# Question about pains(back,hand)



## mememe

I'm wondering if these pains _could_ be associated with autoimmune problems, and if so, are there any blood tests I could get to rule in or out anything? What would those tests be?

I get an "aching" kind of pain where the thumb muscle meets the middle of the palm (sorry, not sure of terminology), when I do certain things, like painting the walls of a house, for example.

I also sometimes get sharp pains on the top of my hand, near the joints but not actually including the joints. This happens for no apparent reason that I can think of. It usually happens and is gone quickly, but sometimes, like tonight, it's been hurting non stop for at least an hour.

I have frequent back pain as well. The first one that is recurring is only on one side of my back, in the thoracic area, near the spine. Doc says it may be muscle related and gave me flerixil. Well sure that works but it knocks me out! Recently i've been having some lower back pain for the past few weeks.

I've read that when u have an autoimmune prob u are likely to have more ...so this is why i'm asking it here. Any suggestions welcome! Any tests i should get done?


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## Octavia

The pain in the hand when painting and doing other similar activities seems like overuse of generally underused muscles to me. My hands always hurt after painting, and especially that area you're describing.

But the other things you mention...I'm not sure what to think. I have read that yes, autoimmune issues seem to run together sometimes. One thing that came to mind as I was reading your post was rheumatoid arthritis, but I'm not sure whether the type of pain you describe really fits with that.

I'm sure others will share their thoughts soon...


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## mememe

For rheumatoid arthritis, would that be be "rheumatoid arthritis(ra) Factor" test? There is another one that instead of factor, is called quantitative, fluid, and hEmagglutenation.

Are there any other autoimmune probs associated with pain? (i'm of course not asking for a diagnosis, but rather, tests I may be able to get)


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## joplin1975

The short answer is I don't know...but the long answer is that now that my thyroid is out and I'm closer to being properly medicated, the joint pain (to include carpal tunnel pain) that I experienced and attributed to getting older is virtually gone.


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## Andros

mememe said:


> For rheumatoid arthritis, would that be be "rheumatoid arthritis(ra) Factor" test? There is another one that instead of factor, is called quantitative, fluid, and hEmagglutenation.
> 
> Are there any other autoimmune probs associated with pain? (i'm of course not asking for a diagnosis, but rather, tests I may be able to get)


Lupus. I recommend ANA, Anti-DNA, C3, C4 and Creatine Kinase.

You can look everything up here.
http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/ck/


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## mememe

It _might_ be helpful to add that I have tested positive for TPO, TRAB, TGAB, and TSI.


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## Andros

mememe said:


> It _might_ be helpful to add that I have tested positive for TPO, TRAB, TGAB, and TSI.


That right there can cause myositis, tendonitis and peripheral neuropathy.


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## nodakmom

I will attest to thyroid levels affecting joint/muscle aches. After my TT & RAI my thumb got to the point I was wearing a splint and the dr. dx'd me with tendinitis. I could barely hold a pen to write, grasping anything hurt, but there was no reason for it as none of my habits had changed at all. At my first endo appt (2 months after RAI) she increased my synthroid as my TSH was still high, within about 2 weeks my tendinitis started to go away, and its been gone now about a 6 weeks.


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## Andros

nodakmom said:


> I will attest to thyroid levels affecting joint/muscle aches. After my TT & RAI my thumb got to the point I was wearing a splint and the dr. dx'd me with tendinitis. I could barely hold a pen to write, grasping anything hurt, but there was no reason for it as none of my habits had changed at all. At my first endo appt (2 months after RAI) she increased my synthroid as my TSH was still high, within about 2 weeks my tendinitis started to go away, and its been gone now about a 6 weeks.


I had horrible hip pain for years and don't mention the feet. I could hardly walk for the pain and also carpal tunnel. You name it. LOL!

Nothing like being optimized (euthyroid) for minimal or no pain!

I am glad you are starting to see the light of day w/this!


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## mememe

Andros said:


> Lupus. I recommend ANA, Anti-DNA, C3, C4 and Creatine Kinase.
> 
> You can look everything up here.
> http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/ck/


Would ANA still be useful after having tested positive for TPO? Or does that not matter?


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## Andros

mememe said:


> Would ANA still be useful after having tested positive for TPO? Or does that not matter?


ANA (antinuclear antibodies) is very useful for it is "suggestive" of many things and that should prompt the doctor to do further testing.

Please read this; it will list the myriad of autoimmune diseases it is "suggestive" of.

http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/ana/tab/test


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## mememe

I get my labs through labcorp. They have an Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA) and then they have the same one but with "Direct" added to it.

ALSO, is there any other tests in particular for feeling fatigues most of the time? I've done the Vitamin D and it was low, not sure if it still is, iron was ok IIRC, ferritin, vitamin B stuff was fine.

and another thing that's been on my mind but I don't know enough about it is digestion problems. In particular, I've wondered about gluten problems, and how to check for that? I usually feel like my digestion system is slow, and I feel bloated almost all the time. I feel like my belly area is out of proportion with the rest of my body

Any other test suggestions are very very welcome!! I can add almost anything I want to when I get them done!


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## mememe

I had an MRI done on my lower back due to significant pain. I have not heard back from the doctor yet--it's like pulling teeth--but the physical therapy people were able to get a copy of the report and give it to me. In a nutshell, I have several mild posterior disc bulges, a couple annular tears, some other stuff I don't understand, bilateral spondylosis at the L5/S1, multilevel degenerative disc disease, and multilevel facet arthropathy.

sheww..Anyway, like I said, haven't talked to the doctor yet, but my question is could any of this be considered autoimmune related? I wonder if she'll send me to a specialist so we can understand it better.

**ETA** I contacted my doctor office again and finally, someone got the doctor to speak with me. She hadn't even read the report yet. She didn't know I had a copy of the report. She said "Basically you just have some arthritis, and some minor disc bulges, but nothing serious". I explained that I am no better after having been going to pt and in fact, worst. She said I could go to their pain clinic and get injections. I asked if there was anything else I could do, and maybe see a specialist. She offered to refer to me a neurologist. I know there is some autoimmune arthritis and spondylosis. How do they differentiate between "regular" and autoimmune in this case?


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## laff66

I can only tell you a few of the things I've experienced regarding pain and maybe it will give you some hope, as so many others have done for me on this site.
Ive had horrible low back pain for almost seven years now (I'm 45) and heard a lot of the same things-oh youre just getting older, etc. I've had MRI's, multiple injections, pain meds, etc. I started on levothyroxin on Oct 2011 after finding elevated TPO at over 800. I later switched to armour. 3 days after the doc upped my dose of armour the second time, I woke up with ZERO back pain, and it did not return the entire day, even after running new firefighter recruits through a bunch of training wearing about 60lbs of gear. I did this for almost eight hours which normally would have made me MISERABLE for the next few days. I have to think thats related to the thyroid stuff, as nothing else EVER gave me relief like that. The pain did come back, but still, a day was like a HUGE gift and a giant glimmer of hope that it might eventually resolve. 
About 3 weeks ago I went gluten free. On the 3rd day I again woke up with no pain. I thought, no way is this happening again! It lasted 3 days this time. Its returned again, but something is going on. Hopefully at some point I'll get all this straightened out and have much less pain on a daily basis. 
I've also had horrible pain in both feet for about 2 years that I figured was too much tennis, aging, etc. I've read many accounts on this site of others with the same problem that cleared up after getting their thyroid right. I havent been that lucky yet, but I hope its coming. 
Youre way more experienced than me on this board, so I'm sure none of what I can say is new to you, but thought maybe this would give you a little hope...


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## Andros

mememe said:


> For rheumatoid arthritis, would that be be "rheumatoid arthritis(ra) Factor" test? There is another one that instead of factor, is called quantitative, fluid, and hEmagglutenation.
> 
> Are there any other autoimmune probs associated with pain? (i'm of course not asking for a diagnosis, but rather, tests I may be able to get)


Lupus; Anti-DNA would be the test for that.


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## mememe

I had an mri done and went to see a neurologist. He said I have spondylosis, bulging disc(s), degenerative disc disease, as shown on the mri. He ordered a nerve test, and it did confirm a pinched nerve. I took naproxen twice a day for about 2 weeks straight, and took lortabs as needed. (There was also pain down my right leg at times). I started this medication the day after I started levothyroxine. Most of my pain is gone, or very mild at times.


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## teri2280

Does the pain down your right leg go all the way down? Like from hip to ankle? This sounds VERY much like what I went through a few years ago. Had a ruptured/herniated disk @ L5/S1 that was hitting my sciatic nerve, causing the same (sounding, at least) thing, but on my left leg. I also went through the same thing (but with my right leg) back in 1996/7 when the L4/L5 disk was ruptured. Back in 1996/7, it wasn't HORRIBLE, and tylenol 3 with codeine pretty much helped me get through the day (I was still in high school), but this last time around, even vicodin and percocet didn't do crap for the pain. Yeah, it made me loopy (at first, at least - after I got "used" to it, they made me hyper as all get out), but pain level never changed. It was horrible. The only thing that remotely relieved the pain was laying flat on my stomach.

I'm no stranger to back problems. I've ruptured the 2, and have a sinking feeling that a 3rd is on it's way of going out now, plus I've had "normal" back pain (aches and strains in my lower back). To tell you the truth, I'd take the back pain where it's JUST in your back over the ruptured disk symptoms any day! At least then I could still move and function other than just lay around on my stomach!!


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## mememe

Sometimes the pain goes all the way down, but for the most part it doesn't go past the bottom of my knee.

It comes and goes. I can go for days without anything really hurting, and then something will hurt. The back pain is weird. Sometimes it's in my butt, with a crunching grinding sort of pain, and sometimes its right above my butt with more of a sharp pain. It's always either on the right or left side of my spine, slightly off from the center of the spine.

I also have some "regular" back pain, but it's mostly stiffness after I wake up. I blame it on my bed. That usually goes away shortly after waking and stretching, after I get moving pretty good.


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## sleepylady

I had a TSI level of 63%(not sure what it is now) and I have major hip, leg, and foot pain.


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## Brucergoldberg

YES totally different animal.


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