Strange symptoms not really adding up to anything? (warning tmi)

[Whojamaflip]

For the last 6 months or so (really since I gave up smoking ) I have been experiencing weird pains in my joints - random joints, rarely the same one iyswim. It feels like a cramp in the joint, last about 20 secs the leaves a dull ache for about an hour. Next time it will be a completely different part of my body.

Joints affected range from my ankle, fingers, wrists, shoulders and I also get dull aches in random muscles as if I have been doing a lot of exercise. As I type my thumb is throbbing as it I had fallen and damaged it. Also getting cramps in my legs at night - both in my thighs and my calves which I have to walk out.

Other things include my bowels becoming looser to the point that I "need" to go as soon as I get warning, I am quite windy (and it stinks ) and I am having to wear panty liners as I am leaking liquid from the back

I promise I am not a poo troll - just getting more and more worried but at the same time don't want to go and waste the doctors time with symptoms that are simply those of getting old

if you have got this far and sorry for the detailed info...

Should have said - I haven't changed anything about my diet or habits in the last 6 months apart from giving up smoking and I'm only about half a stone overweight and reasonably fit (can run 10k)

Please come and tell me I'm worrying over nothing....

I think a trip to your GP is in order. Try not to be embarrassed they see all sorts every day. As its been going on for a while you need some investigations and hopefully you'll be sorted soon.

Doesn't sound like just getting old...go to GP...you are not wasting their time...part of their job is to reassure you (look after your mental health!) and you are obviously worried...I think I would be too with the change in bowel movements...
(Actually - you aren't chewing lots of gum after giving up smoking? - the sugar free stuff contains sweeteners which can act as a laxative..)

No chewing gum - packed up using Alan Carr. Ds1 is allergic to artificial sugars so we tend to avoid them like the plague anyway.

It just seems to be such a lot of random symptoms and I can honestly trace them back to packing in the smoking - I always was under the impression that nicotine acted like a laxative so really expected to be complaining I couldn't go so to speak. Instead I am running maybe 2 or 3 times a day and sometimes going back a couple of times as I haven't "cleared out"

Funnily enough the recotcele and bladder prolapse that I was left with after dd2 has improved no end!

Don't know about the joint problems but huge changes in bowel habits need to be checked out.

Oh bugger - I'm going to have to put an appointment on aren't I. I was hoping you would all tell me I was starting menopause or something

not going to google oh no

la la la la......

GP and don't take a fob off for an answer. With completely different symptoms, but still mysterious, I finally got to see a consultant this week and he's narrowed it down to 2 rarely-seen conditions, once tests are back it will be treatable! So do put yourself first and go and see GP,

Actually you might be constipated ....(sounds mad I know) but if the walls of your lower intestines are blocked you can't absorb water back and form proper 'stools' ....but unlikely...and the stopping smoking is probably just a coincidence...
You must go and see your GP!
(Well done for quitting smoking though - love Alan Carr but didn't work for me...he said one thing that lost me..now puffing away at electronic cigarettes and hating myself!)

I don't believe in coincidences - they are very rare.
Giving up smoking will have given your body a shock if you did it cold turkey.

Your aches and pains could be a form of rheumatism, that the nicotine helped somehow to delay/stopped your brain from being aware of.

Not that I am advising you to start smoking again to see if these problems go away.!