Joint pain 5mths after pregnancy and constant daily migraine style headaches...anyone??!

I had my son almost 5 mths ago and ever since then I have such severe pain in my knees, feet, arms and hands. Pretty much ALL my joints hurt like I've been hit by a truck or ran a marathon the day before.

When I wake up in the morning it takes 20mins before I can walk properly. My feet hurt so bad as does my lower back.

I have had a constant headache ever since as well. I've gone to the hospital and doctor and they just dismiss it as a migraine well I do not feel it is one. I have taken 5 different meds and even had injections and NOTHING works. I am still convinced it's an epidural headache.

I did have a epidural/spinal, which I did NOT want and was doing fine til I had back labor that was making me physically sick, so I ended up with an epidural. The guy who put it in said he had to put it in sideways due to my tattoo. Well on the side I had it it swelled up BADLY on that side. I mean it was so bad I even bruised from sitting in the bed for those few days afterwards. It was so painful.

Ever since this epidural/pregnancy I have had constant pain. Everyone else around me says they never had this pain after childbirth and then I read online and see many who have and still do. I also have read up on epidural headaches and everything I seem to have going on with my headache points to one. When I lay down it is the ONLY time it's relieved. By the time my son is ready for his nightly routine my head hurts so bad I am in tears and just want to lay down.

I did just have a slew of blood work and a spinal exam of my neck recently, so I am awaiting those results.

I just can't deal with this anymore. It makes it very hard to even pick up or carry my son. I have a hard time walking up and down my stairs which I had enough of while i was pregnant.

I just don't know what to do.

Has any other moms on here experienced this and if so what did you do to help relieve it?

I am beyond miserable and it's something I have hidden quite well from friends and family but I just can't take it. My hands hurt so bad just typing this.

I am open to natural remedies if anyone has any. I have even tried a mixture of cayenne pepper and warm water up my nose with a Q-tip. I'm that desperate to get rid of these headaches. However if it IS an epidural headache then I will need a blood patch and that will be the only thing to relieve it.

I just hope it is taken care of soon..

Thanks.

First Mblah, I am so sorry you are having such a rough time Sending groovy vibes your way.

I had an epidural, however I had no side effects afterwards quite like that. I also had back labor and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy

Try to breathe and relax and see if you can do some light stretching until the tests come back. If you havn't told your family/friends you NEED TO, yaknow why? Because you can't do it all. You still have to take care of you and get your loved ones to rally around you to help until it is all figured out.

If they can help maybe with some of the housework that can strain your neck/back, make some frozen casseroles you can just pop in the oven without much work on your part, or even come sit and chat. I know I got pretty reclusive when I had my son and didn't want any help, but it really bit me in the arse later.

Natural remedies for headaches that I like, take a sock and fill it up with rice. Tie off the end of the sock and pop it in the microwave for about 1 minute but be careful they can get HOT. Lay it across the back of your neck or anywhere else that hurts.

There is a pressure point for headache relief right under your big toe. Where the joint is for you to curl your big toe, put pressure on that for a while and see if that works for you. I suffer a lot of migraines and those are two I use a lot.

Now is the time to ask for and accept help from loved ones. Let some of the housework go and get on your phone tree letting everyone know what is going on. Help should be flowing your way in no time.

Much love to you honey and I am ALWAYS HERE if you need to talk, scream, vent, you know that

My advice go to the doctor, get him to authorise some tests. Don't think the worst just yet, baby's can be hard work and very draining both physically and mentally!

reply to post by ValentineWiggin


Hey VW!!

Thanks

Well I have told my mom and my husband but they don't really think I'm serious which is why I have kept it to myself. They just say "oh everyone has pains" which really pisses me off because NO people dont have pain like this and it be natural. I never ever had pain like this before my son.


I will try the rice thing, no joke! I have tried so many natural headache remedies that I found online and so far none really seem to work. The cayenne pepper up the nose worked slightly but it made me sneeze and have my nose burn lol which was a better trade off than the mind numbing headache! The whole dark room and silence does nothing either.

Thanks sweetie

andy06shake
My advice go to the doctor, get him to authorise some tests. Don't think the worst just yet, baby's can be hard work and very draining both physically and mentally!

I said I went to the doctor in my OP. They did some blood work and a spinal test, which I'm still waiting to get results on.

It has nothing to do with a baby being hard or draining. No offense but i get tired of people saying that. My son is not difficult in any way and he doesn't drain me. He sleeps thru the night and has a nice daily routine so it's not anything having to do with caring for him, it's the pain from having him. He is a very good baby and I don't work so he is all I have during the day to tend to, so I don't get drained from him.

Thanks

No, it takes a while for your ligaments to get straightened out after pregnancy and it takes a YEAR for your hips to get back into the right place but nothing like this. Gah I hate that they don't take you seriously, that doesn't help with stress EITHER and stress can make the headaches worse.

I've had the injections before for the headaches/migraines and it never did much for me, they are so painful

reply to post by mblahnikluver


No offence taken, i'm just offering my 2 cents worth. Hope you are ok and feeling better soon.

Congratulations on Baby's arrival by the way!

andy06shake
reply to post by mblahnikluver

 

No offence taken, i'm just offering my 2 cents worth. Hope you are ok and feeling better soon.

Congratulations on Baby's arrival by the way!

No problem. That is just the answer my mom and husband want to give me so it just got to me lol

Thank you

ValentineWiggin
No, it takes a while for your ligaments to get straightened out after pregnancy and it takes a YEAR for your hips to get back into the right place but nothing like this. Gah I hate that they don't take you seriously, that doesn't help with stress EITHER and stress can make the headaches worse.

I've had the injections before for the headaches/migraines and it never did much for me, they are so painful

Yea it's the imitrex which works slightly but the headache is still there. I mean I have like 5 pain meds and NONE work. I don't even take them, they just sit on my counter. I despise pain meds esp because they give me other side effects along with the mind numbing headaches.


My friend has 4 kids and she never had a problem. Ugh, she is a baby making machine and was built for it lol I also didn't have an easy pregnancy. I was on bed rest towards the last 3-4mths. I couldn't walk due to bad sciatica. It really sucked!!! When people tell me I'll have more kids i look at them and laugh, and I laugh hard. They are insane, no way would I got thru all that again. I'm happy with one and if we really wanted more I have no problem adopting since that was always what I thought I'd do after being told my chances of having kids was less than 10%. So yea adoption sounds great! lol

Thanks sweetie!!!

could be fibromyalgia if all the tests come back negative -

and hopefully they're doing a "rheumatoid panel" (lupus, rheumatoid arthritis,

sjogrens, etc) to exclude autoimmune diseases /inflammatory arthritis.

Fibromyalgia has made headlines again in the popular press, and the clinical

criteria for diagnosis have changed positively as well.

I am a physician - and this is pretty basic general advice - but autoimmune

disorders are essential to evaluate for as the average time to diagnosis is easily 5-6 years

of seeing multiple specialists without relief or answer. A good internal medicine or

rheumatologist should be able to help you. Neurology will help for migraines - but migraines

could be part of the same disorder you're describing. Excedrin, good sleep habits, and excercise

(which helps all ailments) recommended - along with help with the baby!


ps- somehow skipped the part where you described the epidural injection for anesthesia.

There is one more thing that may be causing ALL of your symptoms- intracranial hypotension

from a CSF leak, which i diagnose (neuroradiologist) nearly every 2 months on someone. Your

spinal MRI should be looked at by an experienced NEUROradiologist who can detect epidural venous

congestion, "brainstem slumping", pituitary fullness and other signs of low CSF volume. Simply put

if you have a slow leak of cerebrospinal fluid from the epidural, it can last for months, and give

you a "hangover" type headache which medications can only take the edge off. Go see a good neurologist

at a medical center, not a country practice!

Oh and moms are so totally annoying when you have a baby, because they have FORGOTTEN everything about their experience and think they know it all. Earmuff her. That's what I call it. I just pretend like I have earmuffs on and all I can hear is "wompwompwompwomp". Nobody ticked me off more than my mother after I had my son. "Oh you're fine" "Oh he's fine" "Oh don't worry so much" OH SHUT UP!

Have you checked blood types and RH negative or possitive. ?

reply to post by mblahnikluver

MBlah, that sounds horrendous. Being a guy and therefore completely clueless on what it must feel like in such circumstances, all I can do is send you good thoughts and hope that you'll start recovering very soon. So... Good thoughts and positive feelings to you, good lady!!

Meanwhile, I trust your little boy is going great! He has a wonderful Mom, so he's got a good head start in life already!

Make sure you let us all know when he takes his first steps! (Then it's time to move allll the fragile stuff a couple of shelves higher!)

reply to post by drphilxr


My mom keeps telling me to get tested for fibromyalgia.

I did look that up and wondered myself, it seems like the tests you mentioned my doctor ordered. I didn't know what the tests were but my other doctor who saw the paper told me what each one was for.

Can having a baby cause it or was it always there and it made an appearance due to having a baby? I never had this pain before. I also look up MS and that really freaked me out because I do have A LOT of those symptoms. I have constant itching at times that i never had before either that really drives me nuts when it starts.

I just hope they tell me soon what is going on!!

I tried Excedrin which usually works quite well for me with headaches but it didn't not anything not even Excedrin Tension headache.

Thank you!!

Hello mblahnik,

I'm sad to hear the problems you have following the birth of your son.

When my gf gave birth to our children, she was always told not to move during the injection as there could be complications. It scared the # out of her, needless to say.

Since your epidural was done in a different way than usual, maybe the person doing it made a mistake.

I read a bit online about pains following an epidural, and according to some women, it can last for years, unfortunately.

Here is a link where many moms talk about their problems and some tell of the little things they did to alleviate their pain.

Back pain after an epidural.

I hope for you it has to do with the fact you were forced to remain in bed for a while before birth. I read also it can lead to problems a bit similar to yours, and slow stretching and mild exercises were recommended at the begining of the day.

I pray they find what is going wrong with you. 5 Months of pain can become long and unbearable at times.

drphilxr

ps- somehow skipped the part where you described the epidural injection for anesthesia.

There is one more thing that may be causing ALL of your symptoms- intracranial hypotension

from a CSF leak, which i diagnose (neuroradiologist) nearly every 2 months on someone. Your

spinal MRI should be looked at by an experienced NEUROradiologist who can detect epidural venous

congestion, "brainstem slumping", pituitary fullness and other signs of low CSF volume. Simply put

if you have a slow leak of cerebrospinal fluid from the epidural, it can last for months, and give

you a "hangover" type headache which medications can only take the edge off. Go see a good neurologist

at a medical center, not a country practice!

edit on 10/19/2013 by drphilxr because: forgot the most important info!

I didn't get a spinal MRI. I asked my doctor for one and she kind of dismissed it and said "oh insurance won't pay for it until you go thru other tests first."

OMG that is exactly how it feels! I'm in tears because you know what I'm talking about. It is definitely at the base of my neck and the top of my spine area of my head. Right where that ball is on your neck. If I put pressure there it feels so much better. It does feel like a hangover and it even makes me loopy. The meds dont' help but they do take the edge off yes. It's like they take the main pain away but the headache is still slightly there.

I went to the ER about 2wks after having my son and the doctor told me I wasn't in enough pain for it to be an epidural headache and he gave me an imitrex injection and sent me on my way. He wasn't exactly the greatest doctor and seemed to have more of an interest in my Apple tattoo since he said he worked for them before being a doctor. He also used a book to look up my diagnosis and his phone, so I really wasnt too happy with him.

I have gone back twice since then and they just ignore me on this part and say it's a migraine and give me new meds..or they say " you can't just come in and ask for a blood patch and say you have an epidural headache." It is soooo frustrating because just by reading up on them it seems like my problems stem from a leakage. I am not saying it's 100% but all I have is the internet since the docs I've seen so far dismiss it.

I just went to a new doctor last week and she had blood tests done so I don't know if that will tell her anything. Should I ask to see a neurologist to see if I have a leakage or can I just go to a neurologist without a referral? It does seem like the pain worsens daily...

NowanKenubi
Hello mblahnik,

I read a bit online about pains following an epidural, and according to some women, it can last for years, unfortunately.

That is exactly why I didn't want one! I read up on them before having my son and said I didn't want one. My mom thought I was nuts and so did many others. I was fine with the regular pain meds but when I started having severe back labor I got the epidural. It was so bad I was vomiting from the pain and it was making me dizzy. I remember crying when they gave me the epidural because all I could think of was what I read about complications afterwards....and well here I am now!

Here is a link where many moms talk about their problems and some tell of the little things they did to alleviate their pain.

Back pain after an epidural.

Thank you! I will check this link out!

I hope for you it has to do with the fact you were forced to remain in bed for a while before birth. I read also it can lead to problems a bit similar to yours, and slow stretching and mild exercises were recommended at the begining of the day.

Yea I hated being in bed but I also had times where I had to get out and go to the store because I literally had no family or friends in the area. I moved after I had my son to where I am no with family and friends but the end of my pregnancy was rough esp alone. My husband is overseas and he came home a week early which was a good thing because I had my son a week later! My son was 2wks early.

I do try and stretch when I get up in the morning because it is so hard to even move and get up out of bed. My feet hurt so bad. I sit there and stretch for about 5mins or so before I can get up and go get my son.

I pray they find what is going wrong with you. 5 Months of pain can become long and unbearable at times.

Thank you

Yea 5mths of this has made me very miserable in many ways. I just want them to find out what it is and get rid of it or treat it accordingly. I don't want any more pills though, they don't help.

reply to post by mblahnikluver

I also have read up on epidural headaches and everything I seem to have going on with my headache points to one. When I lay down it is the ONLY time it's relieved. By the time my son is ready for his nightly routine my head hurts so bad I am in tears and just want to lay down.

This sounds very similar to something I went through after a botched lumbar puncture while pregnant. It is known as a Post Dural Puncture Headache. The pain was crippling and felt like acid had been injected into my brain. Going to the doctor, I had to carry pillows with me and squeeze my head in between them to muffle my screams. It would hurt so bad I would vomit.

The only relief was to lie flat on my back. It was the most excruciating pain. You seem to have a less severe but similar side effect. I'm wondering if your epidural caused this.

The good news is, is does go away. The bad news is, it can last up to a year.

almost sounds like the tail end of gestational diabetes, but in this case, with diabetic neuropathy. i'd get a physical appt. then about 30 minutes before going, eat a big carbohydrate meal. and be sure the doc does the blood sugar test first.

reply to post by AshleyD


That is how I feel!!

It is like a burning sensation and it gets worse as the day goes on. I tried to explain it to my doctor by telling her it's like when you breathe in really cold air and your nose and head feel like they are burning!! THAT is how it feels!! Then the base of my neck feels intense pressure.

By the time Liam is ready for his nightly routine I'm in tears and squeezing my head so it doesn't hurt. I just want to lay down and do nothing.

I will be calling my doctor Monday. They should have all my tests already and should have called me. I know they tend to take their time but i've dealt with this long enough. I want to get it fixed before I go insane!

I am going to get acupuncture in the next couple weeks and hopefully that can help some as well.