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AutoImmune?
by Amanda1977, Mar 30, 2006 12:00AM
Ok, something is up. Either I’m just gifted with bad luck and have a hodge podge rainbow of weird health quirks, or all this/most of this adds up to something else which I feel is autoimmune related, and hopefully something that is treatable.
My doctor, which I obtained recently and I have a lot of faither in her competence, stated I seem auto-immune and wanted to run some tests as soon as I can afford it. Right now, I have to put it off, it’s not in the budget and I have to pay all medical bills OOP as I have no health insurance. I’m immigrating to Canada (I married a Canadian) and until immigration is complete, I want to fly under the radar with my health issues regardless.
Here are my symptoms. I want to apologize in advance, but there are a lot and while many are likely unrelated and or unimportant, I’m not a healthcare professional so I want to lay it all on the table.
1. Mitral Valve Prolapse with valve regurgitation. Often times SEVERE chest pain. Attacks last 2-5 minutes & when it’s severe it goes into arm and back.
2. Severe flu like symptoms at 10/11 years of age requiring a week long hospital stay. I tested positive for Mono and Epstien Barr.
3. Severe lymphatic swelling and lymph node infection at 12/13 years in lymph nodes on the right side of face/neck requiring hospital stay. They were extremely swollen and painful. Doctor diagnosed me with cat scratch fever, but to be frank I have little to no faith in her diagnosis. She made the diagnosis based on my telling her that a cat scratched me, not on bloodwork. She gave me penicillin shots for every sniffle and barely spoke English. Very bad Medicaid doctor with a poor reputation.
4. Bell's Palsy, severe at age 13– lasted a year until it slowly began to improve. This was on the right side of my face and slowly cleared up. This happened on the same side of my face as the lymph node infections and occurred about 6 months later. I’m now 29 still have residual effects. When tired, it “flares up.” When I came down with it, I had MRI’s, cat scans, and saw a neurologist. Finally, my Dr said that it must have been caused from an ear infection in my Eustachian tube which caused so much swelling it pinched the nerve. She never put the lymph node issue and the facial paralysis issue together.
5. While pregnant or when feeling particularly icky, I get quite short of breath, especially when lying flat.
6. Multi-nodular goiter detected at 22 years of age. I’m hypothyroid, do not know my thyroid levels.
7. Optic Nerve Head Drusen or something similar as found at a routine eye exam. I have granules in the nerves of both eyes.
8. Severe swelling and redness of hands and face along with a burning sensation when over heated, fatigued, hormonal, pregnant, when drinking alcohol or upon exercise. I have zero tolerance for heat. When I am cool, or cold, my fingers and toes become very slender. I have attributed this to edema and possible BP issues.
9. I rarely ever sweat, and was born and raised in Florida, where it gets hotter than all get out.
10. I can no longer tolerate alcohol, but I could several years ago. I instantly swell, my face and hands become very tight and swollen and red and burn and itch, At first I assumed it was simple edema, but seems to me now to be some sort of allergic reaction as it happens within mere minutes of my first taste. Sometimes get a very nasty head to toe bright red lacey rash that begins on my face and works downward and can cover my entire body. The next day after drinking any amount of alcohol I get a rash on my face (cheeks and nose, pale, pink and splotchy) that lasts for several days. This can occur with any type of alcohol and in any amount.
11. Facial rash when I feel very run down or “sick.” When I get it my face burns and itches due to facial swelling. The rash covers my upper cheek bones and nose, and sometimes forehead around my temples and looks like a mild lupus style butterfly rash. The rash is a pale, pink and splotchy and slightly raised.
12. Severe pre-eclampsia when pregnant with my first child. First pregnancy BP 210/117 with high protein in urine and severe pitting edema. Second recent pregnancy I really too kit easy and BP was during labor 153/95, during pregnancy would shift from normal 110/80 to 140/90.
13. High Blood pressure when on birth control or when under stress or sometimes without cause 180/95+
14. Digestive issues and tendency to constipation which I attribute to my thyroid issues.
15. Anemia – I have not once been allowed to give blood due to my anemia
16. Fatigue and all over joint and muscle pain... not tired, not sleepy… I feel sometimes so weak and so drained it is an effort to get up to use the washroom.
17. Prone to moodiness and irritability, sometimes in a flash without cause I can become suddenly frustrated and grouchy
18. Pins and needles sensation in right hand and arm. I feel this is carpel tunnel syndrome.
19. Various allergies, from plants to animals to foods. Had allergy shots for 3 years starting at age 9. They were of little to no help.
20. Life time issues with rashes, from celiac type rashes to other odd itchy rashes I get on my wrists. I’m just a rashy person.
21. Rashes when exposed to sunlight. The rash will abruptly stop where my clothing begins. Other times, no rash at all with sunlight. The rash is lacey and bright red, same as the alcohol related rash, except sometimes it will also cause pimple-like bumps that itch.
22. If there is a flu, a virus, a bacteria, a rumor of any of these, I can and will catch it. My immune system is either stunted or hyperactive.
23. Sometimes when I eat, especially fatty foods, I get severe pain in my side. Sometimes it makes me throw-up. I had an ultrasound and was negative for gallbladder stones.
24. I have very heavy irregular painful menstrual cycles.
25. I’m going to mention this because everyone comments on it. I’m a klutz. I trip over my own two feet, midjudge walls, etc. When I am particularly klutzy I feel hazy and excitable. Maybe it’s just because I’m a moron and need to watch where I am going, or maybe there is something more to it.
My doctor, which I obtained recently and I have a lot of faither in her competence, stated I seem auto-immune and wanted to run some tests as soon as I can afford it. Right now, I have to put it off, it’s not in the budget and I have to pay all medical bills OOP as I have no health insurance. I’m immigrating to Canada (I married a Canadian) and until immigration is complete, I want to fly under the radar with my health issues regardless.
Here are my symptoms. I want to apologize in advance, but there are a lot and while many are likely unrelated and or unimportant, I’m not a healthcare professional so I want to lay it all on the table.
1. Mitral Valve Prolapse with valve regurgitation. Often times SEVERE chest pain. Attacks last 2-5 minutes & when it’s severe it goes into arm and back.
2. Severe flu like symptoms at 10/11 years of age requiring a week long hospital stay. I tested positive for Mono and Epstien Barr.
3. Severe lymphatic swelling and lymph node infection at 12/13 years in lymph nodes on the right side of face/neck requiring hospital stay. They were extremely swollen and painful. Doctor diagnosed me with cat scratch fever, but to be frank I have little to no faith in her diagnosis. She made the diagnosis based on my telling her that a cat scratched me, not on bloodwork. She gave me penicillin shots for every sniffle and barely spoke English. Very bad Medicaid doctor with a poor reputation.
4. Bell's Palsy, severe at age 13– lasted a year until it slowly began to improve. This was on the right side of my face and slowly cleared up. This happened on the same side of my face as the lymph node infections and occurred about 6 months later. I’m now 29 still have residual effects. When tired, it “flares up.” When I came down with it, I had MRI’s, cat scans, and saw a neurologist. Finally, my Dr said that it must have been caused from an ear infection in my Eustachian tube which caused so much swelling it pinched the nerve. She never put the lymph node issue and the facial paralysis issue together.
5. While pregnant or when feeling particularly icky, I get quite short of breath, especially when lying flat.
6. Multi-nodular goiter detected at 22 years of age. I’m hypothyroid, do not know my thyroid levels.
7. Optic Nerve Head Drusen or something similar as found at a routine eye exam. I have granules in the nerves of both eyes.
8. Severe swelling and redness of hands and face along with a burning sensation when over heated, fatigued, hormonal, pregnant, when drinking alcohol or upon exercise. I have zero tolerance for heat. When I am cool, or cold, my fingers and toes become very slender. I have attributed this to edema and possible BP issues.
9. I rarely ever sweat, and was born and raised in Florida, where it gets hotter than all get out.
10. I can no longer tolerate alcohol, but I could several years ago. I instantly swell, my face and hands become very tight and swollen and red and burn and itch, At first I assumed it was simple edema, but seems to me now to be some sort of allergic reaction as it happens within mere minutes of my first taste. Sometimes get a very nasty head to toe bright red lacey rash that begins on my face and works downward and can cover my entire body. The next day after drinking any amount of alcohol I get a rash on my face (cheeks and nose, pale, pink and splotchy) that lasts for several days. This can occur with any type of alcohol and in any amount.
11. Facial rash when I feel very run down or “sick.” When I get it my face burns and itches due to facial swelling. The rash covers my upper cheek bones and nose, and sometimes forehead around my temples and looks like a mild lupus style butterfly rash. The rash is a pale, pink and splotchy and slightly raised.
12. Severe pre-eclampsia when pregnant with my first child. First pregnancy BP 210/117 with high protein in urine and severe pitting edema. Second recent pregnancy I really too kit easy and BP was during labor 153/95, during pregnancy would shift from normal 110/80 to 140/90.
13. High Blood pressure when on birth control or when under stress or sometimes without cause 180/95+
14. Digestive issues and tendency to constipation which I attribute to my thyroid issues.
15. Anemia – I have not once been allowed to give blood due to my anemia
16. Fatigue and all over joint and muscle pain... not tired, not sleepy… I feel sometimes so weak and so drained it is an effort to get up to use the washroom.
17. Prone to moodiness and irritability, sometimes in a flash without cause I can become suddenly frustrated and grouchy
18. Pins and needles sensation in right hand and arm. I feel this is carpel tunnel syndrome.
19. Various allergies, from plants to animals to foods. Had allergy shots for 3 years starting at age 9. They were of little to no help.
20. Life time issues with rashes, from celiac type rashes to other odd itchy rashes I get on my wrists. I’m just a rashy person.
21. Rashes when exposed to sunlight. The rash will abruptly stop where my clothing begins. Other times, no rash at all with sunlight. The rash is lacey and bright red, same as the alcohol related rash, except sometimes it will also cause pimple-like bumps that itch.
22. If there is a flu, a virus, a bacteria, a rumor of any of these, I can and will catch it. My immune system is either stunted or hyperactive.
23. Sometimes when I eat, especially fatty foods, I get severe pain in my side. Sometimes it makes me throw-up. I had an ultrasound and was negative for gallbladder stones.
24. I have very heavy irregular painful menstrual cycles.
25. I’m going to mention this because everyone comments on it. I’m a klutz. I trip over my own two feet, midjudge walls, etc. When I am particularly klutzy I feel hazy and excitable. Maybe it’s just because I’m a moron and need to watch where I am going, or maybe there is something more to it.
Member Comments (1)
by fatigued15, Apr 05, 2006 12:00AM
Amanda, You have many symptoms of late stage lyme disease. Please put lymenet in a yahoo search and go to their forums.
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