It seems well-accepted that depression can cause body pain. Can food sensitivities or allergies also cause pain, in particular, joint and muscle pain?
First, the rant: I’m trying to get myself out of a seemingly endless cycle. I have Addisons Disease, which for me means that my body doesn’t produce cortisol. As a result, I have on-going problems with inflammation in my joints and muscles. My joints are stiff and my muscles ache and burn. The pain often keeps me sleeping, which as many of you know, only makes you feel that much worse in the morning. Feeling rotten makes me crave carbs, the more highly refined, the better. Eating the carbs just makes the whole situation worse, causing more pain and increasing my depression because it hurts so damn much to move. So, now I’m more depressed, hurt more, and still crave that damned ice cream! If I were of the couch-potato personality, this wouldn’t be as frustrating, but l am a competitive dressage rider. Horseback riding and training at the level I do it is not something you pursue safely or well when your body hurts all over.
Okay, enough of the whining. Here’s the question: I know I can’t handle gluten. I don’t do well with dairy and probably can’t really handle sugar, either. It helps to stay away from those. But, are there other foods that are known to cause joint/muscle pain in those with sensitivities? Even with a sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free diet, I have days when the pain is awful for no apparent reason. I am wondering if there’s something I’m eating. Frankly, I’m at my wit’s end and am willing to try anything.
BTW, my doctor says I’m one of the “highest-functioning” Addisions patients he has, which I think is code for “Stop complaining, you’re doing a lot bette than a lot of other people.” I think that because he’s not been able to provide much help beyond the initial diagnosis.
Do you have a reason to believe that diet is causing your pain, rather than Addison’s disease exacerbated by depression? Even if you can infer a correlation between certain types of food and increased pain, that doesn’t mean that food is the primary cause of your symptoms. IANAD, but it seems to me that your first course of action should be to make sure that your Addison’s is being appropriately treated. If your doctor is not able to assist, you may want to seek a second opinion. Your second course of action should be to treat your depression. It is convenient to search for a dietary solution to health issues, because the solution is generally inexpensive and within your control. But if sugar-free, dairy-free, gluten free isn’t making you feel better, I would be looking at other possible causes and treatments for your pain.
I can’t offer you anything other than commiseration, but I hope it helps to know someone understands exactly what you’re feeling. I don’t have Addison’s, but I deal with a couple of her ugly cousins. After being on Plaquenil for about 6 months my joint pain has become manageable, but I all too well remember the pain you are describing. For me the worst were my knees and my elbows, followed by my hips and wrists. Unfortunately I don’t think Plaquenil is one of the medications used to treat Addison’s.
Have you been tested for other autoimmune diseases? They most frequently come in clusters, so you’re more likely to have another if you have one. It is possible that your joint pain could be coming from something besides the Addison’s and you might have more treatment options.
It sounds like you have a handle on the food issues, and I have nothing to add. With regard to sleep - I finally broke down and went on a prescription sleep aid, and pain meds when needed.
I’m sorry to say that your statement of “…not been able to provide much help beyond diagnosis” has been my experience exactly. I would like to tell you to keep looking, there are great doctors out there - and there probably are - but I haven’t found one yet. There seems to be a complete lack of interest in our quality of life by medical professionals. I never even had anyone tell me that when my body is attacking my thyroid I would swing from hypo to hyper, and what that would do to me or how to deal with it. I found out that was what was happening thanks to the internet. When I told my PCP I was experiencing it she told me it didn’t work that way. :dubious: Uh, yes the hell it does. :rolleyes:
My main suggestion is to get tested for other autoimmune disease, and don’t expect anyone that hasn’t been through what you’re feeling to get it. They won’t, and you’ll only get more frustrated. If you’re lucky you will have a few people in your life that are empathetic enough to grok it - most people will tell you if you only exercise more / get up earlier / get outside / eat less / go out more often / take more vitamins you will feel better.