Random, sporadic stabbing pains?
April 27, 2017 6:01 PM Subscribe
Over the past month or so I've been getting these seemingly random stabbing pains in a few different areas of my body. It happens the same every time. What could be causing them?
I'll be sitting, doing nothing in particular and I'll suddenly get a sharp, stabbing pain around my lower jaw, between the chin and the neck. It hurts for about 3 seconds and then goes away. This has happened 3 times in the past month. It feels kind of like a needle, I suppose is the best way I can describe it, and it radiates out a little bit.
I have had a very similar pain a few times on the right side of my torso, about in the middle, and a couple times on the right side of my back, also about halfway.
I wouldn't think that these pains could be related, but they started happening around the same time and they feel very similar.
They're about a 4 or 5 out of 10 as far as discomfort goes. I do have to pause whatever I'm doing until they subside. They've never happened when I'm doing anything strenuous. I'm usually watching TV or lying down in bed (not in an awkward position or clenching my jaw).
I've been taking 175mg of Effexor and a small dose of Trazadone for sleep for about two months. I started taking a vitamin D prescription (2000 units) a week or so before the very first jaw pain. Psychiatrist said vitamin D levels were very low (13) and my Alkaline Phosphate was a bit high. We're going to discuss the blood work results next week.
Before my appointment, does anyone have any idea what these pains could mean? Should I see my doctor earlier? Thank you.
I'll be sitting, doing nothing in particular and I'll suddenly get a sharp, stabbing pain around my lower jaw, between the chin and the neck. It hurts for about 3 seconds and then goes away. This has happened 3 times in the past month. It feels kind of like a needle, I suppose is the best way I can describe it, and it radiates out a little bit.
I have had a very similar pain a few times on the right side of my torso, about in the middle, and a couple times on the right side of my back, also about halfway.
I wouldn't think that these pains could be related, but they started happening around the same time and they feel very similar.
They're about a 4 or 5 out of 10 as far as discomfort goes. I do have to pause whatever I'm doing until they subside. They've never happened when I'm doing anything strenuous. I'm usually watching TV or lying down in bed (not in an awkward position or clenching my jaw).
I've been taking 175mg of Effexor and a small dose of Trazadone for sleep for about two months. I started taking a vitamin D prescription (2000 units) a week or so before the very first jaw pain. Psychiatrist said vitamin D levels were very low (13) and my Alkaline Phosphate was a bit high. We're going to discuss the blood work results next week.
Before my appointment, does anyone have any idea what these pains could mean? Should I see my doctor earlier? Thank you.
Low vitamin D levels *will* present as joint pain and aches, so getting your D up may very well help some of that.
Total armchair speculation here, but how's your back? I ask because I work a desk job, my flexibility is for shit, and I have definitely had an increase in various complaints and ouches throughout my core, as well as a chronic sore buttcheek from sciatica as a result of same. If you do a lot of sitting in keyboard position (hands in front of you, shoulders slightly turned in) then that may well be a contributor.
posted by Autumnheart at 7:31 PM on April 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
Total armchair speculation here, but how's your back? I ask because I work a desk job, my flexibility is for shit, and I have definitely had an increase in various complaints and ouches throughout my core, as well as a chronic sore buttcheek from sciatica as a result of same. If you do a lot of sitting in keyboard position (hands in front of you, shoulders slightly turned in) then that may well be a contributor.
posted by Autumnheart at 7:31 PM on April 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
Also, did you mean 2000 IU of Vitamin D, or 20,000? I ask because if your D levels are that low, then 2000 is going to take forever to get them up there. When I had low D, i had a prescription for 50,000 IU per week (one pill per week) and then took 10,000 IU daily-ish for several months until I was back up to 80. If you're only taking 2000 then you may want to bump that up a bit.
posted by Autumnheart at 7:34 PM on April 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Autumnheart at 7:34 PM on April 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: My back is generally fine. I'm not very active when I'm at home, but I'm on my feet and walking around all day for work. Maybe the aches and pains are just from vitamin D deficiency, because I have definitely been eating a lot less eggs, tuna and dairy in the past few months now that I think about it (and I'm not one to sit in the sun).
The 2000 vitamin D is prescribed. I'll have to ask the doctor why the prescription is so low.
posted by blackzinfandel at 7:50 PM on April 27, 2017
The 2000 vitamin D is prescribed. I'll have to ask the doctor why the prescription is so low.
posted by blackzinfandel at 7:50 PM on April 27, 2017
Anxiety?
Reaction to something you are eating or drinking at a certain time each day? (Food intolerance reactions can occur 8 hours or more after you eat or drink the food.)
Side effects from one of your medications?
posted by Sockpuppets 'R' Us at 8:55 PM on April 27, 2017
Reaction to something you are eating or drinking at a certain time each day? (Food intolerance reactions can occur 8 hours or more after you eat or drink the food.)
Side effects from one of your medications?
posted by Sockpuppets 'R' Us at 8:55 PM on April 27, 2017
I feel like this is my answer to everything but happened to me when I was deficient in B12. Nerves were de-myelinating and I got stabby pains in my chest, sides, legs, feet, face etc.
posted by fshgrl at 9:47 PM on April 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by fshgrl at 9:47 PM on April 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
The sudden and sharp nature of the pain makes me think of the crystals from gout, though that usually shows up more around the joints.
posted by cadge at 10:36 AM on April 28, 2017
posted by cadge at 10:36 AM on April 28, 2017
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posted by tilde at 6:33 PM on April 27, 2017