Joint Issues

[appaloosatb]

Lately my POTS has been flaring up (fatigued all the time, nauseous, lightheaded, heart racing for no reason). I've also had a new symptom: my joints crack all the time. Whenever I move, my hip or shoulders crack. If I turn my head, my neck cracks. Yesterday my shoulder cracked and I couldn't lower my arm all the way until it cracked again. Today I moved my head wrong, and now I have shooting pains running from my right ear down my throat. This has never happened before. Usually if my back or neck starts cracking a lot I go to the chiropracter, but I haven't had my hip or shoulder involved before. It mostly seems to be all along my right side.

Has anyone ever had this happen? Is this related to my POTS, or something else entirely? It's scary - I'm afraid to move in case my joints crack again and it hurts worse. Even just sitting here, my right hip is very sore and feels like it's not positioned right, if that makes sense.

[toddm1960]

I'm sorry to hear you're flairing up appaloosatb, I understand how you feel. All my joints seem to be screaming at me from my ankles to my shoulders, the only difference is mine is both sides of my body. The one side pain only can point to specific types of RA, do you see a rheumatologist now? It might be worth ruling out RA if it continues, I hope your flair is calmed down soon.

[sugartwin]

I'll be frank. This sounds like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) to me. Especially, the feeling like joints aren't in their proper position (they probably aren't.)

[issie]

I second the motion!!!! Ehlers Danlos, yup, sure sounds like it to me.

[tinkerbella]

my joints have hurt forever and now since florinef WORSE! I have been told it's a side effect of the florinef. I just tried to see if you were on it but, no meds were listed. Now from so many falls over the years I've torn the meniscus in my knee. i got a cortisone shot last week but haven't got relief yet. I'm assuming oa in there also. Along with so many other joints. I'm now taking theromatabs to keep my BP up.

bellamia~

[MightyMouse]

Loose joints, full and/or partial joint dislocations, early onset of arthritis-like changes to joints can all indicate a collagen problem. Could be EDS but could also be something else. No, it's not POTS exactly, but is an issue that can actually contribute to POTS symptoms.

Personally, I'm having problems with 3 major joints right now from sitting in my car for too long over the past few weeks--my right hip, right shoulder and knee. I know they are all out of alignment, my hip actually "locks up" within the joint when I go from seated to standing up. I used to be able to get the joints to return to position on my own, but as I'm finding out now, it's not as easy any longer--probably have scar tissue or arthritis boney buildup that's in the way.

If you want to look over the main DINET site on how EDS and other collagen defects can cause POTSy issues, please read the "mechanisms" and "causes" sections.

http://www.dinet.org/what_are_the_mechanisms_of_POTS.htm

http://www.dinet.org/what_causes_pots.htm

[appaloosatb]

Thanks for the information! I'm currently taking the following meds:

Ondansetron 4mg - 2 in the morning, 1 in the afternoon, 2 in the evening for nausea

Propranolol 20mg - three times a day

Midodrine 5mg - three times a day

Would any of these account for the new symptoms? I've also been having horrible leg cramps at night that wake me up, this has been going on for about two months now.

The information on EDS is interesting. I'm so swamped in medical bills that I've stopped going to the doctor. My doctor doesn't return phone calls, she just has a nurse call me back and tell me to come in, but I can't afford any more office visits for awhile.

[tinkerbella]

I've had leg cramps and joint issues forever long before the POTS dx.I do have fibro along with it. I do take potassium, calcium, and added thermotabs that have magnesium in them (stopped all florinef and midrone due to the nasty side effects) . I think the added mag. is helping cramping and I sure like the thermotabs much better than the drugs even if I have to pay for them. I don't think every joint pain is EDS, as some of it is side effects of midrone and florinef.

I have just OA in my joints with a high ana so they keep an eye on things watching for lupus. I don't show RA, but tell my joints that. I hurt but try to keep ; ).