ellen Posted April 11, 2007 Report Share Posted April 11, 2007 I have pain in my joints, especially when it rains, and it has gotten more intense. I have an appointment with my PCP tomorrow, but I'm afraid he will blow me off like he did when I first told him about my POTS symptoms. Although he did send me to a cardiac EP and I was diagnosed with classic POTS, I still feel he doesn't take it seriously.I don't see arthritis mentioned here often, and I'm wondering is it related to dysautonomia or is it a separate issue? Anyone have any experience with this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctorguest Posted April 11, 2007 Report Share Posted April 11, 2007 Arthritis is not associated with dysautonomia, but fibromyalgia can. If you have pain in the large joints - hips, shoulders, knees - then osteoarthritis may be the cause. If pain is in the small joints (wrists, fingers), other types of arthritis may be the culprit. Ask your doctor to refer you to a rheumatologist; they will know how to diagnose properly and how to manage the problem Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmpower Posted April 12, 2007 Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 Hi. Before it rains, the barometer drops. Less atmospheric pressure makes things swell more, or at least feel more swollen. I have had two friends over the years who could always feel the rain coming and they have stories of people who didn't believe them and fixed roofs, washed cars, etc. I check the barometer every day (the "wunderground" site) because my lightheadedness mirrors the barometer. Lower pressure means less oxygen per breath and my brain can tell the difference.Also, before a rain, the ions are more positive, and this can alter hormones and mood, so maybe pain levels, too.A good test for inflammation of any kind is "high sensitivity C-reactive protein", or hsCRP.The best book on things you can do for pain of any kind, from arthritis to fibromyalgia to cancer, is Pain Free in Six Weeks by Sherry Rogers, M.D.Best wishes.OLL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkoven Posted April 12, 2007 Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 If you have eds, joint pain is common. For me most of my joints are loose, but only some have arthritis, probably from years of sloshing around. though I've been told edsers are more likely to wear out their joints sooner from the instability.In fact, a lot of people with eds have normal xrays till things are pretty advanced. I was shocked to discover my hips look normal in tems of joint space, when they hurt so much from my subluxing them all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pamyla Posted April 12, 2007 Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 I think it's a separate issue. I was diagnosed with reactive arthritis, from a salmonella infection. Plus, I have joint pain from lyme disease. A rheumatologist is a good choice for figuring out the cause of your joint pain and finding the appropriate treatment.good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellen Posted April 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2007 Thankyou all for your replies. I did see my PCP today and will be getting further tests. It's good to know it's not associated with POTS (,although I was kind of hoping it was just another "normal" potsie complaint ). - Ellen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan617 Posted April 14, 2007 Report Share Posted April 14, 2007 I have quite a bit of arthritis, but I attribute it to being three days older than dirt as opposed to ans problems. Simple x rays have shown degeneration, spurs, impingement, etc. And a Rheumatoid Factor has ruled out Rheumatoid Arthritis.It's fairly easy to see. I think some of us are more prone to it, but then my dad has horrible arthritis and no ans problems.I think doctorguest is accurate, if your soft tissues get constant, albeit micro damage, from fibro, at some point, it's going to affect the joints around those damaged soft tissues.Personally, I think arthritis is separate from POTS, but that's just my opinion. So many of us have so many overlapping things, it all seems to blend at some point....morgan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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