CAUSE OF ARTHRITIS PAIN

[MOMMY975]

I HAVE BEEN HAVING JOINT STIFFNESS ON AND OFF FOR 3 OR 4 YEARS.  I THEN STARTED GETTING UNEXPLAINED FEVERS AND NAUSEA THAT ACTUALLY LEADS TO VOMITING AT TIMES.  WHEN I WENT TO A RHEUMATOLOGIST SHE DID AN RA TEST, BUT CAME BACK NEGATIVE AND SO DID THE X-RAYS.  THE STIFFNESS IS IN BOTH HANDS (FINGERS FROM MY HANDS TO KNUCKLES) MY TOES, MY NECK AND BACK.  MY BACK ISN'T A SUPRISE SINCE I HAVE HAD 2 SURGERIES ON IT.  SHE PUT ME ON RELAFEN AND SAID THE NAUSEA AND FEVER WOULDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ARTHRITIS, BUT WHEN I STARTED THE MEDICINE THE NAUSEA AND FEVER WENT AWAY.  I QUIT TAKING THE MED FOR A FEW DAYS AND THEN I STARTED HURTING PRETTY BAD I ASSUME BECAUSE OF THE COLD FRONT THAT CAME THROUGH.  ALONG WITH THE STIFFNESS CAME THE NAUSEA AND FEVER.  I STARTED THE MEDICINE AGAIN AND THE NAUSEA AND FEVER WENT AWAY.  DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THIS REALLY COULD ALL BE RELATED TO O.A?  OR COULD IT BE SOMETHING ELSE THAT CAUSES STIFFNESS?

[burningthighs]

I had alot of stiffness & spasm's, due to alot of problems.

I myself tryed potassium pills and they were like a miracle for me, stiffness and spasm's were completely gone.

[txsilver]

Hi.  Did your doctor test you for anything besides RA?  OA does not cause nausea.  Because your joint pain is accompanied by nausea and fever, additional probing into the cause of your symptoms should be done.  If your current rhuemy is not pursuing the cause of all of your symptoms, you should see a different doctor and change as many times as you need to until you find a doc who will listen to what you have to say, consider the whole symptom set and communicates effectively with you.