Anyone experience Post-Covid Inflammatory Arthritis?

I hurt in my joints and muscles more than ever. I do get some relief in water. I water walk, hot tub and Epsom salt baths. But out of the water i hurt everything seems to take more physical and mental effort.

@nant, @sueinmn, and others...Sue, I'm so sorry your daughter had such a reaction and developed Rheumatoid Arthritis. Good ole' steroids, right? They saved my life many years ago, and have saved me from the recurring Sarcoid flares and bronchitis, and such. I need them now for the joint and muscle pain.

I had the booster a couple of weeks ago and pretty severe reactions - similar to the reaction to the 2nd Moderna vaccine. Nothing from 1st shot, 2nd put me in bed for 2 days with fever, sweats, chills, headache, extreme fatigue, and extreme muscle/joint pain.

The booster, I now call it the stupid booster - was a mess for me. I had similar symptoms the evening I rec'd the shot. My skin was hot to touch, discomfort all over, chills, fever, my face was bright red, and again a severe increase in pain, both joints, and muscle.

I'm hurting now, 2 weeks later, more than I have in years. Joints and muscles. I think it caused the fibromyalgia to flare and I know it caused my arthritis to flare significantly- my shoulders, upper/lower/mid back ache, and then have debilitating pain. I'm so frustrated with this reaction! I'm so over Covid! No more for me. I'll get an annual vaccination like I do with flu but no more now.

We all have to take the measures we deem important to protect ourselves. I've done that, as I have multiply co-morbidities and know the vaccine is smart for me. But I think it's nuts to continue with more boosters or a new vaccine for every variant. It's time to get back to living. So, I'm living again, going out if I feel like it to have coffee or lunch with a friend. Hopefully, I'll begin the pool therapy again soon, which helps reduce the body pain and strengthens my muscle. I hope to begin mall walking, but, at the moment, I'm hurting too much. Only the warm pool will help now.

I reported the reactions to the Mayo Clinic Covid nurse last week. She wanted me to go to the Ed, which I refused. I called her to report symptoms for their research.

All this from the shots. I don't think I would have survived the actual virus. So, thankful for the vaccines.
Blessings to all...elizabeth

I am just finding this mayo connect area to find out if others have incredible muscle pains post covid. I see you mention post arthritis like feeling post covid. I was competitive tennis player 2 weeks prior to me getting covid, and now 2.5 months later I can barely do any sort of slight exercise without huge muscle pain everywhere. I am hoping I can find some people on the forum to tell me maybe what type of blood tests to get post covid to find out why such bad muscle pain. My doctor's pass it off as if this is something normal, but it is not, especially for super active, in shape person pre-covid. If you know of any posts about what blood work to get to check muscle issues I am all ears, as my doctor's basically are doing nothing even after I tell them how painful this is. I keep telling them maybe it is Necrosis, or mytosis, etc. or whatever stuff happens after covid to muscle tissue and inflammation. Stay safe and well.

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I likewise developed inflammatory arthritis (axial spondyloarthritis) post Covid (it is believed). For the most part, I was asymptomatic and therefore never tested for COVID. Some 1-2 months later, developed unexplained excruciating muscular-skeletal myalgia in lower back, hips, mid back region and shoulders. No one could explain why? My CRP levels are out the roof, indicating severe inflammatory response!
I would like to be seen by the Mayo Clinic's Long Haulers group, but was told that since I was never tested for COVID, I would not qualify!!
And yet, research shows that approximately 19% of long haulers were assymptomatic for COVID (Like ME!!). Would still really like to get into the clinic. Any suggestions?

Welcome @gacko, I'm hoping someone with experience in the COVID long haulers group can share it with you. I did find an upcoming virtual community forum that you might find beneficial.

Mayo Clinic Health System to host virtual community forum, ‘The COVID-19 Pandemic: Where Do We Go From Here’: https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-health-system-to-host-virtual-community-forum-the-covid-19-pandemic-where-do-we-go-from-here/

Can you have an antibody or serology test to see if you have had a past infection?
-- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/testing/serology-overview.html

Thanks for letting me know I am not only one got some crazy muscle stuff now, especially for someone that is competitive tennis player and runner right prior to covid 3 months ago. I am not even sure how you join into the Covid mayo clinic program, etc. as you mentioned, but I hope they also allow people that were not tested positive, etc. to join. Once I had the 104 fever and could barely walk, I was in the ER hospital pretty quick and they tested quickly for Covid. After that all the issues started happening with muscles than covid pneumonia. Hope we can all find the solutions to fix the post covid inflammatory response in the body. That is the main issue is the system is now tricked into thinking something is wrong all the time. It is similar to having Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, which I have been studying. I got on an H1 and H2 blocker to try per DrBeen.com youtube channel says might help. I will keep my eyes open for you to see anything that helps me I will pass it along.

Thanks so much for connecting with me.

Good Morning

Hoping to gain some insight on treatment and current research....

I have been experiencing joint and muscle pain ever since May 2020. I believe I had Covid at that time but my test came back negative (I had the majority of symptoms). Within a couple months I started having extreme inflammation in my hand, and then over time continued to have ongoing new symptoms such as multiple bursitis throughout body, developed Raynaud’s syndrome, and costochondritis. My muscle and joint pain are continually getting worse. I did not have muscle /joint pain symptoms prior to when I think I had Covid other than some weakness in my left hand (I am a right-hand amputee so suspect that was only due to overuse).

I had a Rheumatology eval and was told I have osteoarthritis versus autoimmune disease as I did not have any blood markers indicating autoimmune disease and the doctor dismissed the possibility it could be related to Covid. Tried to get into the Mayo Covid Long Haul Program but was turned away because I did not have a diagnostic test to verify Covid. So, with all that going on I am looking for some info……

What is the latest research related to onset of autoimmune disease and arthritis after experiencing Covid?

Are you aware of doctors that are willing to talk to patients or entertain the idea about Long Haul Covid related to muscle and joint pain and/or inflammation …… even if there is not a previous positive Covid test?
(I see a lot of Covid Long Haul Clinics posting the symptoms they are addressing but most of them do not include joint and muscle pain as one of these symptoms)?

I also understand that my situation could not at all be related to Covid but the circumstances just seem to fit.

Trying to also figure out best approach for treatment and how to begin – Rheumatologist recommended Physical Therapy and stated there was no further treatment that would help.

Any insight is appreciated!

Hi @ssj2020, it sounds like you're at the beginning of discovery and finding solutions to persistent joint pain. I'm hoping fellow members like @aztennisguy @gacko @jocelyneg @leezer @sueinmn @connie1977 can share what is helping them and contribute to your search for resolution and the latest research.

SSJ, Whether your pain is related to autoimmune disease, osteoarthritis or unconfirmed COVID, you want relief. You might wish to join this discussion:
- Osteoarthritis: Let's connect and support each other https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/osteoarthritis-3/

Have you tried physical therapy? Is it helping?