Hi everyone, I am new on the board and desperate for either validation or confirmation that I am a hypocondriac!
For 3 years I feel like I have been getting fobbed off by doctors and I am just so tired of fighting for a diagnosis. I know that 3 years is not a long time by a lot of peoples experiences on here, but I am so frustraited and it's sending me crazy.
I am so agitated that this will probably just take forever to read and I apologise and thank you for your time in advance.
13 years ago after the birth of my child I suffered the usual fatigue of a working single parent, but it never seemed to completely leave me! I had periods of what you would class as "normal", but over time I have noticed a significant change in the level of energy I have at all times followed by longer spells of zero energy at all! Add to this the hystorectomy caused by early puberty diagnosed severe endometriosis, there was a 3mth interval before I needed a hemi-colectomy due to severe constipation all my life which continues to this day but is getting a lot worse despite the surgery. Both these operations followed an emergency caesarian 6 mths earlier. I returned to work 6 mths after the final surgery. Then something strnge started to happen about 3 years ago when I had sudden onset MH problems namely anxiety attacks, anger issues, highly irritable and generally a mess. My doc tried Prozac to which I had an adverse psychological reaction and ended up referring me to a Psychiatrist. I am on my 6th and still nearly 3 years later, I have no diagnosis. Now the joint pain especially in my knees has been an issue for years, (tested negative for RA and more recently negative for Lupus), but this has now been joined by hip, lower spine, shoulders, wrists and ankle pain. This also inludes periods of generalised muscle weakness that can go on for months. Now I have just returned from holiday to a very warm country that I visit yearly with no adverse affects previously. The best way to describe the sensation would be complete exhaustion in all my limbs that ended up with me either submerged in the pool or more often in my hotel room with the air-con. The heat did make my joints feel slightly better but the tradeoff was not worth it. It was like wearing a suit of armour in relation to the heavyness of my limbs and was told I was actually dragging my feet, it was horrible. I took a massive panic attack on the plane home then 5 days ago I noticed that the left side of my body was getting weaker and started to get pains and aches in my left shoulder, elbow and wrist with skin that was too sensitive to touch over the whole arm, ( no pain in chest). 3 days on the pain has started to subside but the feeling of weakness is getting worse. Now just to add the urinary urgency and occasional incontinence, the headaches and migraines that occur with and without comorbid symptoms, emotional irregularity and finally my friend told me the other day that I slur my words quite a bit and I often get words confused or have trouble "finding" them and I am aware of losing my way in conversation as I seem to zone out or just blank midst sentence. I am also a chronic insomniac due to aching, racing mind and at times of extreme fatigue, paralysis from the neck down with mind racing, ( really scary). I now always have to wear sunglasses outside as any bright light really hurts my eyes.
Suffice to say that I am genuinely scared and confused as to why these things are happening to me! I don't work anymore, I just can't too tired, sore and honestly unmotivated at the moment, I just know I would not cope until I know whats wrong with me!
I have a new doctor who on first visit appeared to take me seriously ( although as yet he does not know the half of it), and immediately ordered blood tests for Lupus which came back at 1.6 ANA which is apprently negative which is not a surprise given my recent heat experience! I see my new doc again on Thursday and really want to ask about possible MS but feel so much like a hypocondriac, I am worried he will look at me and I will see this moaning woman again. I think I have lost all confidence in myself as I have kind of barrackaded myself at home for months save for necessary outtings, doctors appointments and the most recent holiday which was booked over a year ago when I had a moment of hope.
Sorry its so long but I felt I should tell you as much as I can in order to get some advice. I know you may not be a doctor but would appreciate an opinion. Does this sound like MS or am I setting myself up for yet another fall.
Thanks in advance anyone who has read this, I know it's kind of a novel.
Mandypie