Postpartum Joint Pain?

[Worried675]

For the last two or three weeks, since my baby turned three months, I've had pain and stiffness in my feet to the point where I've been hobbling around after I've been sitting for a while. This week, pain in my wrists and fingers has started as well, and it's so debilitating.

I'm aware that it could be rheumatoid arthritis (especially as the pain began on both sides at the same time), but I'm looking for stories from people who had this and it WASN'T that. My husband also has a chronic,.debilitating illness and now I'm terrified that if it's RA I won't be able to properly care for my child. I don't want her to be a young carer. I've just turned 37.

I'm also breastfeeding and have cut out dairy, soya, eggs, and coconut due to my child's allergies. I'm hoping it's "just" a vitamin deficiency but I have been eating well and taking supplements. My right eye has also started twitching. I am so scared!

Does anybody have any words of comfort while I wait to speak to the doctor?

Anyone?

Might be worth getting vitamin D check.

I experienced something very similar after my babies were born, I never got to the bottom of it but always assumed it was something hormonal. There's so much going on post partum, even months after giving birth you're not back to normal. I remember feeling really stiff and having weirdly sore feet.

I'm sure you'll be ok. Mine didn't last (although I'm now experiencing menopausal hobbling about 😭). It sounds like you have a lot on, I hope you've been able to speak to a doctor and have had some reassurance.

I had something similar, although I can’t remember the specifics.

Are you hypermobile? I think that was the cause of it for me. I now do Pilates religiously, take vitamins for joints (osteocare) and have tried physio / massages.

I felt a lot better after I gave up breastfeeding.

pleasw don’t worry,

It’s really common, didn’t go entirely for me until I stopped breastfeeding at 26 months but was much better after 12 months. All my NCT group BF and all had it.

I have this! It started when ds turned 3 months too. I was (stupidly) looking up carpal tunnel ... in your feet ... because that's how it felt in my wrists already but in my feet/ankles next
I suspect the wrists are how I hold him while bf. And my ankles/feet are from bending down changing him. Do you do this? I didn't realise for ages what I was doing

Oh just seen up thread a pp asked if you're hyoermobile. That's a good question as I am and had the pains you're experiencing

I know it's hard, but you have to try and rest with your feet up as much as possible

Hey @Worried675 did you ever resolve this? I'm having similar symptoms

So, it's been two and a half years, and it has been getting worse. I've been tested for everything. I've also been dismissed by so many doctors (it's anxiety, breastfeeding, normal etc.). It's total gaslighting, but that's for a different thread. Anyway, I began to realise that it was my muscles, not my joints. I finally found a decent rheumatologist (a woman) after ditching the one who was telling me it was anxiety, and she has FINALLY found something. Looks like I have myositis, a rare autoimmune disease. Pregnancy can trigger it.

That said, I also do have hypermobility, which perhaps explained some of my pain, and this doctor also found that I have scoliosis, which explained my back pain.

Don't let them dismiss you. If it doesn't go away or gets worse, keep getting tested.