I know someone who has had intermittent painful knees for about 17 years (since the age of 13). If it is arthritis not related to lyme, would it be intermittent?
Also, now (in the last year) she has the same with her hips as well. She said it might be something to do with her cycle as it is worse just before or when she is hungry.
Is there anything else it might be besides lyme given that it is intermittent? I know she wants to start a family soon but she doesn't think it is lyme because she knows I have lyme but no painful knees and dismisses it.
Can someone have lyme this long and not get too sick from it? She is OK otherwise as far as I know.
quote:Originally posted by doxydave: Can someone have lyme this long and not get too sick from it? She is OK otherwise as far as I know.
Thanks.
Absolutely!!! Yes, yes, yes! I had it for 20 yrs before the pain set in...and it was intermittant. I can't think of any other form of arthritis that comes and goes.
I hope she listens to you so that her baby is safe and doesn't get Lyme from her. That would be terrible!
here is the list of Lyme symptoms
1. Unexplained fevers, sweats, chills, or flushing 2. Unexplained weight change--loss or gain 3. Fatigue, tiredness, poor stamina 4. Unexplained hair loss 5. Swollen glands: list areas____ 6. Sore throat 7. Testicular pain/pelvic pain 8. Unexplained menstrual irregularity 9. Unexplained milk production: breast pain 10.Irritable bladder or bladder dysfunction 11.Sexual dysfunction or loss of libido 12.Upset stomach 13.Change in bowel function-constipation, diarrhea 14.Chest pain or rib soreness 15.Shortness of breath, cough 16.Heart palpitations, pulse skips, heart block 17.Any history of a heart murmur or valve prolapse? 18.Joint pain or swelling: list joints_____________ 19.Stiffness of the joints, neck, or back 20.Muscle pain or cramps 21.Twitching of the face or other muscles 22.Headache 23.Neck creeks and cracks, neck stiffness, neck pain 24.Tingling, numbness, burning or stabbing sensations, shooting pains 25.Facial paralysis (Bell's Palsy) 26.Eyes/Vision: double, blurry, increased floaters, light sensitivity 27.Ears/Hearing: buzzing, ringing, ear pain, sound sensitivity 28.lncreased motion sickness, vertigo, poor balance 29.Lightheadedness, wooziness 30.Tremor 31.Confusion, difficulty in thinking 32.Diffculty with concentration, reading 33.Forgetfuiness, poor short term memory 34.Disorientation: getting lost, going to wrong places 35.Difficulty with speech or writing 36.Mood swings, irritability, depression 37.Disturbed sleep-too much, too little, early awakening 38.Exaggerated symptoms or worse hangover from alcohol
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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Andie333
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7370
posted
Dave, I've also got arthritis in my knee...in fact, it was the second symptom of Lyme I had.
I was told that one of the arthritis indicators for Lyme is whether or not the conditions are in one knee or both knees. For me, foot numbness, knee and hip arthritic conditions and finger stiffness were all on my right side.
Something you might want to read more about. Hope your friend finds some relief.
Andie
Posts: 2549 | From never never land | Registered: May 2005
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posted
When I was 14 yrs old, I had hurting knees. It was Dx'd as "Growing Pains". When I was 17, a rannom blood test showed something "funny" in my blood and I was treated for gonorhea. At 20 I had an experience of paralysis for two days that went away and a week later I was shot up with steroids to treat the remaining shoulder pain. At 30, my hands, hips and feet started to ache, and I was Dx'd with "Roaming Arthritis". At 35 I was Dx'd with Osteo arthritis. At 41 I was Dx'd FM and at 43 Dx was CFS. Now at 49, I am not any better and much much worse, 2 weeks ago being Dx'd with Positive Lyme Western Blot. What you might try to explain to your friend is that pain isn't "normal". If it hurts, there is a reason. The trick is to find the reason. All these Dx's such as CFS and FM and arthritis and MS and ALS, simply describe a set of symptoms and have NOTHING to do with a cause. Lyme, is a cause, and more treatable the earlier it is tested for and found. Good Luck and Cheers, *Bit*
Posts: 116 | From Bisbee, AZ USA | Registered: Sep 2005
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
Dave,
Did you find my long lost twin? This is long, because I think it should help your friend. We seem to share things in common.
I first had knee pain when I was 14. I was walking through school, and somebody asked me why I was limping. I realized I couldn't straighten my leg out. Within a day, the pain became extreme.
I was told I had "chronic recurring water on the knee." They did every test possible, and never could come with a diagnosis. There was nothing physically wrong with my knee. My orthopedic specialist said that we couldn't rule out Lyme, but didn't feel there was enough evidence to treat.
This has remained recurring my entire life, although the number and length of occurrences declined after a couple years. I am now 30. I have been treated for lyme for 18 months. I just realized in yoga last night, I can bend my knee farther than I have been able to since I was 14.
I also have hip and lower back pain. My lower back pain starting about the same time as my knee. It seemed timed mostly with my cycle, so I just thought it was cramps. I was 14, so I didn't have much experience to compare to. It got extreme at times.
I always used to say I have Barbie Doll hips. I'm double jointed, and my hips are very flexible in some directions because of it. But they don't move much in others, and cause sharp pain if I try to. I say Barbie Doll because I can move my legs very far in the front or back direction, but can hardly open into a stradle. Anyone who has every played with a Barbie should know what I mean.
As far as having Lyme for so long and not getting sick...there were times in my life where pain became extreme enough to go to a medical professional. The dots were never connected, and the severe pain always faded. I had the knee problems, which re-emerged on and off through my early 20's. I had lower back pain that got severe in college. Stiff necks in my early 20's. It wasn't until I was 27 that I got such severe, debilitating and chronic pain that it led me down the path to a Lyme diagnosis.
One reason I was told repeatedly it wasn't Lyme was that I never had cognitive symptoms. Although, I may now use it as an excuse for 10th grade chemistry
That said, is Lyme the only possibility? Of course not. My LLMD also diagnosed me with salmonella induced reactive arthritis. My herx from meds targetting the salmonella caused intense back and hip pain, and also inflammation in my knee.
Your friend may want to look at the website www.spondylitis.org which is about arthritis of the spine which often causes lower back pain. There is information on the site about reactive arthritis, which was what my salmonella caused.
Best of luck for your friend.
-Aniek
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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