Muscle pain not going away

[Kaill]

My body got stiffer and more painful for a couple of weeks, then started to get better. I’ve been recovering for three weeks and have regained my ability to walk and use my hands. But I’m still so sore, when I wake up from sleeping my hands are frozen and I have to massage them to get the fingers going. I still can’t walk more than about half a mile because my leg muscles hurt. My muscles still keep twitching.

All of the tests are clear. The doctor is blaming a virus. But this is five weeks now and I’m not back to normal. I’ve never known a virus last this long. So I’m starting to worry that it’s something more serious. Any advice please?

When you say ‘all tests are clear’ what was tested?

The doc said there’s literally nothing left to test. No vitamin deficiencies, no inflammation or autoimmune issues, CA125 cancer test is clear, magnesium, calcium, potassium, diabetes, thyroid, coeliac, liver and kidney function, full blood count, bone panel and c reactive protein, anti nuclear antibodies, rheumatoid factor level, h.pylori, enteric PCR to check for tummy bugs, endoscopy to check my stomach, ultrasound to check my organs, mammogram, heart and bp and oxygen saturation are ok, no fever, neuro exam to check muscle tone and sensation and balance, eyes and ears examined.

Basically they’re at a loss, and while they were doing tests I started to recover, so they said “obviously a virus then”. Which is fair enough, but it’s been five weeks now and I’m still stiff and in pain (although much improved). I’ve never had anything that’s lasted five weeks and I’m getting worried that it hasn’t gone away.

You've had all those tests when you've only been experiencing symptoms for 5 weeks??! Blood tests maybe but endoscopy and ultrasound and mammogram, all within weeks!?

Maybe I don't understand the time frame but there's no way that'd happen in the UK at least. Where are you?

I’m in the UK with private medical care. I literally couldn’t walk so they threw everything at me to see what would stick. Nothing did.

Your blood count didn’t even show a reaction to the infection? wbc for example compared to normal That’s a lot of tests in 5 weeks.

Any COVID tests amongst all the tests? If you check some of the current threads on COVID symptoms, a few people are saying full body pains and inability to walk.

It's giving people very random symptoms. I wouldn't rule it out. Hope you make a full recovery.

I was a few weeks into the illness before anyone suggested Covid. It didn’t occur to them initially because of the lack of respiratory symptoms. By that point I wasn’t testing positive. But yes, the doctor has said a virus is the most likely culprit, possibly Covid. I would be happy with that diagnosis IF I had gotten better. I’ve improved but nowhere near recovered and it’s been five weeks.

The doctor said a viral infection can actually decrease your white blood cells. Because they get used up fighting the infection, at a faster rate than your body can produce replacements. Mine was within normal range but towards the lower end.

Sorry to hear this. It's hard when you feel dismissed, as if no one is taking you seriously. What can be done now? What is the next step?

I broke my back and had to wait ages for an mri, and even now my pain is being dismissed. So I do understand.

They said there’s nothing to indicate an MRI is necessary. I’ve reached the limit of what my medical insurance will cover so I’d be looking at waiting ages on the NHS. If I can even persuade them to do one, because it’s not indicated. So basically they just said wait and see how you recover.

Have you considered Fibromyalgia?

That sounds tough, and a lot of tests even privately in five weeks!!
I had covid last year, felt absolutely dreadful for about 3-4 months afterwards. I really thought I was on the way out with all sorts of awful imaginings. I have been left with horrible acid reflux which I’m still battling (I did have h pylori which was treated) but def had some really odd symptoms which I’m not sure were part of reflux.
i feel really well now apart from the reflux - I’ve been on a low acid diet and mainly stuck to it. Viruses can have awful effects on the body.

In a fortnight I deteriorated from doing five mile hikes to being unable to walk to the bathroom. So understandably they did a lot of tests very quickly. They found nothing, and my symptoms started to get better.

I can understand why they’re saying it must have been some sort of virus, possibly Covid. I’m just scared because I’ve never known a virus be so serious, with no respiratory symptoms and only muscular pain and exhaustion. Five weeks later I’m still not recovered, and I’m starting to worry it might be something more serious.

someone has already said it, but I'd consider Fibromyalgia for all over muscle pain.

I wondered that too. A friend of mine has that and still has it 18 months later 🫤

Gosh, I had something like that. I couldn't move. The doctor told me it was post viral but I don't remember being ill beforehand. I wish I could reassure you with how long it lasted but this was years ago.

If I've had any prolonged pain, acupuncture has usually been the best thing to reset my muscles / nerves if they have been oversensitive. might be worth a try if nothing else is working.