joint pain and stiffness

I'm pushing 40 but sometimes I feel 80. I have a great deal of stiffnes, especially in the morning in my ankles, back and shoulders. As the day progresses, I have a fair bit of shoulder, knee and elbow pain.

I know my weight/fitness doesn't help, but I'm not convinced it's the sole cause. I also know I overdid things on the flight over here and that lugging a 27 lb baby doesn't help. Arthritis does run in my family but I also did some Googling and came across this:

http://www.womentowomen.com/symptoms/stiffnessjointpain-a.aspx?id=1&campaignno=jointpain&adgroup=ag5stiff&keywords=joint+pain+and+stiffness

I don't know if these guys are reputable or not but it seems to make a bit of sense. Anyone else have similar issues or experience?

My health insurance doesn't kick in until the 18th but I'm hoping to bring it up with my new doctor shortly thereafter.

Chronic autoimmune inflammatory arthritis (like RA and AS) run rampant in my family and I myself have been dealing with lots of issues with my rib cage with cartilage inflammation and swelling.

I think there may be some truths to that article, especially related to stress.  Our joints work hard everyday.  Then add in all the stressors and changes in your life lately, the stresses of not having hubby close by, two kids, moving to a new country, etc and you're definitely a case for putting additional strain on your body in ways you didn't even realize possible.   
   
Definitely get into a doctor, they can do a full work up on you.

Pain relief...the name of the game! NSAIDs (aspirin, aleve, advil) taken at regular intervals everyday, hot water bottles/heating pads on the painful joint (or those heat wraps that stick to your body are wonderous, most heat up and last 8 hours and you can still run around with the kids), light stretching to start and end your day., and regular naps everyday(ha, right with 2 kids, hardly!!!), yoga, and physical therapy.  Some other things that have helped for family members are to reduce inflammatory foods in their diets (eggplant, tomatoes, refined foods like sugar, white bread, etc, gluten, etc), and adding in fish oil capsules, glucosomine, chondrito, and adding more cinnamon, peppermint, ginger, cumin, chilies, and spices into food. How much these really help or are placebo is debatable. I've tried lots of these and it has all done little for my inflammation. But it makes them feel better, so that's all that matters. 

Good luck, joint pain sucks so much.   

WomantoWoman has great articles and information, but they don't offer their program in the UK. As to their food plan, it's very similar to low GI.

I highly recommend glucosomine and chondriotin as phatbeetle responded - I've seen it work miracles on joint stiffness in both pets and people.

Thanks folks.

Laura, what is AS? I know what RA is. My father died from complications due to an autoimmune disease and apparently autoimmune issues can be hereditary (though thankfully his specific disease is not). I have ITP but would not be surprised if I end up with more autoimmune issues.

I'll make my doc appt asap. I hope they don't have a long wait.

My mother tried glucosomine with no luck but my aunt loves it. Guess I need to head off to the vitamin shop! We tend to eat a fairly spicy diet here but I know I'm having too much sugar, white bread, etc. Bah.

Philncher, I'm actually in the US now so that's not a problem. But I'm not looking to do their program - at least not yet!

Thanks again.

I was just talking to a co-worker today who eats a wheat/gluten free diet.  I asked her what happens if she eats wheat/gluten, thinking it would be a gastrointestinal sort of malady that occurs (or maybe like getting hives, sore throat, etc), but no - she said it's all joint pain & such for her on this food allergy.  You learn something new every day!

Laura, what is AS? I know what RA is. My father died from complications due to an autoimmune disease and apparently autoimmune issues can be hereditary (though thankfully his specific disease is not). I have ITP but would not be surprised if I end up with more autoimmune issues.

AS, sorry, its ankylosing spondylitis, which is first an inflammation in the spine and pelvic joints and the spine eventually fuses together. 

Yeah, autoimmune disease have a huge genetic component to them and having a first degree relative (mother, sister, etc) gives you increased odds of getting one. Additionally, if you have one autoimmune disease, the odds increase in getting another one. 

I was just talking to a co-worker today who eats a wheat/gluten free diet.  I asked her what happens if she eats wheat/gluten, thinking it would be a gastrointestinal sort of malady that occurs (or maybe like getting hives, sore throat, etc), but no - she said it's all joint pain & such for her on this food allergy.  You learn something new every day!

My older sis has severe rhumatoid arthritis from having Lyme Disease and she swears by eating gluten free, as well as avoiding molds, yeasts, and the like.  There's not much scientific evidence to back it all up, but it does seem to help a lot of people.     

I am getting a lot of joint pain now (in my 60's so what can you expect  )  Very stiff across the hips which seems to be mostly due to sciatica but physio says something else may be going on there.  It started maybe about 8 years ago with pain in my left thumb.  Thought it was some kind of Repetitative Stress thing as I use that hand for holding a book while I scan it.  They x-rayed and said there was some osteoarthritis and also osteoporosis! Now have what feels like a hard spur at base of thumb.
But neither of my parents were very achy like that!  I'm sure the weather doesn't help these things.