Help! Lupus? Sciatica? Covid Complications?
Posted , 6 users are following.
I’m a female in my early to mid-30s that eats healthy and (used to) disciplined gym go-er.
It started in Mid-November of 2019 when I tore my left meniscus (knee cartilage) after leg day at the gym. From there I was hopping around with a cane going to physical therapy bi weekly. Fast forward to July 2020 where I started to feel noxious and had serious stomach aches. I was only able to eat a very small amount (maybe a couple of eggs) and feel completely full and sometimes stomach cramps... soon to find out that one of my housemates contracted Covid-19. Soon after taking multiple covid tests and waiting for my results, I had consultations with my doctor online and she said that she thinks I could have Covid-19 GI (Gastro-Intestinal). Fortunately enough, my results came back negative and after 2 weeks the stomach issues subsided after a lot of IB profin and Pepcid for acid reflux.
I started to go back to physical therapy for my knee where I was doing clam shells, leg raises, etc. and my left hip gradually started hurting. As I would walk with my cane, pain would start from my left hip. Over a few days it would go to the left side of my butt, then down to the front of the quad, and then it would go back up to my lower back between the hip and the spine. It’s been 3 months and has become worse where I’m not able to sit down, do normal activities and now on disability. The pain started on my left side, so as I started to lay on my right side, the right side also started to be in pain. It’s only (sort of) comfortable when I lay down flat, but even then I get jolts of pain where I have to adjust myself to sort of make myself feel comfortable or take more medication (Gabapentin). I think the pain starts at the joints and then makes its way to the muscles. The pain travels.
I’ve seen my general doctors, spine specialist, neurologist, chiropractor and have done acupuncture. The doctors thought it might be lupus, the chiropractor thought it was a SI joint problem, and my acupuncturist confirmed that I have hip tissue damaged. I’ve taken Blood Tests. I’ve done MRIs on my back, knee, hip (had small tears but doctors said this shouldn’t be the issue), and even brain (that was so painful). All of my bloodwork, all of my nerves, all of the xrays of my back, knee and hip came out normal. The only thing that came back low was the TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) which meant the thyroids were really active (doctors said I shouldn’t worry because the t4 test came back normal).
I’m running out of options here. I was prescribed IB profin and Prednisone. The Prednisone gave me an allergic reaction where I had stomach aches. So now I’m on IB Profin, Gabapentin, and some topical gels that I place on my hip and butt. All of my test results have come back normal and they can’t seem to find what’s wrong. I want to put this out there to see if anyone has been through something similar. Just looking for another solution. I appreciate any help!
0 likes, 3 replies
Anhaga HermanaGrande
Posted
Before you had the reaction to pred, did it help the pain any better than the other painkillers you've been given? Does Ibuprofen help? It is NOT a good idea to take prednisone and an NSAID at the same time as they are both hard on the stomach. Are you sure it was the prednisone which caused the problems and not the combination of taking prednisone and ibuprofen?
To me it sounds like all this is a cascade of pain caused by the initial injury, which may never have been given a chance to heal properly. Possibly the physiotherapist should have had you cut back on the large muscle exercises and concentrated on small muscles - the really boring exercises you are sure aren't helping, but in fact they are! Maybe go back to step one, the usual protocol for muscle injuries - rest, cold or heat (whichever works for you) - very targeted exercises to get those small muscles working again.
And, one other thing, checking to see if you have some very tight muscles. A lot of my back and hip problems a few years ago turned out to have been caused by the muscles in my back, which my physiotherapist said were like bricks! She did some techniques which "reset" the electrical signals in my back, and together with my exercises and application of heat it all got better! She told me sometimes people's muscles can contract so much they can cause fractures (not at all likely at your age, but when she was telling me this I was in my late 60s). I can tell you I had no idea this was an issue, or even that such a thing could happen.
EileenH HermanaGrande
Posted
At your age it is very unlikely you have the disorder we talk about here: polymyalgia rheumatica. It is considered extremely unlikely in patients under 40.
Other than what Anhaga has already suggested I can't think of anything to add. Except to ask was the TSH done once you were already on pred? If so, it being low could be an artefact as pred suppresses TSH.
karenjaninaz HermanaGrande
Posted
Could you have had a false negative Covid test?
If so maybe a positive antibody test would show a past infection. If that were the case wonder if this is some type post covid syndrome; there are some support groups helping persons with the most bizarre post Covid symptoms that seem to be mystifying .