For the past month I have been experiencing extreme muscle pain in both shoulders, hips, buttocks, neck, and middle of my back between the shoulder blades. The problem is so bad that it is difficult to get out of bed in the morning or to squat down to sit on the pot.
As the day progresses, after I have become somewhat active, I loosen up to the degree that I am actually functional by the evening and almost feel normal.
I have been taking Aleve gel capsules to provide some relief, but they do not help much.
I thought that I had enough symptoms to suspect Lyme disease or another deer tick born disease but when I had my blood tested for Lyme at the clinic last week, the test came back negative..
This does not affect my actual joints but rather the muscles close to them. If I sit for any length of time, I have a hard time getting up and I can only sleep comfortably by lying flat on my back. I will be 76 in a week or so but I don't think old age is the culprit since I have been old for a long time without this happening.


Have any of you experienced these symptoms and what did you do to find any relief?

Yes . I was diagnosed with an autoimmune inflammatory response . Same symptoms you describe. You can drink vitamin water the orange flavor and it helps. Turns out it was nexium , or any of the PPI meds. Could be Lymes. ALSO artificial sweetners flared mine up. STAY AWAY unless your diabetic and have no choice. but find you a rhuemetologist and his blood panel will tell you . Inflamatory markers tell a lot....

Quick relief is around of prednisone. Long term he gave me hydroxyquloroquine

I'm kind of dealing with the same thing and you have 10 years on me. My doctor ran some tests on me too. Test have pointed me towards a neurologist not rheumatologist. I go to see that doctor in a week for I'm sure more test. There are so many things that can cause the same type symptoms. Until they run you threw the test battery. Hard to say what it could be. I do have some suspicions in my case because my older brother is also buggered up. If I have same deal as him it's not good. But I won't know until I know. Gotta go with the flow.

Mac

My neighbor who works for us has many of those same symptoms. She just finished her third round of antibotics thru a PICC line for lyme disease. I administered all her doses daily. Poor Gal has had Lyme 3X now. Aching arms, legs, weakness, stomach upset you name it. Still has much discomfort that comes and goes. I asked her to get checked for MS.

I too was diagnosed with an autoimmune response. Same symptoms except for the back. Lost weight and I didn't sleep very well. Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR). Sure was tough trapping beaver that winter (until I went to the doctor----after 2 months).

I was diagnosed with PMR several years ago, couple rounds of steroids helped, but, I've just been diagnosed with rheumatoid Arthritis, so it was probably that all along, First doc wasn't really sure anyway.

You need to see a good rheumatologist, hopefully they'll get you straightened out. Just beware if they want to give you methotrexate , lots of side affects, lot of people can;t tolerate it even if no allergic reaction. I'm getting the antidote now....which is telling, what medicine needs an antidote?!?,

Have you recently started taking "statin" drugs?

"Have you recently started taking "statin" drugs?"

This too....

Statin drugs can cause your body to attack the muscle. Some people can't take them. If you either recently started taking a statin or changed to a stronger statin, you should talk to you Doc about it. Normally it is the thighs that are the problem area. The other responses sound more likely but the statin question is a good one.

Old for a long time Doug?

Your the youngest old guy I know.

Might want to try a shot of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water it relaxes muscle cramps might help. Also hopefully your eating salt, sounds like it might a electrolyte deficiency.

Can try eliminating foods one at a time and see if one of them is causing the inflammation. Perhaps your eating something new.

I don't take any prescription drugs and have not changed anything in my diet except for eating more carbs now that we have cooler weather. I eat plenty of salt---maybe too much? I lost some weight (maybe 5 pounds) late summer due to increased activity. I weigh 152 right now and am 5 ft. 9 1/2 inches tall. I ride bicycle daily and am very active outdoors fishing and bow hunting. I will try cutting back on carbs and eliminating the sugar free sweetener in my morning coffee and see if that has any effect. Once I get through the first two hours or so of morning, I am good to go and can perform any tasks that need to be done. I took my heavy dock out and put my big fishing boat away the other day and took the big canopy off my lift and rolled it and put away two heavy window air conditioners just now. I do these things without any help. They had to be hauled down a flight of stairs. I was able to shoot my weaker fishing bow yesterday enough to work up to being able to draw my hunting bow but doubt I will be able to pull that once I sit a while and get stiff, and I am worried about climbing down from the tree stands once rigor mortis sets in again after sitting.

I would get up to 3 different opinions on your Lyme disease and other tickborne diseases the blood test depends largely on how long you have had it. I also would think that you might probably due for tetanus shot, Meningitis, and/or other diseases.

Potassium helps relive muscle pain by reducing cramps. Potassium helped Diane.

Keith

Magnesium stopped all my pain. Many are deficient.

I religiously eat a banana every day for breakfast. In 2017 my blood test revealed potassium levels were excellent. I also had a tetanus shot in 2017. I also take a multivitamin every day. Keep the suggestions coming. I much appreciate them.

Get checked for Lyme disease

What did your Doctor say?

I did and the test came back negative. That was my first thought.

My doctor has said nothing because in order to see him I will have to wait until the end of the month or later. I did go to the Urgent Care clinic where he works and got the blood taken and tested.