Hello all. Just returned from my 2nd visit to the Rheum. Need your wise opinions and counsel.
Background: years of symptoms that a wrote off, ignored, or chalked up to getting older. (I'm 47, married, female, work 50 hrs week, 2 daughters in late teens.) everyone has extreme fatigue, migraines, joint pain in knees hips back neck and fingers, mouth ulcers and hair loss, right?
A few months ago, at the neuro trying to determine help for the migraines, I had a positive ANA. 1:320 and speck and homog. He referred to rheum.
Rheum took blood, X-rays and urine.
Results (lots of results were very normal!) of note include:
In the CBC, GR% was high.
CRP was high.
Urinalysis showed moderate blood.
CPK was low in the thyroid tests.
Hand X-rays showed peri bone softening, sclerosis, mild joint space narrowing and no clear erosions.
Knee X-rays showed mild medial compartmental narrowing, slight patellofemoral disease.
Feet X-rays showed slight valgus change, peri bone softening.
Positive ANA 1:80, speck and homog
Rheum thinks we are at the beginning of something, that may or may not progress. He says that given there are so many limitations to blood tests, he can't give it a name at this time.
He has Rx to me plaquenil. He wants me to take one a day to make sure it doesn't upset me. I go back in March, but am to call if something goes worse.
What does all of this sound like to you? I came home and it was hard to not have a name to give it when talking to my husband. The Rx will take a few months if it is going to help. The fatigue is way out of hand, and my hand pain is limiting things. I want to research diet, exercise, homeopathic and alternative therapies and don't know what to look at?
I've read many of your posts and am humbled by your drive, will, and perseverance. Thanks in advance for any who chime in here with me.
Post Edited (mcpaige) : 11/26/2014 9:23:18 AM (GMT-7)