Postpartum Muscle Aches/joint Pain, Tingling Pains in Head, Ear Pain Etc...

It definitely sounds like autoimmune, doesn't it? These things don't usually show up on MRIs and other tests. It sounds like everything is really out of balance - could have been triggered by the pregnancy but it could also have been building for a long time. These epigenetic changes plague a lot of people. The menstrual issues, constipation/intestinal problems and the skin problems all speak to the systemic imbalance and the body's desire to get rid of these problems (through the skin, through elimination, etc.). I'm part of a large network of people working with problems like this, and I'm honestly not sure that it's specifically postpartum. We see so much of this and, for some people, there's a trigger, but for others it's just coincidental or the result of a lot of factors. I don't think it's in your head at all. I think it can have an affect on your head, mind you, but based on my experience, it's very real. There are things you can do to boost your immune system that are based on solid science and the epigenetics field (including the most heavily researched, safe additions to the diet). So I'd say there are other avenues to be pursued before giving up, before any more tests (since you have no answers anyway) and since the MD is almost throwing up his hands and saying it's psychological.

I know it's hard to hear this when you feel like there is something wrong, and there might be, but I think a lot of the symptoms you have could be collectively related to some kind of depression or anxiety...do you experience either of those? I have both, and I have a lot of physical symptoms from these issues. I have had a lot of physical stuff go on over the years, always get tested for things, and most stuff comes back normal (exception would be that I actually had to have my gallbladder out, but I imagine that could have resulted from my rapid weight gain/loss due to antidepressant side effects over the years plus pregnancy, and so while it was a physical problem, it might have also related to my anxiety overall).

Anyway, chest pains can definitely be anxiety. Muscle aches and pains can be depression. You say you are in a fog, dizzy, etc. which can all be mental things. I especially think what you said about the lump in your throat (incidentally this can be caused by heartburn so look into that), ear pain, pain in your head, and jaw pain could be anxiety related. I have occipital neuralgia (pain in my occipital nerve) which runs up your neck and into your head. This is because I am always tense and my nerves are pinched, and I clench my jaw. I get sore spots on my head where the nerves are inflamed.

I'm not saying it couldn't be autoimmune or fibromyalgia - these are possible, but if you are willing to consider that it could be physical problems manifested by your state of mind (notice that I'm not saying it's in your head, because you are NOT imagining the pain, I realize that!) you might find it's an easier road to fix them than if you have a true physical illness (again, not saying you don't, you should look into every possibility). I am also not saying that if you figure out it's being caused by something mental like anxiety, that the results are not completely physical - I needed physical therapy and I was on Lyrica for quite some time to fix my nerve pain, but I also went to therapy and got on antidepressants, and the combination helped a lot, and now I have to stretch and be aware of posture and tension and tolerate a low level pain when I am stressed.

I know how annoying it is to know something is wrong but have tests come back negative over and over, because you just want someone to tell you what it is and be able to help. But the bright side of all the normal tests, is that you are hopefully healthy, and you can work on fixing each thing by knowing a potential root cause.

I had the same experience post partum. I went through extensive MS testing. I went to the ER twice, at my husband's insistence for symptoms of a heart attack that turned out to be nothing they could identify. I had neuralgia and tingling, panic attacks and dizziness. They could not rule out MS and scheduled me to come back for more testing in a year. In the meantime, I realized that all of it was much worse on days when I was eating or drinking more sugar free products. Trying to kick those baby pounds, I was drinking crystal lite and diet dr. Pepper quite a bit. I realized the more aspartame, the worse the symptoms. I have always been a diet drinker and had no symptoms before the kids, so it took a long time to make the connection. Once I cut that out, virtually all the symptoms went away. No more chest pain, neuralgia, tingling, shooting pains, dizziness, headaches, panic attacks, nothing. Never went back for more tests. There have been a few times since when I unknowingly consumed aspartame - someone makes a punch with diet soda or a diet dessert and doesn't tell you, or like the coffee I bought at Starbucks that had diet sweetener in it and they don't tell you that) and the symptoms come back for about a week when that happens. I can taste it after the first bite, so I immediately ask and stop, but it only takes a little bit to bring the symptoms back.

I don't know if pregnancy changed my body chemistry or if not consuming those products while pregnant changed my tolerance for them, but whatever the case, look toward your diet. Because they couldn't concretely identify anything, some family members treated me like a hypochondriac, although my husband knew it was real. I'm so glad I figured that out before I ended up on more unnecessary chemicals!

Eta there are a lot of articles you can find on line about aspartame and how it can create symptoms that mimic MS, fibromyalgia, and other autoimmune diseases. Gluten intolerance can also cause similar issues, systemic inflammation, arthritis, etc. Before you medicate, please investigate these possibilities!

My daughter has many of the symptoms you describe and she's one year post partum. She continued to have abdominal pain, thought to be pregnancy related, after giving birth. She's been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis the result of an autoimmune disorder. She is now having joint pain which they say is arthritis which often goes along with ulcerative colitis. She has terrible headaches as well as hurting all over. She, too, deals with constipation. She now sees 2 different specialists; a rheumatologist and a gastroenterologist as wellvas another one I don't remember her specialty.

She has taken steroids for months with little help. She is now on a biologic which she injects subcutaneously werkly. It's too early to know if it'll work. I think the biologic is Humira but I'm not certain. I can't keep up with everything.

Her primary care doctor prescribe Celexa, an anti- depressant, a couple of weeks ago. My daughter said she doesn't feel depressed; just sick. He said having the medical issues she's having it would be very abnormal not to be depressed.

If you aren't seeing a rheumatologist I suggest you do so. They deal in unexplained pain.

I'm not remembering all she's been through with the doctors.