what is wrong with me?

[gimly]

I am a 32 year old ex pro soccer player,I had an arthroscopy in december 08 and since the op i've had major problems with all my joints.My both knees are severly swollen and my ankles likewise,i get pain in every joint in my body and my doctor says its down to me having an extremly large amount of inflamation in my blood.Can anybody give me a reason for this? Can anybody give me diagnosis because my doctor says he does'nt know? And finally can anybody tell me what my future holds as i struggle to do most day today activities at the moment and as a young fit man this is very frustrating and gets me down.HELP thanks

[txsilver]

I am so glad you got some relief!  And it is great to read that they are running the blood work.  Hang in there, as tough as it is somedays it, it is worth it in the end.  Just keep driving the docs towards a dx and never stop asking, "what's the next step?"  It's hard work, but there is no one better suited to be your advocate than you.

[sdbrit]

Just try doing some google research on mycoplasma arthtritides. Might answer a few questions.  The white blood cells cannot 'see' this micro-organism and it doesn't show up in regualr blood tests - but since the white blood cells 'know' something is there they are producing a substance that is intended to kill it but since the mycoplasma is so elusive the joints end up suffering from this ramped up attack from the white blood cells.

Not saying this is for sure what is going on with you - can only speak from my own experience, just saddened that regualr doctors really don't know about this.  I am getting better so want to spread the word.

[gimly]

I visited my rheumatologist on the 7th and finally have some pain relief,they injected both my knees and ankles with steriods and I can walk with no pain at all.He said i have definetly got arthritis but he's not sure which kind yet,and has taken more blood again of which I noticed one of the tests is to see if I'm HLA B27 postive.The only thing that worries me is that he said my liver level was very high(155).I'm not a big alcohol drinker so its very strange why this is so.He prescribed me salazopyrin 500mg but instucted me not to start taking them until my liver function tests are back.Thanks for taking the time to reply to my posts

[sdbrit]

Hi,

Just want to also say - I feel your pain!  Although your symptoms sound more acute and severe I've had constant pain and been unable to even walk two blocks with out pain after a surgey - was able to walk fine before the stupid surgery!!  Very annoying!

I have shared my experience with a couple of others who have posted here and what I have discovered isn't mainstream - but it made so much sense to me.  I discovered I had a 'stealth pathogen' - the kind that evades normal tests because it has no cell walls so it is not picked up by mainstream tests.  The previous poster has given you great advice and this may be too 'different' for you but it certainly wouldn't hurt to look into it.  It just makes me so sad to see so many people in pain and without answers - I know how it feels.  Check out my previous posts for more info.

good luck.

[txsilver]

I wish I had something to offer you that could be the solution to all you are going through.  I am not a doctor, just a patient with a lot of experience in getting misdiagnosed and passed around.  You learn a lot that way.  
If you are truly in agony and unable to function, you should go to urgent care.  Only you know all the ways this is impacting you and, if you can't eat and can't walk, this would seem to me to qualify as urgent.
If you decide to wait, do your best to hang in there.  Every minute feels like an eternity when you are in pain, but the 7th is just a few days away.  
When I think about your situation, I keep coming back to the possibility of an infection after that surgery.  It would fit so neatly if that were the case.
I also understand what it is to feel a burden to your spouse.  My DH suffered right along with me for the years it took me to get diagnosed.  I am not sure which of us was happier when I was finally able to resume some of my normal activities - probably him :)  It took 3 years for me to go through the cycle and get back to where I could pull my own weight.  Still, there are some things I can't do anymore.  I hope that won't be the case for you.  Please keep us posted.  Thoughts and prayers are with you.

[gimly]

Sorry i forgot a few things,I'm also feeling as if i'm losing the strenght in my legs,some days i struggle to stand and walking up and down stairs is impossible most days.I'm feeling very tired all day and spend most of my day laying down.My legs feel cold to me but my wife says my joints are red hot to the touch.Sorry to keep on but i need answers.Thanks

[gimly]

Please help! I dont see my rheumatologist until april 7 and i'm in absolute agony.I've telephoned him and he says he cant see me as he is too busy! My knees are getting bigger every day and my back and neck are getting worse,also I havent been eating very well because every time I try to eat i feel as if i'm going to vomit as soon as i put the food to my mouth.Do you think it would speed things up if I went to a+e with my problems.I feel very low at the moment and feel as if i'm putting too much on my wife

[txsilver]

I am glad you are seeing a rheumy.  It sounds like he is on the track I would expect him to be on.  Most of us are interesting cases by the time we hit the rheumy office.  I walked in undiagnosed and, after many tests, by my next appt I had a luandry list of things to confront.  
Pain killers are nice, if they work, but they do feel like a bandaid until you get a diagnosis.  Your rheumy seems interested in your case and that is a good sign, too.  By keeping you off treatment, he is insuring there are things to investigate.  Has he done a bone and joint scan?  When do you get your results and the next steps in the diagnosis process?
Please do keep us posted.  Will try to help you as I can.  Oh, and you're right, had you written football I would have thought American.  You all think more internationally that we do - that's a compliment.  :)

[gimly]

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply and help me,I had a promblem with my left knee for about 4 months before my surgeon operated.Since the arthroscopy my left knee is still severly swollen and the swelling and pain has spread to all other joints in my body(ankles,wrists,elbows and recently my back).I've seen three different doctors who all say they are stumped at what the cause is.I went to see a rheumatologist who when i asked if i could have picked up an infection from surgery,said it was highly unlikely as the pain is in every joint.He is running new blood tests at the moment but even he says i'm an interesting case! which does'nt help me at all.As for treatment the rheumatologist has told me only to take painkillers untill he can diagnose the problem but as i said in my first statement i'm really struggling to function and it seems to be getting worse every day.Thanks again for your reply and yes soccer is called football in the uk but i wasnt sure who would be reading my page and what nationality they would be

[txsilver]

I am sorry to read you are suffering.  It must be awful to go from having bee so active to struggling to function.  I have a few questions for you and some thoughts, too.  First, the questions.
Did you have any infection after the surgery?  Has your doctor run lab work on your blood for autoimmune conditions or to see if you are HLA B27 positive?  What kind of doctor are you seeing?  Have you seen a rheumatologist?  Have you seen another doctor in the same field as your current doctor to get a second opinion?  Do you have the lab results from the blood work that indicated large amounts of inflammation?  What next step has the doctor offered?  How is the doc treating your symptoms?
You should have labs run to see what else is going on besides inflammation.  There are indicators that may better identify what is happening.  If you had an infection, you may be experiencing reactive arthritis which is more common in patients who are HLA B27 positive.  It is important that you have next steps in discovering what is wrong with you and that your doctor engage other specialists if he needs to do so.  
Even for those of us who were not as active and fit as you, experiencing the pain and limitations you describe is depressing.  These things can take longer to diagnose because of the vast possibilities.  If there are indications that this could be an autoimmune issue, a rheumatologist will be needed to diagnose you.
Once diagnosed, if it is autoimmune, it will take time to get the medications and dosages correct.  Some of the medications have to be allowed to build up in your system before their effectiveness can be evaluated.  
I hope you will be quickly diagnosed and an effective treatment identified off the bat.  Even better, this may turn out to not be an autoimmune issue.  I do hope you will keep us posted on how you are doing and the progress you make.  We will be here to help and support you.  (1 question, totally off subject, isn't soccer called football in the UK?)