Inflammation and Swelling?

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Hi all,

Yes I have FM and CFS. However my bloods show no inflammatory markers yet I have intermittent inflammation and swellings. I wake up with huge puffy ankles, swellings across my wrist joints, across my knuckles, lumps/bulges on the inside of my elbows, along my neck near the collar bone and even my face has been swollen a few times. The only way to describe it is like fluid filled, fleshy swelling of the skin. I also get this when I try to walk anywhere, especially the ankles.

Has anyone had this or similar? I cannot find anything in FM symptoms that pertains to this description online. I have a GPs appt about meds will mention this to her anyhow.

Thanks Angie x

2

Hi Angie, I have very low inflammatory markers yet my hands swell and my fingers are red and twisted, that's the arthritis I've no idea why the markers are low but it does seem to be "normal". Wish I'd read this before I saw the Rheumatoligst this morning, I could have asked her.

take care

Shelagh

3

Ahh bless you Shelagh,

Hmmm see, its as I thought, you have this due to Artritis. Because I had no inflammatory markers in my blood the rheumy only saw me the once and diagnosed the FM/CFS....he referred me back to my GP.....so I assumed I had no arthritis or osteoarthritis, etc......I thought it may be FM symptoms but still unsure... and it came back briefly this month after I'd tried to walk. But thats not always the case.

Thank you for your support, hope life is being kind to you,

Angie x

4

Such a shame you don't have a good Rheumatoligist, I was discharged by mine two years ago after we decided I had everything under control, now I've been referred back, saw her this morning about my hands not working too well yet she checked everything else. I know she will see me regularly as long as I need her, you could do with one like her, she's worth my weight in gold and that's a lot of gold!

5

Hi Angie

Can't be of any help really except to say I get it too.  Bad ankle swelling and fingers too.  Dare not wear rings as I am sure they would need to be cut off (rings not fingers!) when the swelling is severe.    If you find a reason please let us know.

 

6

Hi Angel 51,

No I haven't. had any of these however, I am not speaking too soon...I have been diagnosed same as you Fibro and CFS , my consultant is treating one of the same. He has also diagnosed me with Mild Scleroderma...thickening of the skin to mention few other milder symtoms. As you say would be worthwhile me tioni g as my consultant said they are adding different things to the list as no one is certain are they..All the best xx

7

Hi Angel, I have FM, CFS, widespread osteoarthritis and connective tissue disease as well as degenerative disc disease. I have swelling in my ankles, wrists, fingers and my neck at the front where my collar bone is. But I do have raised inflammatory markers. My ESR goes as high as 67 and should be under 20 and CRP is around 17 but should be less than 3. If yours is fluid your GP can examine you and see if water tablets may help you. If they don't I would ask for a further referral back to a rheumatologist and see if you can get an MRI done. Good luck

8

Hiya Angel, have you looked into Sjorens Syndrone, I have Fibro, Sjorens  and CFS, I get very puffy/swollen at times, .especially around the face and the Drs say it's from Sjorens..just a thought..there all autoimmune issues..have a lovely day, blessed..x:-) xx

9

Interesting.......I will certainly do that thanks christine x

Also found out yesterday that my cholesterol is a bit high 6 should be 4 I'm told.... although I dont know how this is made up....I mean HDL's and LDL's etc, will ask though, at appt.

Thanks for your support Angie

10

I see... well that makes sense, maybe I should get my GP to re-test my ESR. I was able to get a copy of my full blood test (approx 18mths + ago) and a few things were showing as at the top end of the range of what is considered normal like the ESR but GP never mentioned any of it ...however she did say I am quite close to Thyroidism which runs in my mums side family....am wondering if that could cause swellings, too. I will certainly mention all this to GP next appt on 20th.

Thanks for your support Gizmo x

11

You're going through a toughie, too I see....thank you for taking the time to reply, best wishes to you Clare x

12

And they're so painful too especially wrist n knee joints......I certainly will let you all know.

Thank you for taking the time to reply Maggers x

13

Ha ha ha...shelagh what are you like. ....

Its true though when you find a good specialist who actually listens it really helps. I've taken pictures of all my swellings since about April 2014 so I'm going to take them to my GP appt on the 20th. It dawned on me the other day that when I tell her about it, theres nothing for her to see so now she'll see I am not making it up.

Thanks for your support and making me laugh Shelagh, hope you're having a comfortable day x

14

Hi Maggers, I also have had to take some rings off my right hand (otherwise ok as they were lose. Right hand ones were fitted two year ago and will now have to get re-sized. Do the veins in your hands swell and pop up sometimes in your hands...it has been quite painful at times. Ironically 'forgot' to ask my consultant about this... Clare x

15

It's good to laugh, I have dogs who are real clowns, they make me laugh every day.

my visit to the Rheumatoligst was useful, I knew it would be. She's referred me for nerve conduction studies, she thinks my hands numbness is caused by a double crush, nerves are being crushed at my neck then wrist. The pain in my hip is FM so I don't need a hip replacement!! Fantastic news, when I had my knee done the anaesthetic wore off before they'd finished, not nice.

hope you've had a good day, enjoy the weekend x

16

Apparently one of them is good and they add the total?? Don't ask me why..but the good one can be high it's ok, but the bad one should be low??? I went on the Paleo eating regim two years ago, because it is high fat low carb...and that's that bad fat we were told not to eat years ago..butter, cheese, saturated fat etc...I just couldn't help thinking that my cholesterol would be high..well it wasn't and the dr explained all about the good and bad cholestrol..so there you go..I would ask you dr which one is  the highest...be blessed..have a good weekend Angel..:-) xxx mine was 6.2 -(I thought NO NO) but the dr said that was good...it was always about 4.7 etc...but the  good cholestrol was higher..mm go figure..

17

Thanks Christine, thats very interesting..... now I definately want to know which one it is. Amazed how much one can learn on here.

Best wishes Angie

18

Clare I get the vein swelling/popping up thing in my hands a lot...began to think I was imagining it was swollen...thats why I take pics now so I can compare to normal ones....

Angie

19

Hi Angel, oh good - it's not me just imagining it then 😃. Just waiting for my Report from consultant to come through to get Occupational Health on the case for my return to work. In the mean time have taken up Pilates and swimming a little to try see what I can do. Have you had your gp appointment? How did you get on?. You have been diagnosed same as me Fibro /cfs - my Rheumy advised them of same.. X

20

Absolutely, I have learned sooo much, it's just awesome..it's really good when you can help someone else too, through your own experiences.. .:-) xx