Joint and Muscle Pain after Gallbladder Removal

I had my gallbladder out over 5 years ago...surgeon said it was the worst he had ever seen...sticky mess with a ton of huge stones...I had a major infection and was in the hospital for 4 days....immediately upon waking from the surgery I had pain in the joints in my feet, along with incredible sensitivity in my feet...(nothing could even brush up against them...couldn't wear shoes or socks, not even the sheet could touch them)....this was 5 years ago and the joint and muscle pain is daily and worsening...had many tests at the Neurologist to rule out nerve damage and now referred to the Rheumatoligist to see what he can find...I have had constant diarhea (diarrhea) since the day of the surgery...so frustrated...I know getting my gallbladder removed was a medical necessity but my health has gone steadily downhill daily since the surgery....never had any kind of issue like this but literally woke up with it immediately after surgery...I thought it was the compression stockings when I was in the hospital...but it never went away...now my feet, hands, leg muscles (feels like I've worked out ALL the time, extreme muscle fatique...that is the norm) and hips are all involved...if I sit for any length of time I can barely walk, numbness, tingling and extreme fatigue in extremities especially worse in the morning, arms and legs fall asleep during the night and wakes me up with tingling, I also get migraines, confusion....feel like I am losing my mind....does anyone have ANY idea what this could be? Neurologist gave me MRI's to rule out MS, Lou Gehrigs, Brain issues. Not neurological... Except for this one surgery have been pretty healthy....except for a 2 year period when my kids were little and I came down with everything...(Parvo, Epstein Barr, Costocondritis,Strep several times...all within a 2 year spread..) but rarely sick otherwise...I am a 43 year old female....surgery was a little over 5 years ago...help...   :(

[seattlemom2plus]

Has your doctor tested for Vitamin D deficiency?  Just a thought.  Happy New Year and pls. stop back to update us.

[seattlemom2plus]

Also, thyroid .. has your doctor ruled out thyroid issues?  Hypothyroidism?

[allison68]

Yes, Vitamin D deficient and have been taking supplements. Since this initial post symptoms have worsened....now can barely move in the mornings with extreme joint stiffness and pain (before it was more muscle fatigue), feel better after an hour or so....but returns at night at about 7pm...can barely stand...also headache, light fever...been going on for about 5 days now..thinking possible lupus....will update after rheum. appt on Friday :/  thanks for your response!

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) can affect the skin, musculoskeletal, heart, kidneys and the brain. In lupus the blood counts (red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets) are low, positive antinuclear antibodies in the blood, increased sedimentation rates and increased C reactive protein. Diagnosis of Lupus is a combination of clinical symptoms and tests and there are '11' criteria. The prognosis depends on the extent of the spread of the disease.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.

[allison68]

Dignosed by Rheumatologist with Rheumatoid Arthritis (runs in my family). He thinks that possible the infection of the surgery may have triggered my immune system and that is why I may have woke up with it from surgery. Blood test positive RF factor....just started Plaquenil.....hopefully it helps! Thank you all for your help and taking the time to answer....hoping to feel better soon!! ;)