Joint pain, no diagnosis yet

I have pain in my joints that seems to go in cycles.  Started seeing a rhumatologist but no diagnosis yet.  I have had an eleveated CRP and Sed rate for the the entire time testing has been going on.  All the common auto immune and infectious stuff is negative.  I have alternating results with liver functions and thyroid function (sometimes WNL, sometimes not),  Enlarged spleen without a reason.  I also have unrelated back issues (spondylolisthesis) which seems worse during these episodes.  I have had 2 burst packs of prenisone and felt 100% better for a couple of days, then right back to constant pain. I take ibuprofen so I can move in the morning and tramadol to try to keep the pain low enough that I can function.  I will be starting Plaquinal (sp?) following my eye screen to help control the pain.  What could this be?  I am beginning to feel like a head case and my doctor keeps telling me it can take years to diagnose!

[Enoch Choi, MD]

if your doc is starting plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine), that sounds like treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.  What were your RA titers?

That's not mental, it's an autoimmune disease, not in your head, it's in your joints.

[babynurse1961]

Thanks for the response.  RA titers were negative.  I was just put on another burst pack becuase the pain increased and now I am having some painful and reddened joint swelling.  dr is out of the country and will likely start the plaquinil when she returns.

I am doing a trial of eliminating all the diet pops I drink (6-8 per day) on the off chance that this is agravating things.

Thanks for the encouragement....I am a nurse and think that I should just be able to "get over this" and move on, but it is not working out that way for me!

[jimbo1967]

A related discussion, Therapeutic Ultrasound was started.

[diane4623]

A related discussion, Remicade was started.