bf and joint/ ligament pain

[ej23]

Currently bfing dc3 (7.5 months) and have been getting lots of random, wandering joint/ ligament pains. It started in my foot a couple of months ago and then gradually progressed to other areas- hands, fingers,thumbs, wrists,forearms, neck. At first i thought i must be starting with arthritis but then read it can be to do with levels of the hormone relaxin still in the body. Am hoping it is this. My neck has been so stiff this last couple of days and now i keep getting pins and needles in my thumb- driving me nuts. Anyone else suffering or suffered with this?

[ej23]

Yes to vit d test Catellington and PogoBob! Thinking everyone should get one done. Back at GP's today and saw different doctor. Have had blood tests done again for RA but also for Borrelia bacteria which causes Lyme Disease. Stressed!

[PogoBob]

really interesting to read this. I'm hypermobile but it's never really caused any real problems other than my shoulders popping in and out every now and then.

I have been suffering with general pain and achiness over the last few months which has got quite bad at some points, similar sort of short sharp pain you've mentioned ej. This evening it's affected my right elbow and left ankle!

I have been breastfeeding 4 years now (2 children back to back with a short period of tandem feeding in the middle) and don't take any supplements. Will have to look into vit. d as it would make a huge difference to me getting back into exercise and getting fit if it did make a difference to this achiness.

Hope you make some progress with yours, sorry the GP was being a twonk

[catellington]

Possibly, I should really get it looked at but as it sometimes doesn't bother me for a while I think it's solved, then it comes back.

I do wonder however what part nutrition and hormones have to play, I can't find anything definitive on relaxin when breast feeding online so not sure. I have only relatively recently started taking multivits, as I have lots of niggles, skin, hair, ulcers, and seems logical to me that I would be nutrient deficient having bf for 16 months.
Think I will do the vit d test too and see what that says

[ej23]

Hi. Catellington, do you think you're wrist issue could be that Dr Quervain's thing? Comes from repetitive pincer grip like picking child up or wringing washing.

[catellington]

Ej23

I think you were also on the vit d thread - interesting as I also have had significant wrist trouble. My dd is 16 months, was ebf till 6 months, now feeds about twice after work then all night a couple of times at night.

My wrist pain got worse from about 3 m to a year ish. Then seemed to be better but recently it is back.

If I turn my hands sometimes it's as if my thumb dislocates, or the tendon pops and I have to gently manoeuvre it back into place. I do struggle picking dd up if she is at an angle. I do weights in the gym and can no longer do pull ups because of the pain.

I don't think it's carpal tunnel for me although I had that in last trimester. It is in the joint between thumb and wrist, this is apparently a vulnerable joint as it us a saddle joint ( I don't really know what I'm talking about btw, just what a sports masseur told me)

[ej23]

Crikey, Oodlives, you shouldn't have to put up with pain all that time. I would speak to GP if I were you. I hope you get some relief soon. I'm determined to get myself sorted.

[Oodlives]

I've had it for years and years. As long as I can remember. Always thought it was normal until I mentioned it to dh one day. They're much worse /more frequent at the moment.

[ej23]

Hi Oodlives, are you bfing? How long have you been having this?

[Oodlives]

I get exactly that! Really intense stabbing pains that then disappear.

I've never met anyone else who does and no one seems to explain it.

[ej23]

Yes I have been getting myself down worrying about these aches and pains and yes I suppose this could make them worse. Annoying as usually very healthy. It's just freaking me out that every day the pain creeps into new places. When it comes it lasts for maybe 10 seconds or so and then reappears somewhere else minutes later. Bizarre.

[TitsCrossed]

I just saw that thread and thought of you! If it's normal at least you've ruled out out.

Look after yourself, try and eat and sleep well (I know, I know, not easy in your situation, but you must prioritise your health).

One more question, and please don't take it the wrong way, do you think you may be depressed? I ask because depression can worsen and also be the cause of pains. You mention feeling low and anxious in your last post... It can be a bit chicken and egg sometimes, are you anxious/low about your physical symptoms or are your physical symptoms worse due to anxiety? Or both!

[ej23]

Have just ordered £ 25 vit d test online as asked GP again yesterday and was fobbed of. If I test low I will kick off at surgery!

[ej23]

Thanks for the advice TitsCrossed. Am going to make another GP appmnt tomorrow. Feel like it's getting worse and have broken down several times over the weekend about it. Have started to worry that have got some awful nerve disorder or something as random pains have spread to more areas - arms, legs, neck and cheek. Definitely gets worse throughout the day. Someone told me yesterday that she got parvovirus when bfing 3rd child. So maybe should ask to be tested for that as well?! Feeling very low and anxious at the minute.

[TitsCrossed]

Good news about bloods. Did you have carpal tunnel in pregnancy? I did but I was lucky that mine has resolved now (dd 5m).

Your friends are right about the blood test for RA, there can be false negatives, but usually with RA there are other signs apart from pain (eg joint deformity, redness, swelling etc). Changes can also be seem on xray if your Dr strongly suspects it.

I think if it were me I'd ask for a vit D blood test. There's a high chance that you'll have low levels after 3dc/bfing! If it is then you may be prescribed a high dose vit d supplement for a time, then go back to standard supplements. Vit D deficiency is greatly underdiagnosed ime, when we started testing people at my practice we were surprised at how many people had very low levels.

[ej23]

So, blood results came back normal and am now awaiting a test for carpal tunnel. Bought wrist splints ( £12.75 each!) to wear on a night. Was chuffed that results were negative for arthritis but have since had bubble burst by 2 people telling me that often RA does that and doesn't mean you haven't got it.

[ej23]

In N. Yorkshire and yes I thought it was a growing and recognised issue too! The GP I saw said my vit D should be fine as plenty of sun recently and fact that I'm taking pregnacare supplement. Not really sure how the vit D thing works. Wondered if I was deficient, could it be that supplement was just giving me what I need daily and not enough to give me a boost as it were.?

[TitsCrossed]

Where are you ej? If in UK then vit D testing certainly is widespread! It has been a big thing partic in the last 5 or so years. Loafs of people are deficient, partic women after pg/bf, even more so after more than 1 baby. Also pretty common in some children and people from sunnier climes.

[ej23]

So, went to GP's today to discuss my random ligament/ joint pains. Asked if I could be tested for low vit D but she said this wasn't something that they usually did and she'd have to look into it. (!!?) She said to get my bloods checked and that will cover iron, Rheumatoid arthritis and thyroid. Back in tomorrow for that. Anyone else in same boat and got blood results back?

[ej23]

Have made appmnt with GP. Will ask to get bloods checked. Neck and wrists hurting today and now randomly right hand middle finger is killing- can hardly bend it! Just caved and taken 2 ibuprofen. This is driving me mad.

[Oodlives]

Yes to vit D get it checked and /or take supplements while bf.

[tatyr]

I agree with ... Shotgun, look a how you do things, carrying, changing nappies , lifting, look to reduce the things that cause pain. I used a multitude of slings/ carriers to reduce the load on my arms and keep myself symmetrical. Am also hypermobile. Although the pain seems neverending it does wax and wane. Am still feeding 20mth old once day and no troubles with joints other than the usual longstanding ones . Pilates is on my plan when i get time

[flipflopsonfifthavenue]

yes! had it with DS for over a year, basically until I stopped bfing at about 18mo. Was worst in thumb/forefinger joints (comes from lifting baby up under their arms - that pincer movement is not really used until you're lifting babies at all hours!), elbows (at peak, I could barely lift a glass of water off the table) and knees (often climbed up stairs on hands and knees...)
eventually went for blood tests, found I was MASSIVELY low in Vit D and calcium. Took jumbo course of vit D, then multi vitamin and got a lot better. I think that quitting bfing was what helped in the end.
Am pregnant with DC2 now so going to be more prepared and take a post-natal vitamin, which I didn't do with DS.

[MsFanackerPants]

I think this is effecting me too. I'm at the GP tomorrow to get bloods done because I think I'm still anaemic (or anaemic again) but my joints ache so so much. I'm hypermobile and had neck problems for ages but it's been almost unbearable. My ankles were so painful last week I cried.

[ej23]

Sooo nice to know am not the only one! I have been taking pregnacare supplements though there was a period when I ran out and didn't bother to buy more and it was during that time these pains started. I religiously take them now and also flaxseed oil supplements. Also agree that on days I remember to drink more I seem to suffer less. Mentioned it to GP when there with one of dcs but he didn't seem worried. Thinking should prob go back and get bloods checked to rule out other stuff. ( Googled myself into frenzy recently self diagnosing!)

[TitsCrossed]

And are you taking vitamin supplement? Esp vut D is v imp for bfers.