondered if symptoms could be hormonal. Contacted GP (a new one!) and she sent me for blood tests to rule other things out before prescribing me HRT (which is not available at present).

Fast forward to a fortnight ago when I had a phone consultation with rheumatologist who asked if I was taking amytriptaline for the pain (who would prescribe that anyway?) and recommended a short course of steriods, as latest blood tests showed very slightly raised inflammation markers. I mentioned speaking to GP about HRT and consultant said I needed to have patches only, due to antiphospholipid syndrome. Wait, what?! This information isn’t on my notes, my GP didn’t mention it.

So, I am waiting to get letter from consultant so I can speak to GP about HRT options, but a quick read around shows if I have APS I probably shouldn’t have HRT.

So I am pretty much no further on, and am looking again at thyroid and vitamin levels and wondering if I’m missing something.

I’ve been using a vitamin D spray for about a month, no change yet. Looking into magnesium spray/lotion for various aches and pains. sigh

Hi there. Sorry I haven't read the whole thread by wondered if your cortisol levels had ever been tested? I have Addison's disease and was only diagnosed after getting really ill with norovirus but had had loads of symptoms for around 7 years leading up to this. Including stiff fingers on waking in morning, aching joints, constipation (although dihorreah is more common) flank pain (adrenal glands are on top of your kidneys) and many more. Docs always dismissed as Peri-menoupause until I was in a and e with blood pressure so low it wouldn't register, hypothermia and a racing heart rate after vomiting. Just a thought and apologies if it's already been covered. Best wishes x