I have felt very unwell over the past year
and a half. I'm always tired, feel
run-down, and just not as clear-headed
some times. I even quit my job as a
teacher after the school year b/c I felt
physically unable to handle the work there
and being a decent mom and wife at home.
Two weeks ago I felt like I was dying.
My joints ached so badly...Especially in
my legs. I felt weak and had chills and
low-grade fever. It hurt to pee, so I
assumed I had a bladder infection.
When I went to the Dr. The urinalysis
showed white blood cells, but no bacteria,
so they said it wasn't a uti. The dr was
stumped. He told me to go to my gyno as
maybe I had something going on on my
ovaries....
I went home and the next day I thought I
was having a heart attack. My chest was
tight and it hurt to breathe. I felt
like someone was standing on my chest.
It would come and go, so I figured it
wasn't that serious and I left it alone.
I went to the gyno the next day...All the
symptoms still present. I looked so
weird because when I walked the bottoms of
my feet hurt along with the joints in the
legs. I wanted to just cry. I had just
had my "normal" gyno exam 3 weeks prior,
so the Dr. Didn't feel the need to
examine me. He was at a loss b/c like at
my general dr's office, my urinalysis
showed no bacteria which is what causes
uti's.....He saw the white blood cells,
though, so he told me to take antibiotics
anyway just in case.
Well, in a day or so I felt perfectly
normal. Figured that I just had a weird
uti or something...No biggie.
Yesterday, the chest pain came back.
Very sharp when I breathe in. Tight
overall. I called the Dr. (feeling
embarrassed and like a stinkin'
hypochondriac) and they said my Dr.
Wasn't going to be in the next day but I
could see another. I went in today. I
thought I was beginning to notice the
soreness in my legs returning, but I
didn't mention it to this new Dr. He
asked questions about my chest discomfort
and almost immediately diagnosed
"pleurisy". I got a shot and was told I
would feel better in 6 hours.
When I got home I looked up pleurisy and
was very disappointed to see it is
typically a symptom ....... So I wondered
what in the world could be causing this
strange symptom? I found a list of scary
diseases such as lung cancer, heart
disease, blood clots, and pneumonia.
Then I found lupus.
When I saw the symptoms of lupus I saw
some very familiar things:
-just a few days ago my husband noticed my
toes "looked dead"...They were purple.
-i seem to get sores in my mouth about
once a month for the past 6 months.
-joint pain
-pleurisy
-depression-i have been on effexor for
over a year now and have really struggled
as it gets worse and worse.
-fatigue
i don't know. I am sick of feeling sick.
I am normally the healthy one in the
family. I am constantly complaining and
it is taking a toll on my family. I'm
scared to take these thoughts to my
Dr.....So I thought i'd see what you guys
think.
Thanks in advance!
Beth
|
Hollydc
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 20 Location: South Carolina
Hi Posted: 08-12-05 13:19pm
Hi,
i am so sorry that you have been
experiencing all of these symptoms. I
hope and pray that you are not facing a
lupus diagnosis. I will say that your
symptoms are very common to other
illnesses besides lupus such as
sarcadosis, fibromyalgia, and so on....
Personally, it took me almost 5 years
before I was officially diagnosed. I
spent 2 years going to a rheumy and him
saying that I had migratory arthritis
(because the pain and inflammation moved
around from joint to joint randomly).
Then another 2 saying that I had sjogrens
syndrome (after a lip biopsy was done)
before my final diagnosis. I had and
still have some of the symptoms you
mentioned from time to time. Most
recently is the chest pain but I have not
been diagnosed with pleurisy. The doctors
seem baffled. I had an echo-chardiogram
and chest x-ray done and they came back
normal. So as it stands today, I still
don't know what's wrong. I still have
strange chest pains, heart flutters, and a
full feeling in my abdomen. I have been
going through a light flare since
april.... As for my suggestions to you:
ask as to be seen by a rheumotologist and
work diligently with him for a proper
diagnosis. In the mean time get plenty of
sleep, exercise whenever possible, eat
healthier, and stay out of the sun and
wear sunscreen (spf 40+), hats, long
sleeves etc...
I hope your health improves and I hope
this helps you in some way.
|
kait77
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 29 Jul 2005 Posts: 13
Some Things to Do Mean Time Posted: 08-16-05 16:04pm
You need to keep a symptom log and also
log your temp at least 3 times every day.
If you get rashes take pictures. If your
toes turn purple again have your husband
take a picture or ten. Doumenting
everything will help the doctor figure out
what is wrong. Never ever again fail to
tell your doctor of a symptom no matter
how small or insignificant it may seem to
you. Having an accurate record both your
own and your doctor's is vital to figuring
out what is wrong. If your antidepressant
isn't helping then maybe it is time for a
change in medication or treatment. You
need to have a long apointment with your
regular doctor and explain everything that
has been going on ask that things like
mono be checked for as some viruses can
cause your symptoms and also tend to hang
around for a long time. Ask to have your
kidney function tested and for a clean
catch urine sample to be cultured just in
case the bateria was missed. You need to
have everything ruled out before you can
begin the testing for lupus- at least this
was my experience. You need to develop a
trusting relationship with your regular
doctor and establish that things aren't
right and you want to deal with it and
move on with your life. Unless you do so
you will spend a lot of time worrying and
suffering needlessly.
