Reactive Arthritis? Please Help

Bones, joints and muscles
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I have been suffering from progressive persistent knee pain for 2 and a half months. It started around the first of the year. I work as a chef and noticed a bug t of pain in my right knee, then my left. I thought it to be normal wear and tear from sixteen years of athletics  and followed by another sixteen years of cooking on my feet all day.

i worked through excruciating pain for three weeks until I just couldn't any more. This is when the search for diagnoses/ treatment started. I started this with no problems nsurance. First went to ER: took x-rays, nothing wrong gave me some pain pills sent me home.

i thought extra days of rest work led help and I'd be back to work within the week. Pain got worse even with rest and have not been able to work for the last 2 months.

i went to a knee specialist thinking there had to be something physically wrong with my knees.they did a quick physical and ultra sound. Again saw nothing wrong, expressed extreme concern thought could be neurological or Rhuematological. 

So so my knees had nothing physically wrong, great! But I could barely walk and pain got worse every day.

waiting for my nsurance I went back to ER hoping to get some blood work. They said they couldn't help me and threw me out. Very discouraged and confused I didn't know what to do. Primary care put me on a waiting. In the mean time I went to an acupuncturist. He was surprised at my loud knees. My knees when bearing any weight creak and grind. Went to a physical therapist just to try to ease the pain. He was perplexed as well but recomended me to th Urgent Care. 

I wasas able to go pay cash for an appointment. Doctor had no idea , and thought I was there for Pain pills. I said I just want to run blood tests. I had witnessed some scaly rash on cheeks and slight psoriasis on scalp. Thought maybe I had lupus or something. Next week I went back, blood work was all negative. I told him I had recently developed pain in my left testicle ( I suffered from a bout of epididymitis about four years back). I also remembered that before the knee pain started I had a large style under my lower eyelid. He

he brought up Reiters Diseaes. He put me on doxycycline and some pain mess. The testicular pain cleared up but knee pain persisted. NO Swelling or inflammation, just every type of pain imaginable. 

I finally received insurance through the state and was able to get into a primate Doctor. She also brought up Reiters, put me on Indomethacin. I'm he med had no effect and the pain got worse. I went back and now am on prednisone. Only a day later my testified liar pain has returned and am again extremely worried. I have an appointment with a rheumatologist but not until June 23. I have yet to receive a definite diagnosis and am extremely confused as I read through possible causes: reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, Lyme disease, or whatever else. The worst part is not knowing.

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Sorry about type-o's tried to type on I-pad

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Hi Luke

I had a similar experience. Pain initially with swelling in hands and feet spread to all joints over 3 months. After over a year pof blood tests, xrays and scans in which time I thought I was experiencing Reactive arthritis to an insect bite, I was told by hospital specialist from Infectious Disease Dept,  after  14 months, that pain was from nerves affected close to joints. Pain started to improve after 16 months, and as long as i don't overuse limbs etc but get enough exercise, pain is manageable or for some periods scarcely there at all-which is a huge improvement. Good luck and keep asking for help and for correct diagnosis!!  

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Hey sounds like reactive arthritis could possibly be the culprit ..even with your bloods being fine ,saying that it usually starts with an infection IE clamidia,food poisoning a couple of inoculation s have been known to kick it off too but now and again there's no obvious trigger

I've just been bed bound for 4 months both knees went together I feel your pain !

I'd pay to see a rumy personally your appointment s a long way a way. Steroids for pain are great and slow release diclaphenic help I bang some paracetamol in with too.

If non of that helps I'd be surprised if it's rieters

But if it is you need to get on a dmard pretty quick the Sooner you start the better the prognosis

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Have you been tested for G&C? I ask because you mention testi pain. Take Doxy for 4 weeks. Don't stop. Period. Take it.

Now get yourself over to rehummy and get prednisone / TNF. 

I heard those are only thing that will work. ReA will progress and morph into spondyloarthropathy.

DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO PROGRESS TO OTHER FORMS OF spondyloarthropathy.

What is your HLA-B27 status?

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Typo: DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO STOP PROGRESSION. PERIOD. STOP PROGRESSION TO OTHER spondyloarthropathy..

TAKE Pain Killers / Aleve and Nexium...to avoid stomach ulcer.

God be with you.

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What is C&G? Went to ER because of testicular pain for a week. Ultrasound found slight hydrocele. UA found no infection. Pain still even with percacet. Go back to primary Doctor Thursday, urologist next week and rhuem still months out. Been on prednisone for about a week. Going on three months of bilateral knee pain. Now second bout of t pain. Very worried.