Hi, I’m 26 male and been suffering unexplained symptoms for a while now. I have a family history of rheumatoid arthritis and thought that was the cause but lately I’ve been wondering if it could be something else.
In 2011 I started suffering with pain and stiffness around my knees and lower back as well as fatigue. I felt tired all day and no amount of sleep would help. In the evenings and while I was trying to sleep my legs would kick randomly and uncontrollably one at a time. I went to my GP and was given naproxen and physio but they didn’t really help. My blood tests were normal. After a couple of months however it spontaneously improved.
In January/February 2012 I started with the same symptoms again but this time I had pain around the knuckles on each hand. I also had pins and needles every now and again in my hands and feet. I went back to my GP and was given amatriptaline and referred to a rheumatologist. Blood tests were normal. The rheumatologist ordered more blood tests and xrays but they were normal too. He wasn’t able to give me an explanation. By October I started having difficulties emptying my bladder which I assumed due to the amatriptaline but after stopping this medication it continued. I also became depressed. In November/December it spontaneously improved again, except the bladder problems.
In July this year all of the symptoms came back again. This time I also had pain around my elbows, shoulders, hips and akles. I also get pins and needles just under my left shoulder blade several times a day. Went back to my GP and had normal blood tests. Back on naproxen and anti depressants.
About one month ago I woke with pain in my left eye and a dark shadow across my left eye extending from the nose to the centre. Went to the eye clinic at my local hospital but they couldn’t say exactly what it was. Since this has happened I’ve noticed that sometime my left pupil is noticeably smaller than the right, normally in dimmer light. I still see the shadow now.
Each time I’ve had a flare of symptoms I’ve also had difficulty concentrating, short term memory problems and mood swings. My wife also noticed that I would pause after starting a sentence as if I couldn’t remember what I was going to say. I hadn’t noticed I was doing this until after she pointed it out.
The fatigue and pain is really becoming a problem and I’m struggling to cope at work. I feel like I need to sleep in the day and have been going to bed as soon as I get home.
Any thoughts or opinions would be really helpful. Sorry that its a long post.
Thank you