Arthritis after covid

[Bati]

Has anyone been diagnosed with arthritis after having covid.
My Ds (24) had covid Christmas time and since then has been in a lot of pain.
It started in his chest but has now spread to his back, hands, knees and feet. The pain has intensified also and he can no longer work as he is in so much pain. Pain killers are not working.

He had a blood test on Monday to see if he has arthritus, we should get results Friday.
Anybody else been diagnosed with arthritus due to covid, if so what treatment did you have or having and did you recover x

I've had Arthritis since I was about 19, so nothing to do with covid. However 24 is a very standard age for young males to be diagnosed with many forms of arthritis and it is often the case that someone was predisposed to getting it (so would have done anyway regardless of what kicked it off ) and a stressful situation, virus , other external event can then cause the bodies immune system to go into overdrive and start attacking itself, causing inflammatory arthritis.

So what I'm saying is, whilst yes the virus could have been the "cause" of it, it's very likely your son would have got it anyway, and if the virus hadn't been the stressor, something else almost certainly would have done. Nothing really causes inflammatory arthritis, it's just the trigger..

There are many, many, many treatments available though and more being trailed and approved all the time so hopefully he will be able to find some relief once diagnosed.

I was diagnosed with reactive arthritis following covid last year. Was crippled by it. Showed up in blood test (c-reactive protein or something).
A week on steroids and I was a lot better. Still get ongoing joint problems but that might be part of a bigger long covid problem as no longer shows up on blood tests.

I got inflammatory arthritis after a virus (not covid). I had a couple of steroid shots that worked like magic. I've lingering issues with flares and stiffness but nowhere near like it was originally.

Flexiseq cream was recommended by my rheumatologist and is really good in helping reduce inflammation.

Thanks everyone
Glad to hear steroids seem to help. If it shows that it is arthritus, will gp give him steroids or does he have to wait to be seen by specialists x

Interesting I had a covid like virus (too early in pandemic to test) , was very ill for a long long time and have now lost of my flexibility and am suffering daily with different joint problems and pain.

I had terrible pain in my right arm and elbow joint after covid in December, never got round to see the GP. It is slowly easing and got better after my vaccine.

Hope you manage to get some treatment for him.

I had multiple problems after Covid. Started in my ankles, worked up to knee, hip, back, shoulder then moved to elbow, all on the right side and many weeks of bad pain in each area before moving to next area. Had my 1st Pfizer in beginning May and much improved and then second on 1st June and now am about 95% better.

@Bati

Thanks everyone Glad to hear steroids seem to help. If it shows that it is arthritus, will gp give him steroids or does he have to wait to be seen by specialists x

Thats not something that anyone on MN could answer you'll just have to wait and see.

OP your DS should really be seen by a Rheumatologist for suspected arthritis. It is normal for a GP to run bloods before a referral but even if they are negative, he should push for a referral.

There are many types of arthritis, including osteoarthritis (wear and tear, can start at any age but more common as people age) and many types of inflammatory arthritis - rheumatoid, psoriatic, ankylosing spondylitis and many more. Some arthritis shows in bloods and some doesn't so even if bloods are normal or only show slight inflammation he should be seen by a Rheumy.

It can be difficult to get a diagnosis of arthritis, especially when young so don't be afraid to push for a referral especially given the severity of your DS's symptoms. I was just turned 22 when my symptoms began, over the years I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and hypermobility and I was recently diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis aged 32. Looking back I suspect some of my initial issues were the early warning signs of arthritis, especially when my psoriasis began aged 23. I had to stop work at 22 for a couple of years but have been in full time work now for the last 8 years. Regardless of the cause your DS is in a lot of pain and needs treatment.

Treatment for inflammatory arthritis usually involves painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs and Disease Modifying Anti Rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs). Things like physio can also help. I believe only a Rheumy can initially prescribe a DMARD. Physio and painkillers can be prescribed by a GP.

My son 9 years old - has been diagnosed with Rheumatoid poly arthritis
I had COVID - but he displayed no symptoms. Doctors think he had it the same time as me.

This has happened to my DD as well. It’s a nightmare. Unfortunately viruses are known triggers for some autoimmune conditions though.

I am convinced this is what my son has - what have the advised and is the treatment working x

My son lost loads of weight - was in pain in every joint of his body and couldn’t care for himself anymore. We were in and out of hospital for weeks - in total though it was 3 month before being diagnosed.
He is on steroids , Naproxen, Methotrexate injections And Omeprazole
He is doing much better now and did his first while day back to school yesterday. Although a teacher scripts for him.
My daughter has type one diabetes so we think this was something he was always going to get- covid just triggered it now rather than later

Very sorry to read about people's children being left with such life-changing conditions after contracting covid. Just heartbreaking

My own reason for being here is that I'm certain I've had the virus more than once and have also been double-vaccinated. Unfortunately, recently my feet, ankles and legs have become increasingly, worryingly painful and weak, to the point that some days I'm hobbling around at home. I also get pain in my hips, shoulders, hands, wrists, sternum and spine. A few years ago I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia, but compared to previous experiences of pain this is a whole new level and I fear is a result of the virus.

I've been putting off taking it to my GP but will call for a face to face appointment on Monday. I can't go on like this. I'm nominally under rheumatology already, but get very little real support. That's going to need to change. I feel like it's something that's only spreading and having deeper impact.

I've also noticed a few patches of scaly, broken skin between my toes. Does anyone know if that's a sign of anything relevant? I'm 54 and male, by the way. Not 'old' for my age either, despite previous diagnoses of ailments! Friends and family often remark (unprompted) that I look like someone in his mid-40s, and actually I've never looked my age. But ironically I now feel older than my age these days! Painful diseases can be such a game-changer can't they

@baroqueandblue Sorry to hear this. Take a look online at psoriatic arthritis. Or even ankylosing spondylitis. You certainly have some of those symptoms. One thing is for sure, your GP needs to refer you again to a Rheumatologist.
I have very similar symptoms; initial diagnosis of Fibromyalgia but when the symptoms escalated and I had an MRI of my spine and ultrasound of my hands and feet, I was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis.
Hope you get sorted soon.

Thanks for your thoughtful response @Lupinhere37

Your diagnosis story is a bit shocking. I've had the impression for a while that GPs and some consultants almost hide behind pronouncing fibromyalgia on people, because digging deeper for a more accurate diagnosis is too much time and trouble Did you find that their approach to your treatment changed at all as a result of reviewing your fibromyalgia diagnosis?

I've had a look at PA and AS on google and feel they don't quite fit what's happening to me, but I really appreciate your suggestions. Today I found out that having a middle toe longer than all the other toes (both feet, in my case) is considered a congenital anomaly, and that made me think about the joints in my feet. I realised for the first time that there's some hypermobility in my ankles, which makes sense because I've known since childhood that my thumbs are double-jointed. I can bend the left thumb back to press into the underside of my forearm, for example, and I think the thumb and ankle joints have got more hypermobile in recent years, now I think about it. Stuff like that makes me wonder if the pain I get in hands, wrists and feet now is connected to that. Until fairly recently I could get my feet behind my head and I've probably done about 5 yoga classes in the whole of my life! In fact, exercise has never really been my thing, yet I've always been quite bendy I suppose. Then about 8 years ago I fractured my spine (T8), was diagnosed with osteoporosis, and last year (just after I got covid) fractured the T6. I was told a few years ago I have osteoarthritis in my spine, so the mind boggles. As far as AS goes, my last spinal MRI was a year ago (after the T6 fracture) and I'm assuming they would've noticed any fusing on that - or would they have to be specifically looking for it? Would just be great to meet a consultant who's willing to explore diagnostic options with me based on a range of things I'm beginning to realise/experience, instead of everything just being lumped in with fibromyalgia

@baroqueandblue I actually got the fibro diagnosis from a rheumatologist and not a GP. The GP felt sure something was going on as I had raised inflammatory markers.
The AS didn’t actually show up on the MRI; it can take several years to do so apparently. It was bloods and the ultrasound of my hands and feet.
Ultrasound is considered gold standard for diagnosing inflammatory arthritis or arthropathy, as it shows inflammation in joints, not just structural changes. It is fascinating to watch.
In my case, the tendonitis in my Achilles’ tendons was so significant, they were able to give the diagnosis from that and the bloods. I was also hobbling in pain and could only walk downstairs sideways, like a crab, holding onto the handrail!
Treatment wise, for fibro I was offered Pilates.
For the AS, it’s pharmaceutical intervention, as there can be consequences of unchecked disease.
I’d still ask for a re-referral if I were you. Or at least ask for your inflammatory markers to be tested.
I should have said….I got my diagnosis privately after selecting the consultant‘s profile specifically matched to my symptoms.
I realise I’m very lucky to have health insurance though! Having said that, if your bloods are abnormal, there are clear pathways according to NICE, for rapid NHS referral, if inflammatory arthritis is suspected.

Wondering if there’s anyone still around on this thread…
I’ve had chest pain, back pain, sore throats and now stiff, painful joints in my fingers on and off since I had Covid. Also terrible dizziness. I have positive ANA and slightly raised rheumatoid factor but clear CR protein and ESR.

I’m now wondering if this could be reactive arthritis.

@Curatingchaos @youwouldthink
@CasparBloomberg Would you mind describing your exact symptoms?

Try Elimination Diet. It is very strict, but sorted my Rheumatoid Arthritis 6 years ago. Read Dr Gail Darlington- lots of information, but at the end of the day, your DS will have to do all the hard work.
Covid probably kicked his body's response into overdrive and now something he eats is perpetually making his body to attack itself.
It is very strict diet, but it really helps to find out what he has became allergic to.
Drs will offer him medication- but that is just masking of symptoms, tablets will not solve this.

@BoPeeple I was diagnosed with Reactive Arthritis after Covid in March 2020. It didn’t come on until 1-2 months after recovery. The symptoms are quite vast actually - and can include all sorts of stuff, even fever. Mine presented as swollen feet and hands, pain in the joints, very strong pain in the joints at the base of my spine (the coxics- don’t know how to spell this!) which all got much worse with walking. I’d wake in the morning with swollen hands and feet, headaches and dizziness.

Eventually it went after about a year, and my long Covid symptoms got better with each vaccine shot I had.

The rheumatologist I saw said most cases do get better on their own within a year.

Hope you see some improvement too soon

[quote Whatapickle78]@BoPeeple I was diagnosed with Reactive Arthritis after Covid in March 2020. It didn’t come on until 1-2 months after recovery. The symptoms are quite vast actually - and can include all sorts of stuff, even fever. Mine presented as swollen feet and hands, pain in the joints, very strong pain in the joints at the base of my spine (the coxics- don’t know how to spell this!) which all got much worse with walking. I’d wake in the morning with swollen hands and feet, headaches and dizziness.

Eventually it went after about a year, and my long Covid symptoms got better with each vaccine shot I had.

The rheumatologist I saw said most cases do get better on their own within a year.

Hope you see some improvement too soon[/quote]
Thank you. This is reassuring. Mine didn’t start immediately after Covid either. Then it got better though, and I’ve had two vaccines which didn’t really make a difference either way, but now it’s back. I had my last vaccine at the beginning of August and it started again at the beginning of November. I’m a bit scared to have the booster!

Did you have chest and back pain? That and the dizziness is the worst for me. I’ve got another appointment with the GP in January but if it’s Rheumatoid Arthritis then I feel I should see someone sooner than that? Hoping it’s ‘just’ reactive though.

And did you have any treatment?

Hi
I had lower back pain yes, it felt like it was around the kidneys area and also the lower spine. The chest pain went quite quickly (I had pneumonia with the initial Covid infection).

I didn’t have treatment for the Reactive Arthritis, beyond pain relief, and it did eventually go away - I was able to go walking and running again without pain about 13-14 months later after initial infection.

I’m now waiting to see if it all develops again as I’ve just had a second Covid infection

Good luck with it, and I do hope it is ‘only’ Reactive Arthritis and that it goes quickly for you!

Hope your son is ok OP. Worrying times. I am in the process of getting hip pain post covid ( mid November 2021) checked out. I had a DVT/PE last year, so my first thought was it might be another DVT, so my specialist ordered a Doppler, CT scan and then an MRI. It's not a DVT. The pain has started to resolve recently but I'm seeing a rheumatologist for the MRI results soon. The pain is not in the joint, it's on the outside bone of the hip, like Bursitis. They think it's post viral inflammation. Hope all goes well for your DS.