Gosh what a journey, mainly of my self and my thoughts of people that I've had to meet while trying to find out what was wrong.
Young, healthy, strong and active. Diagnosed with Psoriasis at 17. Full treatment for whole body at 18 with tonsils removed. Returned home and was discharged due to good progress. Psoriasis just remained on joints.
Back at doctors at 19 with the most painful surges of pain in my ankles I've ever had. Doctor showed zero interest. Spent my twenties being married with 3 children. Still young and fit and obviously very active. Those damm pains would re occur with no swelling, no redness, nothing ! But boy did I limp when it passed and for about a week. I can remember limping pushing a buggy. So I knew then whatever it was wasn't good. I was in my old house that I started to have inflamation in one of my feet. I was given NSAIDS (if that's correct) and it went never to return.
Fast forward to my 30's and still slim, fit and healthy. The only pains I had were from keep fit and over doing it or maybe from a bug etc. Then something would start again, I couldn't even carry a small loaf of bread in a carrier bag without my inner elbows burning. That fatigue again just wasn't normal it was so bad. Generally bad feeling all over but I knew it was 'something' not just a bug. Then those attacks in my ankles again and again ! People asking me why I was limping.
My 40's, still pretty active and feeling pretty good. Having a mixture of friends helped. Still doing keep fit but very much interested in posture as well as the other stuff. The flare ups of pain in my feet were very rare now. Although something else happened instead. I'd developed this horrid , mad set of feelings and pains on the top of my feet that have never gone away. Also these pains firing in all sorts of places in my body. Then I'd walk and almost develop a bad limp as quickly as that. Sometimes I would have awful shooting pains in my knees. So lots of randon pains everywhere. Some would last for hours and some minutes, even seconds. But those feet of mine.....so weird and horrid. I was given a needle in my left heel in my late forties due to plantar ....... It was in my 40's that I discovered that my feet were actually flat when I walked. This resulted in more respect for my feet and I chose to be really fussy with my foot care.
During all this time I had been sent to a few specialists of different types. I know some were Rheumy's and finally to Walton, about three times.
I actually don't think my experience sounds that bad at all when reading some of my stuff. It is long though, so my appologies for that. However, I've missed stacks out for obvious reasons. But all I can say is knowledge is power. If you know in your heart that you are fit and shouldn't be feeling like this then you should be prepared to find out why.
The sad thing is that I was assertive every so often but was sent to the wrong places. Now I have more problems which is a mixture of age related and lack of treatment. I have honestly met some horrors in my time with regards to my search for some answers. I was told by a Walton specialist 'Go home and stop fixating' the shit !
I think most of you on here will also agree that chronic pain can be very isolating. Personally if i'm completely honest I struggle with people who do nothing with regards to keeping fit/ mobile but see me struggle and say 'We are all getting older'. Then from my experience, because I'm not severe, people that know me don't really know me. Chronic pain is silent !
Wow I think I've off loaded my thoughts ha sorry