Joint pain since late pregnancy, DS now 10 months old. Should it be gone?

[paperdoll]

I am finally going to docs this am (9:50) so should really have asked this earlier but ... has anyone else had it last this long and then go away on its own?

I am stiff and sore enough that, after any period of being still (eg sleep, sitting down for dinner), I cannot walk properly or straighten up, but hobble in a bent-over way and clutch the wall to keep balance. Not great when getting up to see to DS at 4AM! Feet, ankles, legs, back, hands all v stiff and painful. After 1 minute of moving around they are much better, and during the day I sort of forget, but can still feel the soreness in the background, as it were.

Worried that when I start work again (deskbound, three days a week) this will become even more of a problem.

OK, am off to docs now but feel a certain lack of confidence about this and would love to hear if others have had the same sort of issue.

Goddammit. Doc thinks rheumatoid arthritis is a possibility. Got blood tests, going back next week.

If it is I will be devastated as my grandmother had it quite badly and found it really debilitating. But hopefully treatment has improved since the 1980s, right?

Feel really worried. If it runs in families then little DS may get it later too. Realize I am running ahead here before tests are back but ... bleugh

oops, should not have said rheumatoid, I think I have actually added that word in my head - he may have meant the other kind. I was a bit distracted by DS while he was speaking to me.

Although I realize I am just talking to myself here anyway No point worrying yet I suppose.

[goes off to look at thread killer thread]

I had joint pains until recently (and still get them to a lesser degree and DD3 is nearly 2!)

Particularly in my wrists and knees.

An osteopath I saw said my joints are very lax, probably due to pregnancy hormones, and exacerbated by me breastfeeeding for 13 months. Not a lot that can be done, but to work on core strengthening eg Pilates to reduce the back and hip pain.

have to reply to you

I have joint pain and ligament troubles and I am now 2.5 years post-birth

Dont' worry too much about the arthritis at this stage - it might well be to do with the hormones from the pregnancy and birth still in your body. It might be worth asking for a referral to a specialist women's physio who would advise you with specific exercises

I would investigate supplements as well, because certain things are supposed to be good for joint and ligament pain

It might also be worth starting an exercise regime - nothing awful, just 20 minutes brisk walking in the evening or something like that, to get your body on the move

xxx

oh, i thought this was just me. dd only 3 months old but i still hobble. i cant stand up straight half the time and i dread haveing to pick thing up off the floor ...pregnancy had busted me!

i had terrible joint pain and stiffness post dd. it lasted until sometime after I had given up breastfeeding. now i'm fine, just back to my creaky, clicky self.

Hiya... just wanted to say don't worry too much, joint pain really common in new mums and usually is not due to arthritis

With rheumatoid the morning stiffness usually lasts at least half an hour - not 1 minute only! - and there is usually also some swelling of the hand joints - and it almost never affects the back.

Would recommend physio asap, then pilates once physio have checked you over.

Also make sure you tell your employers so you can get your deskspace adapted (is this called occupational health or summat) - to get a decent chair and to avoid resting your wrists on the desk when you type etc.

Thanks for all advice! I am on ibuprofen 3x daily now as per doc's advice. Will wait and see what tests show next week but meanwhile, getting a bit of exercise back into my life would be no bad thing. Will investigate supplements too.

meant to say, it is very reassuring to hear form others with similar issue -- main reason for posting here, makes you feel less panicky. Hope you all feel better

ooh I have the same! can walk for miles when I get started but really stiff and sore (especially ankles and hips) for the first few minutes if I stop for more than a minute!

DS is 5m - glad I'm not the only one!

Thought I would bump this to find out how you got on with the tests.