Can't Interact with Dagger Collectibles

I can still use the dagger for companion abilities like the griffon attack, moving rocks, melting crystals etc.  But starting at about the 10 hour mark I stopped being able to open the special armor chests with tree glowing orbs and I can no longer interact with the fen'harel or evanuris alters/statues.  Then it fixed itself after the Siege of Weisshaupt.  That lasted for one level and now I'm back to not being able to interact with the special armor chests or alters/statues. This is a pretty major bug and from what I've seen it's one that A LOT of people have.  I know EA knows about it and yet neither patch has addressed it.  It pretty disappointing to finish a huge battle and find a chest you can't unlock over and over again.  It also is irritating the crap over the completionist in me. Other than that MAJOR issue I've no other performance problems. I'm waiting for the moment where this issue blocks me from progressing through the story completely.