Consistently Achy Joints?

I also had achy joints. My knees were the worse. I went to the doctor where they dignosied me with athritis. They gave me nothing. I started taking fish oil and let me tell you that after about 2 weeks I felt much better. My husband whoms foot was crushed in a logging accident where a rod had to be plcaed in his foot could not find anything to help ease the achy feeling in his foot started taking fish oil and he swears by it. I still think that you need to see a doctor before doing anything though! Good luck!!

Like you, I was very healthy before I had my daughter February of 2006.
When I was about 5 months pregnant, my joints started to get achy. I thought it was just a weird pregnancy thing. This got worse quickly, and I ended up spending a good amount of time in the hospital before, and after I had my daughter. Long story short, I was diagnosed w/ Lupus. It is a very common disease that can be brought out/aggravated with drastic hormone shifts – like pregnancy.
I don’t mean to scare you but maybe just have your doctor run some extra test. If your internist can’t/won’t help you, you might want to see a rheumatologist.
Good Luck

Ask your doctor to check you for something called fibromyalgia. Pronounced fi-bro-my-al-ja. This is a joint problem that you can get when the body goes through a very strong impact being birth.

Please see a rhuematologist. I had achy joints for about a year, shortly after I got married. I tried everything--taking ibuprofin, exersise, chiropractors--and nothing helped. I was finally diagnosed with rhuematoid arthritis. The symptoms went away during pregnancy, but returned about 5 or 6 months after I had my son. Honestly, your symptoms sound EXACTLY like what mine were. If you are waking up stiff and achy in the morning and the stiffness kind of eases during the day, but stiff hurts, there is a good chance you have it. Do you also have fatigue a lot? Are you between the ages of 30 and 45? Most people are diagnosed around that time frame for RA. Please send me a message if you have any questions--rhuematoid arthritis is very easily controlled with medications.

Like the other posters...see your doctor. But it also might be a hormone imbalance. Low estrogen can cause some of the symptoms you're talking about. I myself just found out that I have low estrogen--we're talking post-menopausal levels and I'm only 33. I was also having debilitating migraines ever since I was pregnant with my daughter. I think there's a blood test they can do to check hormones, my dr. did a saliva test. I'm using Nuvaring and I feel better. It could just be a hormone issue, keep that in mind when you go see your dr.

Just thought you'd like to know that you are not the only one out there like this. Although I have suffered joint and tendon issues since I was in my late teens with periods of remissions, it has been much worse for me since the birth of my second child almost 1 1/2 years ago. I am currently seeing a chiropractor and that slowly but surely seems to be helping me in addition to doing specific exercises for my conditons (bulging disc in lower back, and compressed cervical spine due probablt to a car accident years back). My tendon issues well they have always been an issue siince before the accident, but at least going to a chiropractor seems to help manage my pain better without having to pop aleve all day long or going in for cortisone injections. I am aslo on a specific vitamin/supplement regement as well as drinking half my weight in ounces of water a day. I think some of it is just the aging process for me too, as well as having had a job where I have been standing for the last 18 years. Hope this helps, and I hope you feel better soon.

You may want to make an appointment with a rheumatologist. It sounds like it could be lupus, which can be brought on by hormonal changes in your body. I was diagnosed with lupus 10 years ago and had it for two years. I found out that mine was brought on by medication I was taking for acne called Minocin. When I stopped so did the lupus ~ turns out I had "drug-induced lupus." Please have it checked out and if you do indeed have lupus or another autoimmune disease (rheumatoid arthritis, fibromylagia) you can be put on medication to help you feel so much better. Take care!

AFTER I stopped nursing I starting have pain in my knees, hips and shoulders. Up and down the stairs was really painful and my shoulders were the worst! I researched the internet and was convinced I had rheumatoid arthritis (RA) - an autoimmune disorder. Lupus which one other poster noted is also an auto immune disorder. Anyway, I went to see my doctor. She said that the hormones from pregnancy and nursing can do crazy things to the body. She ran some tests. They all came back negative and eventually my body went back to normal. You should see your doctor, if it is RA it is best to seek treatment before you do too much damage to your joints. Hopefully it is nothing but better to have it checked out. Good luck!

Great advice from others, as you should definitely get your symptoms checked out to rule out some things. The best thing for anyone, is your vitamins and also some glucosomine (for joints). Again, your body has been through a lot and continues while you are nursing. You are feeding another and need your precious vitamins and minerals. If you don't have enough, your body automatically takes what it needs from your bones. So, if you're not eating right or not taking vitamins, the body knows where to find the necessary surplus and Mother Nature takes over to feed your baby.

There are so many choices out there and it's hard to know which brands are good and what to take, but mostly how much. Vitamins are not regulated by the FDA yet and it is important, especially as a nursing mother, to get the right amount of nutrition, exercise, plus vitamins and minerals. All women, regardless of what stage in life they are in, need to have the proper balance and even though many take vitamins, they may not be absorbed properly by your body and therefore just get "flushed" out and you have literally wasted your time and money.

It sounds like you are trying to do your best, but if you are interested in finding out more about proper vitamin intake and how easy it can be, plus getting vitamins for joints, helping your immune system (especially during this season), getting more energy, and antioxidants, please email me and I would be happy to chat with you. Your health is very important so do get it checked out. Our little ones take a lot out of us in all ways and are reliant on you for everything. Be good to yourself and you don't have to live this way. There is help for you, just take the next step. Best of luck to you and your bundle of joy!

Hi Darcy!

I just wanted to let you know that I'm SO glad you posted this question. I have experienced the same thing after my first child was born, and it has gotten worse after my second child. When I first mentioned this to my husband, he just gave me this smile and said, "J., you're just getting old like the rest of us. I've been experiencing weird pains in all sorts of places." So we just laughed and I figured it was probably due to just getting older and I also attributed it to childbirth putting the strain on my body. So, I never thought to ask anyone about it. However, it was so interesting to read all the responses (thank you!)There was a lot of information, and I think I'm going to be talking to my doctor soon, especially to rule out any significant problems. And it's true, why go through pain if there is something to be done?

Good luck and take care!
J.

Having babies can terrorize our bodies. Let your doctor know what's going on. It may be something serious but may not. Not something you want to play with. Your body may just be taking longer to get back to normal. You may want to start taking your prenatal viatims again to make sure your getting everything your body needs. Between nursing and exersice and the life changes your body is going through it might be your just burning yourself to hard. So pump up your viatims and see your doctor. PS. Did you know women are to have 1500 mg of calcium a day? Thats alot but when I started taking it along with a daily viatim I felt better. I have been a mother for 22 years now and my baby is only 7 and it made a true difference for me.

Right after my second son was born in 2000, I experienced lots of achy joints and muscles, waking up very sore and stiff, especially in the neck/shoulders, lower arms/elbows, and wrist hands, experiencing tingling sensations. I was waking up not feeling rested at all. after two years, I was diagnosed with mild arthritis on the neck (ankylosing spondylitis). I was still experiencing chronic pain, and was very fatigued, and recently, five years after the arthritis diagnosis, I have been told that I have fibromyalgia. My doctor (she is BTW, an osteopath) and I are still sorting out all my symptoms, and I am just glad to know that there is help out there. This may not be what's going on with you, but I thought I would respond because, you shouldn't have to experience pain. I think as moms we do so much already for everyone around us, and being happy, and healthy sure helps our loved ones even better. good luck!

Hi D.,

I'm sorry that you are having achy joints. That's not fun to have, and even worse if you have a little one to chase after and get on the floor with. I was fortunate in that I didn't have to deal with that when my daughter was young.

We started drinking MonaVie a little over a year ago, and it's helped with general aches and pains. It has also helped with sore knees, back issues, and arthritis (friends and family).

Most of our diseases/illnesses start with inflammation. Fruit is a natural anti-inflammatory and so when you drink MonaVie, it works on the inflammation and you start to feel relief from your pain. It is nutrition, but when you give your body/cells what it needs it can start to repair and take care of itself. Everyone is different, and their response time is different.

Celeste mentioned some health issues that people have been helped with. We also have friends who have been helped with fibromyalgia and lupus.

I know there are times that prescriptions are necessary, and I would never tell anyone to stop what they are taking. However, you can have some pretty serious side effects. We have chosen to take the natural route and we feel great!

I think it would be worthwhile to try the MonaVie. And if you are still nursing, your son could benefit from the juice as well.

I hope this has been helpful, and I hope you get relief from your pain!

C. :)

P.S. I have a business listing. You can also check out my website at www.BerryGoodAcai.com . My email address is ____@____.com .

Hi D.,
Although I never had this experience I do know of something that could possibly help you. It's called Replenex. It is about $10 and comes with a money back guarantee. It cannot be purchased from a store if you'd like to shop from the catalog that I shop from, let me know.

M..
###-###-####
____@____.com

Not trying to scare you or anything,
Try Googling the word Fibromyalgia.
I have had it for years and it all started after one of my pregnancies. It got worse after each pregnancy after (we have 4 kids) It causes me to be in pain in my muscles and joints and it often travels without any apparent reason. There are also other symptoms that I am sure you will read about if you google the word. I have heard that pregnancy can be a common trigger.
Either way, good luck to you and I hope you get it figured out.

I have had a lot of back problems myself and have been seeing a rehab doctor for that. We just had a discussion about nursing, hormones, relaxant(which is released when pregnant)and pain, and although it is not study very well she has seen reports on it. As a nurse myself, I would suggest that you give your OBGYN office a call and talk to someone on the phone, ie the Nurse Practitioner if you MD is too busy I am sure it is nothing but they probably can give you some advice.

Hi D.:
I have had similar problems when I was nursing my son. What helped tremendously was 2 things: finding a very good chiropractor and taking 2000mg of cod liver oil daily. The brand everyone in my family (including my 4 yo) uses is Carlson's lemon flavored. It tastes fine by itself or you can put it on a salad. The cod liver oil (fish oil) reduces any inflammation in the body including all joint pains & aches. It made a world of difference for myself and many relatives w/ similar problems. And, the essential fatty acids in it are phenomenal for your baby's brain development. Take care, Zorana

Hi D.,

Don't know if my suggestion will help, but maybe worth a shot. I am a massage therapist in Leesburg, IN and I also promote a nutritional beverage called Monavie. Monavie is 19 fruits with the main ingredient being the Acai berry from the Amazon. Has more antioxidants and phytonutrients than anything out there today. I can't tell you how many people have been helped with their health issues, especially achy joints, aches and pains. Helps with energy, has lowered blood pressure, cholesterol, helps with diabetes. Seems to work on whatever your issues are. It balances out the body and when that happens, your body starts to heal. Has anti-inflammatory properties which are the biggest disease carrier.

Don't know if this is something you might want to try. Check it out on the web. www.Monavie.com

Hope to hear from you.
C. Ragland

My email is ____@____.com

Hi! I'm a bit behind in my email after the holidays so the list is long and maybe you already got this response. Anyhow, you have tons of relaxin in your system still, and even more if you a breastfeeding. It's what helped spread your hips and relax your joints to give birth. Be careful not to over-stretch joints, this is a time when many women have trouble with wrist pain from carrying the baby around as well. Usually Tylonal will help. There isn't a whole lot you can do though, sorry :(

Hi D.,

I, too, had the same problem after giving birth to my second child 4 years ago. I spent a lot of time seeing doctors and physical therapists. My doctor tested me twice for rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, but both times it was negative. She finally decided it was early arthritis, and wanted to prescribe drugs. I HATE the idea of taking drugs, so I asked her to send me to physical therapy. Luckily, the physical therapist I saw had some training in a technique called IMT (integrative manual therapy), and was able to relieve some of my symptoms. The therapist recommended that I see someone more trained in IMT, and there was (fortunately for me) an upcoming special event where therapists from all over the country were converging on the local IMT office (in Elmhurst). Also coming to Elmhurst was Sharon Weiselfish Giamateo, the woman who pioneered IMT. I saw Sharon briefly during the event, and she told me my achy joints were a result of toxins building up in my body - waste products that my body was unable to process efficiently. She recommended that I go on a gluten-free diet for 6 months, and also gave some protocols to the local IMT therapists for me. Gluten is found in wheat, barley, and other grains, and is very difficult for the body to process. If the body cannot process it, the waste products accumulate in your joints. Let me tell you, after only a week or so on a gluten-free diet, I felt probably 90% better. It was amazing, and I was able to do it without drugs. It's a little difficult to be totally gluten free (you really have to read labels and understand where gluten may be hiding), but it's well worth it. I was at the point where I could barely turn my head, my hands, elbows, wrists, etc. were all very painful. If you want to learn more about IMT, you can visit their website at www.centerimt.com. I am no longer on a gluten-free diet, but my joints will start hurting again if I eat too much gluten. Then I know just to back off and I feel better again. I hope this helps, D.!

J.

Hello D.,

I too have achy joints, but mostly in the knees. Something I never had a problem with before my pregnancy. 2 months ago I started seeing a chiropractor, and the pain in my knees has significantly decreased where I almost forgot I had it. He is in Romeovile, so if you decide to go with one, let me know, and I can give you the information. Best of luck to you!

J.