So many ligament problems? from menigococcal septiceamia

[sueffun]

I seem to be getting one ligament problem after another for no reason. Both thumbs have De quervains tendonitis, I have just started to get a tennis elbow, well i think its that, I pulled open the sliding door and something popped in my elbow and its been painful since January, I started to get pins and kneedles in my little finger and ring finger at the weekend because of it. my mcp joint on my right index finger is also a problem if it moves to the side as in using a knife for chopping things, my left knee has a ligament that should be fixed and often locks  and my sacro illiac joints hurt quite a lot on both sides. I have had 3 shoulder ops for rotator cuff and a bicep tendon tear. I have a prolapsed disc in my L5 S6. Oh and just to add to all of this I have a trocanteric bursa that started causing problems again after having had cortisone injections every 6 weeks into it for about a year.
I am 56 and i am getting so fed up with all the joint problems, I did have menigococcal septiceamia and DIC in 1983 resulting in a lot of tissue damage to my legs and arms and I read somewhere that internal damage could also cause a problem on in life. I have lots of skin grafts and was in hospital for four months.
Just before Christmas I was diagnosed with DeQuervains thyroidititis, so I am feeling pretty fed up with all the aches and pains.  

I was a competitive Fencer and did lots of training in my youth and I used to coach gymnastics.

I have had xrays and MRI and no arthrititis has been shown, I was wondering if anyone could shed any light on why i have so many orthopedic problems with my ligaments, could it be for the Menigococcal septiceamia all those years ago? Thanks to anyone that can help

[sueffun]

Thank you very much for your reply.

It is nice to know that it probably wasn't the Menigococcal Septiceamia that caused my problems. I guess the good old anti inflammatories will have to suffice.
Just after I posted this message on the forum, I got knocked over backwards whilst doing figure skating and hyperextended my right elbow, that is now another problem, even though its not broken i have blood in the joint and the ulna nerve certainly got pinched because my whole forearm was in agony for about 10 minutes afterwards, ( like hitting your funny bone)  I guess will take quite  a while to get better. I only had an xray as the MRI 's here are really expensive and my orthopedist didn't order one.
I think I may have damaged my tricep tendon and ulna nerve because I cannot extend my arm to the side in pronation or flex my tricep tendon whilst my arm is extended, but I will take the anti inflammatories and go to physio, hopefully that will sort it out.
Thanks again for replying
Sue

[S. Kaul, MD]

Hi there!

Well, it would be difficult to comment on the cause of your joint issues. Menigococcal septiceamia could have caused primary damage in the joints which have further degenerated over the years. However if there was no arthritis or degeneration should with imaging studies it is unlikely to be related and just co-incidental.
Hope this is helpful.

Take care!