HCV tendon, muscle, joint problems

[Dee1956]

Hello, I was cured of HCV 18 months ago, I am very happy for that.  For several weeks I have been trying to see if there is a connection between the HCV virus and tendon, muscle, joint problems.  A year before I was diagnosed with HCV I had a tendon snap in my toe. all I was doing was walking.  I have also had problems with tendons in the elbow pre-txt.  I have had severe back problems with the sacroiliac joint.

After finishing tx I developed plantar fascias which I realize is also a tendon.  It took 6 months to heal.

For the past 6 months I have slowly  been experiencing, bicep, tricep and shoulder pain which also could be tendon, ligaments, muscles, not sure.  I am going to a specialist on Monday to hopefully get an MRI to see what is happening in my shoulder.  It is suspected that I have torn the labrum which is inside the rotator cuff as well as  some of the tendons in the rotator cuff.

Today I stood up to do an exercise to help the shoulder pain and my low back popped out of place and now I can barely walk.

I am trying to see if others have had problems with this.  I remember reading others stories years ago about similar problems.  While I understand that age has a lot to do with these things.  I am interested in finding out what I can do to help myself.  Due to my low platelets from cirrhosis I do not want to try surgery until I have exhausted everything else. i.e. does HCV cause a problem, or cirrhosis? Does tx aggravate these problems.  Are there vitamins or supplements that we might be deficient in that might help?  Does cirrhosis play a part?

I am sorry to sound so low, I am lost and trying to find my way. Just trying to find a way to help myself.  I had hoped that once I recovered from the tx I would have a chance to start over, get in shape, live my life free of the virus that plagued me for 30 years.

I would appreciate any responses, studies, information.
Thank you
Dee

[BoceprevirGal]

  Ah, Dee, so sorry to hear about this.  To answer your question:  right before my Tx, I stood up from the computer, and my sternum/clavicle joint just spontaneously popped out, and I could see where it was bulging out painfully.
   I went to the Dr, they sent me to Xray, where they took an xray while I was lying on my stomach, and I was just told my spine was out of whack, near my neck.  This wasmy right s/c joint, and I had been having pain while I was sleeping on that right shoulder, for a couple years. Two other Heppers I knew had the same pain, and one was 7 yrs younger then I when we spoke, so he was young, only 40 yrs.
   I also know Diana66 on here also had a similar injury, prior to her Tx.
During my Tx, my hip started popping out of joint as well, and afterwards,for 8 months post,and then stopped.  My S/C joint got a bit better, when I didn't use my right arm, but as soon as I use it, it hurts again. They gave me a referral to an Ortho-surgeon, but I dont want surgery, it is close to my right lung, and what scares me, is the huge bump where the dislocation is, is close to my thyroid and lymph glands.
   Thank you for posting this, and let me know what the MRI show. I am going to my yrly physical next week, and will also ask for a MRI to be taken~
   My educated guess is that this is from our yrs of having Hep C, not from Cirrhosis, or old age, but perhaps aggravated by Interferon.
    I weould wait on exercising, until the pain goes away, and I actually avoid stretching exercises, as both me and my Hubs both seem to pull things out at the drop of a hat. I just stick to the walks and a bike, for blood circulation. Even an exercis bike at home would be better then no exercise, but I just dont exercise my right arm anymore.

[can-do-man]

Sorry to hear this Dee, does Hep C cause all this? Who knows as I know several people who goes through this that don't have Hep C. I guess at least it gives us something to blame it on....... Wishing you the best

[Cheesegrater]

I think HCV does indeed cause joint and muscle pain. Tendons?  Why not!?
Hip pain, stiff and painful bones in feet, shoulders, knees, wrists..and sore muscles,  very common.

You might also want to look into your bone density as HCV can have an effect on that as well. I was diagnosed as osteopenic/osteoporotic after a compression fracture of a vertebra in my back from a simple fall. This should not happen to a man in his 50's.