Severe joint aches and pains five months after birth

[Newtobecomingamum]

Hi, is anyone else suffering from this or had it?... I've had pain and aches in my wrists since the birth but for the last three months I've been suffering from extreme aches, cramps and pains in my knee joints, ankles, hands and wrists. It flairs up particularly bad at around 8.30pm at night and gets so bad the only way I can get relief is to go to bed and sleep so it stops. My body feels like I've been in a car crash. I'm only 30 and can just about pick the baby up by kneeling or using my hands as it hurts so much. Ive been to the doctors and they gave me pain relief gel, which didn't help at all... Went back again complaining and they are going to do blood tests and get me some physio. Has anyone else had this or suffering from it?

I was diagnosed with possible psoriatic arthritis when ds2 was about 3m old, and referred over to a rheumatologist. Diagnosis confirmed then at about 8m pp. A lot of illnesses can lie dormant until after pregnancy, as the hormone changes make them "wake up".

Or equally, it could just be your body getting "back to normal", so don't panic yet :)

Go to the doc. I had this (every bloody joint in fact) and had an underactive thyroid. Its a simple blood test ;)

Yes, yes, yes with all 3 of mine although I was worse in the morning. I felt about 95, it was agony, especially in my feet, ankles, knees and fingers. I have a brilliant GP and he did a whole battery of bloods include an autoimmune and rheumatoid screen. Everything was negative / normal except for a very slightly raised CRP which looks at inflammation. As it was only a little elevated, he didnt think it was significant. DC3 is 9 months now and I'm pretty much back to normal. I wonder if it's your body getting back to normal and the effects of losing the hormone relaxin? I hope you feel better soon

Are you breastfeeding? Vitamin deficiency can cause joint pain too

Yes!

I'm the same, although possibly not quite as bad. Hobble round the house like my 93 year old nan by the end of the night.

DS is four months old, but as I'm almost 39 I just assumed it was a result of being ancient

I had this and the first explanation I was given was hyper-mobility. Apparently I score on all 9 of the tests, but very mildly hyper-mobile. The hormones of 2 pregnancies in 2 years meant that I became super bendy and that caused the pain. The rheumatologist said - on the bright side- i'll not suffer the usual issues as I stiffen up in old age!

However, I have now had Arthritis diagnosed in my elbow and hip, so I'm not sure it was just bendyness for me!

Yes - for about 6m after having DD every morning I felt about 80! You're not alone....!

I have underactive thyroid, bf'd DD and took Pregnacare till I stopped feeding. GP decided it was sero arthritis but practically as soon as it was diagnosed it stopped! this might be interesting reading.