Parasthesias and elevated ESR for 10 years

I have not felt well off and on since coming down with a viral infection in 1997. I ran a 105 fever and afterwards it was months of extreme fatigue and weakness before getting "better". I even had to go part-time at my job for 2 months at that time.

In the past 10 years (I am now 43) I have had various symptoms including arthralgias, myalgias, IBS, GERD, migraines, anxiety with panic attacks, etc. I have consistently had an elevated ESR which was 64 in 10/2006 and 28 4/2007. In addition, I have had a low titer homogenous ANA of 1:40 (additional tests for Sjogren's and SLE were negative). My other labs, other than high cholesterol, have been normal (blood sugar, Vit B12, potassium). I asked my current doctor if it is just Fibromyalgia since arthritis has not been diagnosed although both my parents have forms of it. I am set up for a brain MRI, bone scan and sleep study in the next few weeks.

In the past year since moving from the northern states to TN, my symptoms have gotten worse. It began with IBS and anxiety in 2/2006. I have been on medications for the anxiety and feel no stress and no longer panic at heights or bridges. I lost 30 pounds in 2 months with the IBS/gastritis, but now have actually gained 50 pounds in one year.

My current concerning problem is when walking I feel like I'm dragging along and don't have energy to do so. I get tired quickly. I also get electric shock/tingling sensations throughout my body, but only when standing/walking. My vision has been a bit blurrier which I was attributing to the high pollen counts, but I've had a mild headache now for 3 days also. No matter how much sleep I get, I'm tired.

Could this be MS? Do people with MS have elevated ESRs (sedimentation rates)? Would it take this long to be diagnosed? What else could it be?

[cjzabel]

Have you been tested for Celiac Disease?  it could explain your symptoms as well as the elevated ESR. What happens with Celiac is your body attacks the villi in the small intestine, after a while you no longer absorb the nutrients your are supposed to so your body is starving. Which could explain the fatigue, panic, general malaise that you are feeling, as well as the arthritic type symptoms as well. Celiac is unique in symptoms depending on the person, but if I were you I would get tested, if you test positive a simple gluten free diet could change your whole life.

[patsy10]

I would also get checked for lyme disease.

[Chatt Girl]

I would expect to lose weight and not gain it if it were celiac disease and I don't have diarrhea.

I have been tested for Lyme's Disease and that was negative.

I do have 3 herniated discs in my back with the worst being L5-S1 which would explain my left leg weakness and some numbess and tingling in that leg, nut that doesn't explain the increased fatigue in the past months and the electric shock and unsteady feelings I keep having when standng and walking.

[Annie62]

Chatt girl,

In addition to the above suggestions, you might also want to read up on hypothyroidism and polymyositis.  I don't know if you would have an elevated sed rate with hypothyroidism, but you definitely could with polymyositis.  The fatigue, muscle pain, joint pain, and even tingling are symptoms common to both diseases.  The weight gain could be seen with hypothyroidism (Hashimoto's-an autoimmune disease), but I think weight loss (not gain) would be seen more often with polymyositis.  Headaches could be from anything (including hypothyroidism).  Not sure if weakness presents on one side or bilaterally with polymyositis (if your disk problems don't explain the unilateral leg weakness)--you could read on it to find out.  Both are autoimmune diseases.  From my past reading on Hashimoto's, it can cause just about every symptom imaginable-the list is long.  Consistently elevated sed rate might be more consistent with a connective tissue disease.  Did you have an RA level done and did they do complete antibody testing for all the antibodies seen in the various connective tissue diseases (not just lupus and Sjogren's)?  Even if all your autoantibodies for the various CTDs are negative, I know from experience that antibody levels can fluctuate (my ANA has gone from negative to mildly positive (1:160) back to negative over the years), so negative ELISA panel (or whatever it is called) doesn't 100% rule out a CTD. CPK level and aldolase are done to help diagnose polymyositis (I was worked up for it in the past)--don't know what other blood work is done.  Lots of bad things happen after fevers/viral infections.  The same thing happened to me.  Sometimes it takes years to find the cause, but don't stop pursuing an answer.

[donna2008]

I am able to function with very little pain.