What is going on with me?

I'm an 18-year old female and I have an interesting cocktail of symptoms I've been experiencing for a long time.

Since I was 15 years old, I've had these "pins and needles," sensations all throughout my body that strike every part of me. They pass quickly but are still painful. I've also always had slight muscle twitching in my hands and feet since I was 15 as well. These symptoms are recurring to this day.

Now, within the past year, I've experienced knee pain/swelling, also chest pains and chest swelling. On top of that I've had stools with a lot of mucus in them, lower back pain, skin lesions, lots of bruising that develops over night, and uncomfortable abdominal pain unrelated to PMS. I've recently been diagnosed as hypoglycemic, hyper-mobile, and with rheumatoid arthritis, which I have been seeing a rhuematologist for. I was given steroids to help the swelling, but they do not help me at all. Recently my hands and feet have started to become numb so that I am unable to move them, and at times my feet are also so numb that I can't even walk on them.

All the symptoms I've listed are getting worse, and I'm scared for my health. I don't know what's wrong with me and I'm wondering if these are all symptoms of the rheumatoid arthritis or of something else. My rhuematologist wants me to get a colonoscopy done to see if I have a "rare arthritic disease," in his words. I'm not sure if he's making any sense, and I'm confused as to what I should do. I know that rheumatoid arthritis is a degenerative disease, which makes me sad enough given how young I am. I am worried that my other symptoms have nothing to do with the RA and that I am not going in the right direction for my health. Please help me with my situation!

[selmaS]

Hi...u mentioned hyper mobility...does he mean EDS...Ehlers Danlos syndrome?

If so that could account for many of ur syptoms (symptoms)..look it up and see if u think it matches ur symptoms.

If so u need a NS that specializes in this and related conditions not a rhuemitod dr.

Good luck
"selma"