Viral Arthritis, blood infection and liver issues.. arnt i having a good week!

Well last thursday i went to MG and when i got home the back of my left leg was sore, kinda felt like a pulled a muscle. Anyway i had more important things to worry about so just limped around thinking it would get better. Anyhoo.. days go on and i seems to be getting sorer and sorer. Now put it down to sleeping wrong or falling asleep on the couch. On Saturday DP was at cricket and about 4pm i fed Mia and i couldnt get of the couch! i couldnt walk at all. I couldnt even get the phone. So Me and Mia sat on the couch, i managed to reach one of her nappies so that was a bonus. 5:30pm come and DP wasnt home. Mia was starting to get a little cranky but i couldnt get up to put her in bed!!!!!!!!!!! So i was trying to keep her happy. I managed to get her to have a 10-15 min nap in my arms and when she woke it was about 7pm. Dp wasnt home. I put Mia on the floor and a screamed and groaned every step walking to the phone. I got hold on him and he came straight home. I had no idea what was wrong with me and he wanted to take me to the hospital but i said by the time i sit there for 5 hours.. Mia screaming.. no thanks. SO i got him to deal with Mia n i just sat there.

Moving on some more..

Monday.. i was over it. i was in so much pain, my wrists were strapped, i couldnt move them and my ankles were so sore. I went and seen my GP, right when the power decided to go out so me so broken had to carry Mia up a flight of stairs to see him (NOT FUN).

anyway he sent me for blood tests.

He rang me yesterday and said i have Viral Arthritis, an infection in my blood and something wrong with my liver (cant remember exactly what, but prob caused from the pregnancy). I was shocked.. and abit freaked.

So has anyone experienced viral arthritis before??? Is there a chance it will turn into arthritis down the track?? Could the blood infection have to do with the virus or the liver???? i should have asked him more questions but i was quite busy when he rang. Wondering.. did i catch it.. can u catch this sort of thing???

i guess no one has heard of it either. Thanks anyway :)

Viral arthritis just means that your body has responded to a viral infection by producing pain and inflammation in the joints. Without knowing which virus has caused it, it's pretty much impossible to say what may happen with it in the future. As to did you catch it - you did catch the virus somehow, but you don't "catch" the more usual forms of arthritis.

The term "arthritis" just refers to joint inflammation and there's many, many different types of arthritis... it's a part of med-speak that isn't well understood. I've been diagnosed with "serum-negative rheumatoid arthritis", but that's essentialy med-speak for my joints hurt and we haven't got the foggiest clue of why... Which is also part of why "viral arthritis" isn't terribly informative and isn't at all indicative of what may happen in the future. By saying "viral arthritis" all your doctor is saying is that you have sore joints as a result of a viral infection, not that you've been diagnoses with a condition you're going to have for the rest of your life.

Afraid I can't help with the blood infection or the liver problems - simply not enough information, but it's possible that the virus you have is also impacting on the liver. Things like ross river fever and barmah forest virus cause joint pains and can also effect the liver.

BW

Hey Hollye,

Sorry I have no advice but I wanted to give you a BIG HUG! I know what it can be like to be in pain and still have a bub to look after!!

Hope you feel better soon...

Kate xox

How are you feeling now Hollye?

BW