MS OR SJOGRENS OR CRAZY?

[pixielady]

Hello in January I developed a very sore conjunctivitis my eyes felt like grit in them and pain with swelling also a massive floater which blocks my vision whenever I eat about 15 mins later I cannot see. The opthamologist diagnosed dry eye with inflammation and gave steroid drops then told me to come off them but if I do the eye goes back to how it was. At the same time I got night sweats and a white line running down the side of my nose like a scar also the inside of right nostril has a hard hoop inside which means I cannot flare it. I also got an oval pad on base of thumb which hurts like arthritis.
  I get headaches at the eyebrow and if sleeping on my sides my arms go numb and I feel my facial veins tighten like choking.
  I have been experiencing diarreah for 4 months which means I have lost a lot of weight and my gastroenterologist gave upper endoscopy which resulted in treatment for h pylori.
  I don't think it has gone though 2 months later as I still feel nauseous and there is constant flowing of what I presume to be gastritis from just below my ribcage.
  I heard h pylori was more difficult to treat in people with sjogrens and I am waiting to see another opthamologist as my vision has worsened and I am sick of having to go round with a red eye.
  The white line down the side of my nose I presume to be a nerve or blood vessel but the pain is all around my eye socket.It goes down to  where the hard hoop is across my inner nostril it seems to follow on down my throat. I can only say it is like my nostril has a wire inside it and when I touch it there is a feeling like a worm in my throat.
I am not crazy just overwhelmed with all this and desperate to get my life back on track as I have no quality in it feel terrible with this bloodshot eye desperately gaunt and need to be not far from a toilet. I have a nauseous feeling in my abdomen after eating which makes my upper arms go weak and a feeling of gloom but I am sure this is not a panic attack as no previous mental or stress problems. I would appreciate any light on these issues then I can go armed to my next appointment as all the doctors seem to think they are mere panic attacks thankyou!!!

[Kevin Pho, MD]

I can address the gastroenterology issues on this forum.

Continuing diarrhea should be evaluated by a lower endoscopy, rather than an upper endoscopy.  Colitis, inflammatory bowel disease or malabsorption are all possibilities of chronic diarrhea.  A flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy can be considered to work this up.  

Nausea after eating can be caused by a variety of upper GI diseases - including GERD, inflammation of the upper digestive tract, or an ulcer.  The upper endoscopy would rule most of these possibilities out.

If the symptoms continue, you can consider a gastric emptying scan to evaluate for gastroparesis - which may lead to your symptoms.

These options can be discussed with your personal physician.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
kevinmd_

[Yezinki]

Hello,

Try convincing your docs to test you for MCTD. (Mixed Connective Tissue Disease).

Take care.

[pixielady]

Thankyou I am going to the doctor tomorrow as I run out of steroid drops and my eye has closed up again and my head is aching my arms numb I have decided if they won't do anything I am going to our daily newspapers as I have suffered for 4 months and not enough done. I too suspected what you advised but they don't listen even when they see my eye and the swelling over my nose they just say your central nervous system has gone into overide from stress!! The stress I have is only from this disease.Thanks again.

[KrisKraft]

Have you been tested for Lyme disease?

The symptoms you've listed are very common among Lyme patients. And many people have been misdiagnosed with MS before they discover they actually have Lyme.

You can see a comprehensive list of symptoms in peer-reviewed journal articles under "Symptoms and Characteristics (peer-reviewed literature)" on my website:
http://www.openeyepictures.com/underourskin/uos_resources.html

Be aware that testing through the commercial labs is notoriously insensitive, with the FDA-approved test kits missing over 50% of positive cases.

In my opinion, IGenex is the only reliable Lyme lab, because they test for multiple Lyme strains, not just the B31 Shelter Island strain, and they report on the most specific Lyme antigens, the 31kDa and 34kDA bands. IGenex has recently passed Cal., NY, and CDC quality testing with flying colors. You can download the IGenex testing forms from my website; give these to your MD if you want to use this lab. MDL isn't bad a bad lab either.

Fewer than half the people with Lyme ever see a tick bite or a rash. You have the right to be tested, so don't let your MD say no. Get your life back.

KrisKraft
http://www.lymediseasefilm.com/