Joint Pain

[Hmmph]

I am wondering if anyone in MN could help diagnose me as I have drawn a blank with the real life GP and Dr Google.

I have pain in my joints. It fluctuates but doesn’t seem to relate to time of day. Pain in like an ache and in hands (knuckles, fingers, base of thumb), elbows, shoulders, neck, shoulder blades, back, knees, ankles and toes.

All my blood tests came back clear. No inflammation or anything else. I think everything was tested.

I also have some breathlessness and a sharp pain in the middle of my chest occasionally. Not sure if this is related though!

Any ideas?

How old are you and have you had hand /neck X-rays?
I’m similar and my hands, knuckles, wrists are osteoarthritis, neck is ‘wear and tear’, they haven’t bothered with X-rays for the rest but I’m assuming my knee, ankle, feet & toes and hip pains are all due to the same.
My breathlessness and occasional sharp chest pain is down to my ferritin being on the very low end of ‘normal’. It seems GP’s like to look at blood test results and declare them ‘normal’ if they fall within the reference range (even if they are at the lowest end of normal) despite patients being symptomatic.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5986027/

I also have muscle & bone pain when my vitamin D is low (every winter!) I found that my results were borderline for years and the GP decided it didn’t warrant any treatment, I feel much better when my levels are well into the normal range, although I still can’t get them high enough to be optimal.
www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-d/

www.superdrug.com/Health/Vitamins-%26-Supplements/Vitamin-D/Vitabiotics-Ultra-D3-2000-Iu-96-Tabs/p/762327?gclid=Cj0KCQjwxNT8BRD9ARIsAJ8S5xbSmbANbnAHFAM2yw0DIBxGK8UzyGzC9dp6ykD05NKuKbenWDtpkYEaAom3EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
Also vitamin B12- you can be low end or normal range but still symptomatic. The ‘normal’ range in the U.K. is set pretty low. In other countries you can buy injectable b12 which is only on prescription here for patients who are well below normal! Low B12 can also cause breathlessness.
www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamin-b12-or-folate-deficiency-anaemia/symptoms/
I do actually now have injections at the GP for this but it is possible to get it here. I believe many people order from Germany pharmacists as it’s cheaper.

www.skinbrighton.co.uk/b12-injections

You could do with having a print out of your blood test results really, it will give your results and then the testing labs reference range in brackets-not all labs test the same way so the labs range is important.

It could be due to none of the above, I’m just giving my experience. I suffered for years before learning to ask for print outs and questioning why the low end of normal was acceptable when I had so many symptoms.

I hope you find some answers soon.

Thank you for such a good and detailed response!

I am early 40s and I haven’t had any xrays. I have got results of my blood tests though as have access to my online records!

My vitamin D levels were not checked, but the GP recommended that I take vitamin D anyway. Which I was already doing because of Covid. I started taking one a day (1000 strength) at the beginning of Oct. Not sure how long it will take if it is that. However it does seem to be helping my winter skin patches so that’s a benefit anyway!

My ferritin Level was 22 in the latest test. It was 8 and then 10 at the end of last year when it was checked before (same symptoms) and they gave me iron tablets then. They say it’s now normal, but GP suggested spatone to increase it a bit.

My vitamin B12 was 296. It was 233 last year, so also normal apparently.

Thank you.

Have you considered taking Borax/Boron in your diet. There's a FB group about it and it has worked like a miracle for me.
Most land is now B depleted but we need it in our diets. Countries with low or no B left have high levels of arthritis in the population.
I bought some Twenty Mule Train Borax from Ebay. You put a heaped teaspoon in a litre of water and take a 5ml teaspoon of that daily. Keep it in the fridge and shake it before taking the 5ml. You can double this dose if you wish.
Yes Borax is the stuff you use as a cleaning agent and to make slime for kids to play with but it is also an essential mineral. Hands down, for me it is like I am taking Ibuprofen when I am not.

I get pain when I have high iron levels. Just after giving blood I feel miles better. Just saying : /

My ferritin Level was 22 in the latest test
So it’s low end of normal. The link I posted from the dr noted patients were symptomatic when there ferritin was Low end of ‘normal’. Our lab range is 15-300 so spatone should give you a boost.
Our B12 is normal up to 1000 (can’t remember low figure off hand) so a high strength supplement wouldn’t hurt there either.
After prescription vitamin D they recheck levels after 12 weeks so presumably it takes that long to get levels increased fully? Hopefully things will improve for you soon.
Re X-rays, my osteoarthritis was diagnosed early 40’s.

ThePolluted have you been tested for Haemochromatosis? I’m the opposite, can no longer donate blood as it leaves me too ill. Off to search Boron, not heard of that-thanks.

Borax is extremely toxic! Just google it. Please don't take borax without consulting a doctor.
I would ask to be referred to a rheumatologist even though your bloods might be ok.

@Tyzz

Borax is extremely toxic! Just google it. Please don't take borax without consulting a doctor. I would ask to be referred to a rheumatologist even though your bloods might be ok.

Everthing is toxic if you take too much, even oxygen. I have been taking Borax for almost two years. I am not dead or intoxicated. Please read 'The Boron Conspiracy' online. It is eye opening but this is not why I started taking it. It's amazing for hair and nails too.

It's worth trying a vegetarian or anti inflammatory diet too. Sugar and refined carbs can be inflammatory as can plants with high oxalates. Some people can't tolerate plants from the nightshade family and also dairy kicks off inflammation in the joints.

Have you had your thyroid checked? Hypothyroidism is linked to joint pain and stiffness. Hope you get better soon!

The blood tests included Serum TSH Level which is for thyroid I believe, which was 2.48 last year and 3.47 this year, which are both in the normal level according to my results.