Is it worth raising "global pain" with GP?

[JiraffDeSaki]

I recently saw a private physio for tennis elbow and wrist/hand pain. He asked me a lot of questions and it came out that I pretty much hurt all over, including my skin (it feels permanently bruised in places, has done for years) but some of my other joints hurt too - hips, ankles, feet. Lower back is sore too, but isn't everyone's! Back/sacroiliac pain has been there since my 20s when I fell from a horse, I'm now 51. This additional joint and body pain has increased over the last 6-12 months, and I've lost some grip-strength in my hands.

I have mentioned joint pain in passing to a GP and they did a "rheumatoids" blood test 3-4 months ago which came back normal. I had 4 sessions with the physio and he was urging me to ask for a referral (to a rheumatologist presumably) - I am hypermobile in many of my joints, he checked all the places I have pain (ankles and the joints in my feet, wrists and hands/fingers) and there is no heat, swelling or limited range of movement - they just hurt.

I'm laying in bed right now and the weight of the covers is making my feet throb, and my hips are aching. The worst pain is at night. I walk my dogs for 2-4 miles most days, and I am not in pain as long as I walk briskly - too slow is painful on my hips and back.

If DH gives me an affectionate squeeze or a pat I often yelp in pain, he thinks I'm peculiar.

I don't have any other symptoms, I'm not chronically fatigued or anything. I do get a bit of brain fog which I put down to menopause!

I could make an appt but I'm asking myself what it would achieve. I don't want pills, I think I want an explanation or a diagnosis so I know what I'm dealing with, if anything. Do any of you recognise this type of long term pain?

Rheumatologist can take 6 months in some areas on NHS

I paid 250 gbp with 1 privately , then after that consultation - went nhs route

Rheumatologist gave me a new diagnosis

Bloody hell, no offence, I'm a GP and you'd make my heart sink with that!
Appointments are 10 minutes long here.

Ask for a Rheumatology referral as they are the ones who diagnose Fibromyalgia as well as other auto immune conditions, like Lupus. When I have a flare-up even my scalp and my toenails hurt and if anybody touches me I yelp too.

EDIT - having read several menopause threads here your pain could be linked to the menopause too. Many women who try HRT finds it helps with joint pain as well as brain fog. Go back to your GP.

Would you say it’s muscle, soft tissue or bone pain? Do you suffer excessive bruising for little or no reason?

Bloody hell, no offence, but you need retraining. Your bedside manner is missing too.

This could be something as simple as a deficiency of iron or Vitamin D.

I have had global pain my whole adult life .

I've seen thematises
Endocrinologists and a fibromyalgia expert

Conclusion I have autoimmune thyroid disease and fibromyalgia

Funnily enough I rode from a very young age and had many falls because I was a dare devil .. I'm paying the price now.

It doesn't stop me doing anything but I really wish I wasn't in a lot of pain daily .

By the pain this was all private .. the ngs aren't good with pain IME

Yes go to gp. At mine u can request a double appointment. I.waske up then feel the pain wash over me-vile. For treatment was told suspected lupus, now looking at fibromyalgia or arthritis. Feel for yiu OP. I'm menopausal too.

That's a terrible response and why people don't get the healthcare they need.

I've had exactly the same symptoms as you for two months. I went to GP couple of weeks back as my mum has fibromyalgia and thought I should explore that with them. GP was quite dismissive but has ordered bloods which I'm waiting on the results (seemed to be more b12 and bone type bloods as had others done for seperate reason a fortnight before).
Whilst waiting for the results I started on vitamin d, a multi vitamin and took these with magnesium which I was already taking for sleep issues.
The pain has 99% gone for me already I'm pleased to say. May be worth a shot whilst you wait on a gp appointment? Like you, when resting my feet were agony with a cover on, lower back pain all the time and I also had pain in thighs and knees but the painful skin was awful.
Hope you get sorted

Yes it is worth raising.

Some GPs are good some less so so you might get fobbed off (prepare for this mentally)

Depending on what is causing it there are some things that might help:

Menopause as others have mentioned can give pain - do you have other symptoms (night sweats, bleeding irregularities etc)

Iron/magnesium deficiencies?

Arthritis is also a strong possibility.

And that is quite typical of a doctor- complaining people aren’t well, how dare someone be in pain and give you some work to do!

Agreed
When my vit d was just 33
And feretin 8
I felt horrendous

Rheumatologist is v helpful when they are considering fibro or cfs

In the words of mine
" fibro or cfs - how we try and help is the same '

How rude. Mind you, it’s the attitude of so many GPs now. Either they’re clueless or dismissive.

Thanks for all your input everyone - the response from @NewMeNewYou was pretty much as I'd expect, i.e disheartening and utterly validating the reasons why I haven't tried to discuss it with a GP properly.

However - I want to be generous and take it in the spirit in which it was meant. I believe the point of that post was that GPs are under a lot of pressure, and don't have as much time as they would like to deal with more complex issues. If I walk in with a shopping list of issues like this, any GP would feel overwhelmed as they only have 10 mins...

In that case, NewMeNewYou, what would you suggest is the best thing to do? I have private medical insurance, I could go in and reel off all the points and ask for a referral straight away - but based on past experience, they get a bit testy if you do this as well (I suppose it seems a bit arrogant). I can keep my description short and factual - my post was intended to draw out MNers with similar symptoms, I wouldn't say all of that to a GP. I'm quite stoic, not over-dramatic and I can be brief?!

I don't mind paying for a private GP, but typically insurers don't accept referrals written by private GPs for obvious reasons. I can re-check that though.

As for the pain, it's mainly joints/bone, but some muscular pain at times. Pain in skin/soft tissue is patchy and moves around, I feel deeply bruised mainly on the shins, thighs, shoulders and upper arms. When I stand up from being seated for a while, or in the morning on waking, I feel pain and stiffness in my legs and back like I've run a marathon pushing a wheelbarrow - but it eases off after a minute or two.

I became menopausal 5 years ago, and I took HRT for about 3 of those years alongside taking vitamin B complex and Omega 3 which helped with brain fog at the time. I stopped the HRT a year ago and apart from occasional hot flushes, I don't have any symptoms (no periods as I still have a coil in situ, that'll come out in another 3 years).

I do suffer from chronic migraine although that is well managed with Candesartan. In past blood tests I've had low folate, high ferritin, and inexplicably high CRP, but everything recent has been within normal ranges.

Edit - I do not suffer with tiredness, at all.
Edit 2 - to the PP who takes magnesium, is there a risk of diarrhoea with that?

There are different types of magnesium. Magnesium Malate is the best for pain.

Ok great, thank you

Patients are so inconsiderate to their GPs aren't they? We should only go to our GP with simple, single problems that can fit easily into a brief appointment, and fixed with a prescription for antibiotics or antidepressants. That's how my GP practice makes me feel. And this reply from an actual GP says it all.

You could try magnesium topically, you can get body creams and sprays.

Interesting reading up on Magnesium Malate for pain...it seems people take it for fibromyalgia and general pain, as well as restless legs and leg cramps - I'd forgotten, I get both of those at times!

Also note with interest with you can also be low in potassium, common in people who take stomach acid inhibitors which I do...although presumably my last full blood count would have shown that.

Just slightly nervous of upsetting my cranky bowel with magnesium... 🤔

I'm have very similar symptoms. I got a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis eventually but had quite low inflammation markers the whole time. Even now when my finger is noticeably twisting on one joint. Before that I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia due to the generalised pain I get all over including the bruised feeling under my skin in some places. (There's a name for it - allodynia) as well as extreme fatigue.

I started HRT 18 month ago and it made a huge difference to the more concentrated pain I get though just still get generalised pain. It also helped massively with the fatigue.

So overall diagnosed with fibromyalgia and RA probably related to peri menopause in some measure. HRT has helped but not cured.

I'm 46 btw but pain started at 40. Early onset peri menopause!