How can I identify why my joints are hurting? Blood work is normal

Posted by doug63 @doug63, Apr 15 7:06am

I have lost 20lbs this year. I have been diagnosed with SIBO . My ANA is slightly elevated but blood work from my RA is normal. I have Osteoarthritis but I get days where I am so inflamed in many joints and they seem to keep adding up. I also have severe back pain and that is explainable but it is getting worse. Looking for an answer!

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If you haven't done this already you should consider getting off gluten. Sugar and artificial sugar as well.
I also quit dairy accept for some cheese.

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Does anyone know of any good SIBO supplements that work?

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I have taken Oregano supplements for h-pylori.
I think SIBO and H-pylori might respond to the same supplements.

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Has anyone noticed extreme weight loss without trying from Poor gut health ? If so what helped ? Thank you

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Remember no single lab test can confirm RA. I have RA and my lab doesn't always match my reality. One thing consistant with me was symmetrical joint pain. Autoimmune issues are hard to dx. Keep fighting for answer. But controlling maybe in the meantime you while making changes to diet and controlling your stress you might see relieve. Look for triggers in what you eat and life. Trying to stay limber helps me too. Hope this was encouraging.

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My poor aunt had SIBO and would eat like a bird, but always had diarrhea and lost a lot of weight, she also had osteoporosis. I suggested she try probiotics an Voila! it helped. Though I suggested that after a month not to use it everyday perhaps every other day and after years of the same symptoms, she was relieved that she had started to feel better and shed most of her symptoms. It does not hurt to try.

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@slkanowitz

May I ask what you are taking the methotrexate and Placquenil for? These meds are usually prescribed for autoimmune, arthritis conditions like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD). MCTD does cause hand swelling, inflammation and pain and serum shows RNP antibodies. Does any of this sound familiar to you?

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My ra doc put me on them because I was so swollen in my hands that my tendon shafts were spewing fluid and lumping up. My blood work was normal for ra but I was I. So much pain I could barely move. I went from healthy to being bed ridden. I started with taking. Prednisone ..in one day pain was gone swelling way done. Had to get off of prednisone. So cut down til plyquinal and methetrixate kicked in. As I said my hand swelling went down but lumps from synovial fluid stayed and now after a year it is almost gone from left hand but right is down 1/2 but still there. I keep tensing it and hot packs. My blood is normal once a month. My c protein ra and liver kidneys good normal. Blood good. I want to stop my pills but my ra is not ready to let me stop as long as my kidneys, liver normal. All I know is I cannot go back to the pain I was in. As long as my blood liver and kidneys are good I will continue the meds...yikes!

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I get flair ups of my oa on occasion that are near debilitating and un related to my periferal neuropathy or diet. It won’t let me sleep and interferes a lot with my daily activities.
Good PT has been essential for me. If I do the the work, stretching and isometrics, it really helps.
I am also starting to experiment with CBD with a touch of THC tinctures. They seem to really help at night and help my sleep.

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