Hi there, this is my first post on here but I wanted to ask advice before going to the doctor. For the past year I've been full of aches and pains, particularly in my legs, but really everywhere. In the morning I can only walk down the stairs by shuffling down putting both feet on the same stair as one at a time is too much!
The pain is mainly muscular – the lower backs of my calves, but also thigh and then joint pain in my knees. If I stand up from my desk in the day my legs are completely seized up and I walk like I've got wooden legs! Up until last year I was running 3-4 times a week and doing half marathons, now even walking my children to school (albeit up a large hill) completely wipes me out and I get so fatigued I feel like I could sleep for the rest of the day.
I should add that I have put on weight – two stone over the past year, and I am also grieving for my mum who passed away in November and so generally I'm not in a good place and quite depressed. I wanted to wait to see the doctor until I'd lost a bit of weight but it is not coming off enough, partly because it is so hard to move! My partner thinks I need to go now to the doctor because of how bad my legs are and how it is impacting on my quality of life. I did go last summer and the doctor didn't have an answer but said their was fluid on my legs and I had water tablets for a few weeks. I guess this is just showing inflammation?
Sorry for such a long post but my question about autoimmune related is because I know muscle, joint pain and tiredness is associated with quite a few autoimmune disorders and I do have lots of other conditions that are autoimmune or autoimmune related. These are:
• Henoch-Schonlein Purpura that I had very severely when I was 7 with juvenile arthritis
• Early menopause in my 30's
• Hypothyroidism (but never been tested to see if Hashimotos)
• Raynauds
• Rosacea
Any thoughts or advice really would be appreciated. Are there any home tests worth doing before I go to the doctors? I had such a bad treatment in the early stages of the menopause I just don't want to be fobbed off by the doctor! Thank you.