I'm new hear and I am desperate for help.
I have been dealing with a host of symptoms for about many years now. It all started with two incidents while at work: (1) In 2002, I was at work and couldn't hold anything. My hand wouldn't hold anything, not even a pen for several hours. (2) In 2003, after a nice Spring walk after lunch, I returned to my office to experience pain in my chest, sudden all over extreme fatigue and ended up in the ER. I was referred to a rheumotogist in 2002 and have been seeing him for years now. Unfortunately, neither he nor the other neurologit I have seen seem to know what is going on with me. Meanwhile, more and more symptoms have shown up:
Painful joints - ankles and feet (especially in the morning), wrists and hands, knees, shoulders, and sometimes my hips
Muscle pain - all over, but especially my arms and legs
Muscle Spasms, Tingling, and twitching - all over (even at times in my vaginal area)
Chest pain upon deep breathing - this has happened a few times but not consistently over a long period of time (day or two)
Sensitivity to the sun - I dread the sun. Feels like it is burning when I am in direct sunlight. Very unusual since I used to love laying out in the sun.
Head Aches - sometimes I get pains in my head that fee like I have been hit with a blunt object. The pain comes from no where and is unexplainable.
Fatigue - I get very tired by doing the smallest things. Many times when I come home from work, I have to go straight to bed. (I also have nights where sleep won't come)
Involuntary movements and jerking of muscles in my legs, arms, face, fingers, toes, ankles,
Memory problems - I forget words, names, what I was just about to do.
Stomach pains - Sometimes, for no reason, I feel like my stomach is being ripout out from the inside. The pain comes and goes with no rhyme or reason
Bladder - for about two months now my bladder has been wacky...For a few weeks I felt like I needed a catheter because it felt like I had to urinate 24 hours a day. The past few weeks I have gone all day without having the urge to go at all. I go just becuase I figure my bladder must be full.
Bowel - For about a year I have been battling with bowel problems too ( I haven't mention this to the dr becuase I just realized I never remember to tell him). I often cannot make a bowel movement unless I message myself after urinating and even then I have to concentrate like I am telling my muscles to work with me. The strange part is that when I do feel the urge to urinate, when I wipe myself I notice that I have had bowel leakage as well. I think the leakage happens before I go to the bathroom, because I also have itching like there is a rash in my anal area.
I was taken to the ER this past Monday after experience chronic fatigue all weekend (slept about 36 hours between Saturday and Sunday). Late Sunday also started experiencing chest pain. The ER doctors called my rhuemy and was told that he diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia. This was news to me since he had always only said, "you have a chronic pain condition and you'll never be your old self again". This was just what I wanted to hear. Anyway, the ER doctors were happy with his diagnosis. They said that my symptoms pointed to something more than Fibromyalgia. They gave me the number to another rheumy. Since I have family history of lupus (my mom's sister) and have done extensive research and have found that the rash over my cheeks, nose, and forehead is getting worse (my rheumy wouldn't even discuss the rash), I want to see a rheumy with Lupus experience. I live in Baltimore. Can anyone recommend a good Rheumy in Baltimore? Got any advice. The ER doctor has put me on Prednisone (just for a week) which I am now taking in addition to Lyrica, Cymbalta, Calcium and Vitamin D in addition to my Synthroid (hx of Graves Disease which was treated with radiation) and Albuterol for asthma.
Blessed