Interesting article Missj. Thanks for the link. Certainly something to consider but I do take probiotics with lactobaccilis and also consume a large amount of raw or lightly steamed vegetation.
Evenso, digestion has been off for the last three weeks which is when the joint thing started, and was really hooped for a couple of months in the spring, due to autonomic neuropathy.
Surgery seems to have helped some, but it has been a rather slow recovery and adjustment, as the stomach remains slow to empty and doesn't handle too much solid food in one sitting very well.

Thanks Mariel, the environment is another possibility. It has been warmer than usual here for the whole summer so maybe that has had an effect on something in the air.
I'll ask around if anyone around here knows if there has been a change in air quality. It is a mill town so maybe pollution from that isn't getting cleared what with the change in climate?
So far so good on the forest fire dept around here, so it isn't smoke.

With love, Erika