1. < Chronic Pain

Let's just be free to rant: No known cause for my pain

Posted by bunnysammy @bunnysammy, Jul 2, 2018

Hi. I'm 20 years old and haven't figured out the cause of my pain yet. This is the first place I've found with people I can talk to who just get it. Everyday I wake up and I'm at the very least achy all over. Usually my joints are stiff and something they feel better later in the day and sometimes they get worse especially if I'm in the sun at all. My ankles swell most days... and yesterday I started getting burning in the tip of my thumb and numbness in others. Last night the pain got so bad in my right hand that I couldn't even grasp a spoon and I had to cook dinner with my left. I'm 20!! I run a farm and this just hit me suddenly one day. I feel so useless sometimes. I know it's not my fault but 3 months ago I was able to do everything (I hurt but not this bad) I was strong and now just a bit of work leaves me completely in pain, brain fog and dead tired. What is that???

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Chronic Pain Support Group.

GailBL, Alumni Mentor | @gailb | Jul 2, 2018

@bunnysammy

Welcome to the Mayo Connect Community. I'm not a medical professional and I don't provide diagnosis nor medical recommendations. I do provide my experience, knowledge, and support for members. I'm so sorry to hear about your experience of pain and fatigue. You're right, this is very unusual for the age of 20. Please help us get to know you better so any suggestions we give are the most helpful for you.

- I'm wondering if you are taking any medications or supplements like multivitamins?
- You said you "run a farm," and this came on suddenly 3 months ago. Do you use any pesticides or other chemicals in your work on the farm?
- Do neighboring farms use sprays that might drift to your area?
- Have you changed to any new crops recently?
- I recommend looking at anything you may have changed just before you began experiencing the pain and fatigue.
- Are you around manure, or dust from a barn?
- Have you been bitten by any mosquitoes or other insects?

These are all possible clues that can lead to what's happening to you. When I had Valley Fever in my early 20s I experienced many of the same symptoms you have described. Valley Fever comes from breathing in spores that float in the air and come from various sources. I actually had to move from the desert in Tucson in order to recover, and I did recover completely.

Also, do you have a regular physician who you see regularly? If not, I highly recommend that you contact a general physician and possibly a neurologist. I am concerned that you are having painful joints, swelling ankles, and brain fog. I can't offer you a guess as to what the problem is, but I know enough to tell you to see a doctor/neurologist as soon as possible. This isn't normal, but there could be a simple solution that you need to take, just don't put off getting a diagnosis. If you are close to a Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Jacksonville, or Scottsdale, you should make an appointment with them. Mayo is excellent at making diagnosis, but you need to go to any close clinic anyway. Be sure to take the answers to the questions I have asked with you to the doctor/ neurologist. I hope you have medical insurance, but even if you don't, please see a doctor.

I hope you have family and friends who are supportive. We are all here for you @bunnysammy. I hope to hear from you soon.

Gail
Volunteer Mentor

REPLY
3 replies
bunnysammy | @bunnysammy | Jul 2, 2018
In reply to @gailb "@bunnysammy Welcome to the Mayo Connect Community. I'm not a medical professional and I don't provide..." + (show)
@gailb

@bunnysammy

Welcome to the Mayo Connect Community. I'm not a medical professional and I don't provide diagnosis nor medical recommendations. I do provide my experience, knowledge, and support for members. I'm so sorry to hear about your experience of pain and fatigue. You're right, this is very unusual for the age of 20. Please help us get to know you better so any suggestions we give are the most helpful for you.

- I'm wondering if you are taking any medications or supplements like multivitamins?
- You said you "run a farm," and this came on suddenly 3 months ago. Do you use any pesticides or other chemicals in your work on the farm?
- Do neighboring farms use sprays that might drift to your area?
- Have you changed to any new crops recently?
- I recommend looking at anything you may have changed just before you began experiencing the pain and fatigue.
- Are you around manure, or dust from a barn?
- Have you been bitten by any mosquitoes or other insects?

These are all possible clues that can lead to what's happening to you. When I had Valley Fever in my early 20s I experienced many of the same symptoms you have described. Valley Fever comes from breathing in spores that float in the air and come from various sources. I actually had to move from the desert in Tucson in order to recover, and I did recover completely.

Also, do you have a regular physician who you see regularly? If not, I highly recommend that you contact a general physician and possibly a neurologist. I am concerned that you are having painful joints, swelling ankles, and brain fog. I can't offer you a guess as to what the problem is, but I know enough to tell you to see a doctor/neurologist as soon as possible. This isn't normal, but there could be a simple solution that you need to take, just don't put off getting a diagnosis. If you are close to a Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Jacksonville, or Scottsdale, you should make an appointment with them. Mayo is excellent at making diagnosis, but you need to go to any close clinic anyway. Be sure to take the answers to the questions I have asked with you to the doctor/ neurologist. I hope you have medical insurance, but even if you don't, please see a doctor.

I hope you have family and friends who are supportive. We are all here for you @bunnysammy. I hope to hear from you soon.

Gail
Volunteer Mentor

Jump to this post

Hi Gail, I'll try to answer all of your questions:)

1. I take a lot of vitamins that my vitamin doctor gives me. Mainly for digestion (I have IBS) and to up my immune system.

2. We keep everything organic.

3. I don't think my neighbors do. We live out in the middle of nowhere and most people there don't do any big farming including me. It's more just animals and food to sustain my family and that's it. Some people around us do that and some don't.

4. We just started really getting everything going in the gardens. We just got starter plants but they're all organic.

5. We do have a big manure pile from the people who lived there before us. It's been there for years I guess. We started adding our animals stuff to it. It's windy out there so it's possible that gets around in the air.

6. Have a misquote rash now. They always turn into rashes for me. Maybe I'm slightly allergic? But these symptoms started before I noticed the mosquitos coming back out.

I've never had luck with my regular physician. I need to find new one. I always just book directly with specialists. She didn't believe me about my IBS symptoms and said she thinks I have an eating disorder... which I don't but even if did those symptoms should still be treated as that can cause damage to the digestive system. So I went straight to a specialist.
I actually set up an appointment with a rheumatologist because the blood test I got done for my vitamin doctor showed signs of autoimmune disorders. When she told me that I didn't really understand what that was and I didn't do anything about it for months until everything got worse recently.
I've seen a neurologist twice and they usually check me for only Brain tumors and then there's nothing so they make me try a bunch of migraine medicine (I get those too) that never works. I've talked to this rheumatologist on the phone and she seemed very caring so hopefully even if she doesn't figure it out having a caring doctor will help me get to the bottom of it.

Thanks for the concern and suggestions!!

REPLY
Parus | @parus | Jul 3, 2018

@bunnysammy Someone who gets it and has no answers. I have completely given up on the medical folks. Now everything is blamed on my age. Yes, old and once was healthy. Hoping you find some answers.

REPLY
1 reply
Gary, Alumni Mentor | @gman007 | Jul 3, 2018

Hi @bunnysammy. Like Gail, I am a volunteer mentor and by no exaggeration trained in anything relating to medicine. I would just ask one additional question to those posed by Gail. Have you removed a tic from your body any time in the last three months? It could have been even further back than that. I have a brother-in-law who lives on a small farm similar to what you describe and he contracted lyme disease and in SC we are being warned to carefully check ourselves and little ones for tics this summer as they are expected to be more numerous than usual. There is a simple blood test to check for the presence of the disease and there is no quick remedy. It is usually just time to let it recede from your body, I am actually not completely certain as to any treatment.
Good luck,
Gary

REPLY
6 replies
bonnieh218 | @bonnieh218 | Jul 3, 2018

This sounds just like my Fibromyalgia symptoms.

REPLY
1 reply
GailBL, Alumni Mentor | @gailb | Jul 3, 2018

@bunnysammy

Thanks for your responses to my questions. They helped me understand your situation better. It's too bad that some doctors just dismiss the complaints of patients when the doctor doesn't know what's wrong or can't make a diagnosis. Yes, it sounds as if you need a new, more knowledgeable primary care practitioner.

I'm so glad to hear that you have already seen a neurologist who has ruled out brain tumors. I'm not sure that's all they do, but yours zeroed in on that. The rheumatologist is probably going to be the best diagnostician for your problems. I was wondering about a virus which might affect you if you get exposed while cleaning out barns. If you breathe in any dust with the virus in it, you could have been exposed. Be sure to ask your doctor about it. I'm also suspicious of the multiple supplements you are taking. Supplements are not regulated as far as their components or the way they are formulated. You may be taking something that is not working with your body. Last, the reaction you have to mosquitoe bites is a clue that you are allergic to their bites. You should be using a protective insect repellant. If you are using a repellant, you may be allergic to it.

I think I haven't been helpful in narrowing the possible causes of your health issues, but I hope you have some additional things to consider and to ask your rheumatologist about. Garry ' suggestion about Lyme disease is good. Also check out West Nile virus. Did you or have you had any fevers since your symptoms first started? I'm hoping you find the answers and resolution to your health problems @bunnysammy.

Gail
Volunteer Mentor

REPLY
1 reply
coquifoife | @coquifoife | Jul 3, 2018
In reply to @gailb "@bunnysammy Welcome to the Mayo Connect Community. I'm not a medical professional and I don't provide..." + (show)
@gailb

@bunnysammy

Welcome to the Mayo Connect Community. I'm not a medical professional and I don't provide diagnosis nor medical recommendations. I do provide my experience, knowledge, and support for members. I'm so sorry to hear about your experience of pain and fatigue. You're right, this is very unusual for the age of 20. Please help us get to know you better so any suggestions we give are the most helpful for you.

- I'm wondering if you are taking any medications or supplements like multivitamins?
- You said you "run a farm," and this came on suddenly 3 months ago. Do you use any pesticides or other chemicals in your work on the farm?
- Do neighboring farms use sprays that might drift to your area?
- Have you changed to any new crops recently?
- I recommend looking at anything you may have changed just before you began experiencing the pain and fatigue.
- Are you around manure, or dust from a barn?
- Have you been bitten by any mosquitoes or other insects?

These are all possible clues that can lead to what's happening to you. When I had Valley Fever in my early 20s I experienced many of the same symptoms you have described. Valley Fever comes from breathing in spores that float in the air and come from various sources. I actually had to move from the desert in Tucson in order to recover, and I did recover completely.

Also, do you have a regular physician who you see regularly? If not, I highly recommend that you contact a general physician and possibly a neurologist. I am concerned that you are having painful joints, swelling ankles, and brain fog. I can't offer you a guess as to what the problem is, but I know enough to tell you to see a doctor/neurologist as soon as possible. This isn't normal, but there could be a simple solution that you need to take, just don't put off getting a diagnosis. If you are close to a Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Jacksonville, or Scottsdale, you should make an appointment with them. Mayo is excellent at making diagnosis, but you need to go to any close clinic anyway. Be sure to take the answers to the questions I have asked with you to the doctor/ neurologist. I hope you have medical insurance, but even if you don't, please see a doctor.

I hope you have family and friends who are supportive. We are all here for you @bunnysammy. I hope to hear from you soon.

Gail
Volunteer Mentor

Jump to this post

I agree about Mayo. If there isn’t one nearby, I strongly suggest you look for a teaching hospital. I probably have 10 specialists at Emory University Hospital and Clinic in Atlanta. I’ve been going there for 33 years and have never been disappointed. I wish you the best of luck. Keep us posted.

REPLY
Parus | @parus | Jul 3, 2018
In reply to @gman007 "Hi @bunnysammy. Like Gail, I am a volunteer mentor and by no exaggeration trained in anything..." + (show)
@gman007

Hi @bunnysammy. Like Gail, I am a volunteer mentor and by no exaggeration trained in anything relating to medicine. I would just ask one additional question to those posed by Gail. Have you removed a tic from your body any time in the last three months? It could have been even further back than that. I have a brother-in-law who lives on a small farm similar to what you describe and he contracted lyme disease and in SC we are being warned to carefully check ourselves and little ones for tics this summer as they are expected to be more numerous than usual. There is a simple blood test to check for the presence of the disease and there is no quick remedy. It is usually just time to let it recede from your body, I am actually not completely certain as to any treatment.
Good luck,
Gary

Jump to this post

@gman007 hello, back again. True no quick remedy for Lyme Disease. Contracted thus in 1983 and still have thus. I am no longer sure what causes what anymore. I am endeavoring to be more encouraging as there surely are some answers of some kind out there. Happy 4th!!!

REPLY
bunnysammy | @bunnysammy | Jul 3, 2018
In reply to @gailb "@bunnysammy Welcome to the Mayo Connect Community. I'm not a medical professional and I don't provide..." + (show)
@gailb

@bunnysammy

Welcome to the Mayo Connect Community. I'm not a medical professional and I don't provide diagnosis nor medical recommendations. I do provide my experience, knowledge, and support for members. I'm so sorry to hear about your experience of pain and fatigue. You're right, this is very unusual for the age of 20. Please help us get to know you better so any suggestions we give are the most helpful for you.

- I'm wondering if you are taking any medications or supplements like multivitamins?
- You said you "run a farm," and this came on suddenly 3 months ago. Do you use any pesticides or other chemicals in your work on the farm?
- Do neighboring farms use sprays that might drift to your area?
- Have you changed to any new crops recently?
- I recommend looking at anything you may have changed just before you began experiencing the pain and fatigue.
- Are you around manure, or dust from a barn?
- Have you been bitten by any mosquitoes or other insects?

These are all possible clues that can lead to what's happening to you. When I had Valley Fever in my early 20s I experienced many of the same symptoms you have described. Valley Fever comes from breathing in spores that float in the air and come from various sources. I actually had to move from the desert in Tucson in order to recover, and I did recover completely.

Also, do you have a regular physician who you see regularly? If not, I highly recommend that you contact a general physician and possibly a neurologist. I am concerned that you are having painful joints, swelling ankles, and brain fog. I can't offer you a guess as to what the problem is, but I know enough to tell you to see a doctor/neurologist as soon as possible. This isn't normal, but there could be a simple solution that you need to take, just don't put off getting a diagnosis. If you are close to a Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Jacksonville, or Scottsdale, you should make an appointment with them. Mayo is excellent at making diagnosis, but you need to go to any close clinic anyway. Be sure to take the answers to the questions I have asked with you to the doctor/ neurologist. I hope you have medical insurance, but even if you don't, please see a doctor.

I hope you have family and friends who are supportive. We are all here for you @bunnysammy. I hope to hear from you soon.

Gail
Volunteer Mentor

Jump to this post

Thank you:)

REPLY
bunnysammy | @bunnysammy | Jul 3, 2018
In reply to @parus "@bunnysammy Someone who gets it and has no answers. I have completely given up on the..." + (show)
@parus

@bunnysammy Someone who gets it and has no answers. I have completely given up on the medical folks. Now everything is blamed on my age. Yes, old and once was healthy. Hoping you find some answers.

Jump to this post

I'm sorry. Not having any answers is frustrating. Hopefully one day there will be more research on this kind of stuff.

REPLY
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