Opinions wanted please - Arthritis Message Board

pattiann38 · 06-03-2003, 07:30 AM

I am female, 38 yo. Last Oct. I experienced horrible pain/pressure in gums, teeth and face which in Jan. was diagnosed as shingles (after the lesions broke out on my gums - quite unusual place). During this time, in Nov. for about one week, I would wake up feeling like the tin man in the Wizard Of Oz because EVERY joint was stiff and hurt. I could not pay too much attention to this at the time as the facial pain was so intense and no doctor could figure out what was happening with my face. At Xmas I was wearing a tensor bandage around one of my wrists it hurt so bad. Then in Mar. to now, though most of the post-herpetic neuralgia in my face has faded, I still struggle with stiff and painful hands, particularly my left hand, the first top two joints. The odd time at night when the pain has been particularly bad they are tingling and numb. My ankles, toe joints, and knees hurt for a week in Feb., it is really just my hands. I know I should go to my doctor but quite frankly she's not a very nice person and I saw her soooooo much re: the shingles I'm just burnt out on going again. I suppose I should have mentioned my other symptoms but at the time I could barely talk and eat and my primary concern was my face and figuring that out. Plus the joint pain up until March would come and go. My questions are: Could the shingles have set off an auto-immune response creating this arthritis? Why does aspirin not even dent the pain? Why are some days better than others? And lastly, could an underlying arthritic condition have led to the shingles? As an aside, how can you tell the difference between RA and lupus besides blood tests? Thanks to anyone who takes the time to answer.

Romi Wallis · 06-03-2003, 07:51 AM

Hi there pattiann38. I'm sorry I don't have any answers for you, but I do want to say I know how you must be feeling. I finally saw a rheumy at the end of last year and he diagnosed psoriatic arthritis. In addition to the other myriad symptoms, joint pain, early morning stiffness, etc. etc. I also get a 'butterfly' type rash over the bridge of my nose. It is always there - just some times more pronounced than others - depending on my stress level, I suppose. I pointed this out to him, as I know Lupus, generally, presents this peculiar rash but he just dismissed the idea. It seems to me that these autoimmune disorders, whether RA, Lupus or anything else, are all treated the same way so it makes no difference what tag the docs put on them. I still would like to get another opinion, though. I hope you manage to get your query sorted out. Post again and let us know. All the best. Romi.

OTE]Originally posted by pattiann38:
I am female, 38 yo. Last Oct. I experienced horrible pain/pressure in gums, teeth and face which in Jan. was diagnosed as shingles (after the lesions broke out on my gums - quite unusual place). During this time, in Nov. for about one week, I would wake up feeling like the tin man in the Wizard Of Oz because EVERY joint was stiff and hurt. I could not pay too much attention to this at the time as the facial pain was so intense and no doctor could figure out what was happening with my face. At Xmas I was wearing a tensor bandage around one of my wrists it hurt so bad. Then in Mar. to now, though most of the post-herpetic neuralgia in my face has faded, I still struggle with stiff and painful hands, particularly my left hand, the first top two joints. The odd time at night when the pain has been particularly bad they are tingling and numb. My ankles, toe joints, and knees hurt for a week in Feb., it is really just my hands. I know I should go to my doctor but quite frankly she's not a very nice person and I saw her soooooo much re: the shingles I'm just burnt out on going again. I suppose I should have mentioned my other symptoms but at the time I could barely talk and eat and my primary concern was my face and figuring that out. Plus the joint pain up until March would come and go. My questions are: Could the shingles have set off an auto-immune response creating this arthritis? Why does aspirin not even dent the pain? Why are some days better than others? And lastly, could an underlying arthritic condition have led to the shingles? As an aside, how can you tell the difference between RA and lupus besides blood tests? Thanks to anyone who takes the time to answer. [/QUOTE]