Hi everyone, I am a 41 yr old female in need of help! I'm writing this propped up on the bed with pillows because I'm so tired I can't cope with sitting at the desk... Right now, I'm not sure if I'm ill, have hypercrondia or just plain, 'losing my mind'. To add to my symptoms, I lost my Dad 4 months ago to Small Cell Carcinoma, I nursed him Singlehanded 24 7 for nearly 4 months.... Also (yep, there's more) 5 years ago I had my ADD and Anxiety Disorder confirmed. For this I take 10mg Rubifen (Rittalin) and 100mg Sertralina daily. These meds are fine and generally work, however this is what has been happening recently, well over the last few years but building if that makes sense?
6 years ago moved back to Spain to live to take care of my step mum, 6 months later after being in the sun, I had a fairly extreme sun reaction. Severe as in have tried everything, steroid, anti histamine, sun block etc etc.... Still it comes up, like white headed blisters, generally on my shoulders, upper and lower arms.
Around the same time, I realized I was having really bad hearing problems, my hearing was checked and was fine, investigations started along the ADHD route, school/ parent reports etc seemed to back up ADD...
Migraines, pain like you would not believe started around this time also....again nothing geared to the Migraine worked. Eventually I found an over the counter Cluster Headache med which works about 75 0/0 of the time.
Bad stomach, meaning diarrhea, and all the pains and cramps that go with it.
Double, blurred vision... Could be I'm getting old right??
Almost like acne type spots on my face, I never ever had spots and guess what? These don't respond to anything the Dr prescribes....
Aches, pains etc etc....
Have had blood tests in the past, and was told they were fine, maybe a little low on Testosterone... That was solved by a really nice injection.... However, as I am Lactose intolerant, I remember asking the Dr if my Calcium levels were ok, he told me they were great!! Really good levels for someone who avoids all Dairy....
A year ago I had to change my job, I worked in a Telesales room, but I could no longer cope with all the noise, I couldn't hear on my phone, couldn't block out the background noise and eventually had to leave.
9 months ago, getting less and less get up and go, seem to be putting on weight but my diet hasn't changed, keep getting kidney stones or renal infections, ache so much, physically and emotionally exhausted, however this is when I was looking after my Dad... At the end of May, my dad had an appointment with a Rheumologist, we were seeing him because my dad had Pulmonary Fibrosis and he was having really bad problems with his hands and feet too... The Doc was scanning his fingers and asking whether his fingers ever went white with cold... No says my dad, but my daughter's do. The Dr asks if I have Reynards, truthfully I don't know, he then says you need to get checked because it can be indicative of an autoimmune disease.... He then told us that my dad had Reynauds, which together with all the other tests they had done. Confirmed to him that my Dad had Lupus. He the. Asked if he could scan my fingers, I agreed and he confirmed that the vascular pattern showed Reynards....
My dads health went down hill so rapidly so of course all my focus and every minute was taken looking after him....
I put the Kidney stones, migraines, aches pains, severe exhaustion down to the stress and upset of what was happening with my dad. I lost my Dad in July, I had already lost my Mum years ago, so I understand grieving, I thought the symptoms were part of the loss process.... Clinically, although I am devastated over losing my Dad, I am 'through' the process and I'm healing.... So maybe the head is ok....? 4 weeks ago I had an ear infection, 3 weeks ago I had a migraine so bad my partner took me to the ER, I could not open my eyes for 2 days, and couldn't get out of bed for 3 days, I have had really intense pain in my big toe joints, so bad I couldn't wear shoes! My stomach is swollen and 'doughy'. Have had a kidney stone last few days, so bad back pain, soooo tired !!! Passed the stone this morning at 8pm... It is now 6pm and although dressed have only managed to get up for around 40 mins....
I used to be so active, I travelled to California in Sept and took my Zumba instructors course while I was there. I was more than physically capable but seem to have been completely exhausted since then.... I have only managed to do 2 classes since and both times came down with a virus and spent 4 days in bed...
Stuff I read on Lupus says about a butterfly rash, I don't have that, but I'm pretty sure I had something very similar on a few occasions in the past....
Any ideas anyone??? I'm currently trying to get an appointment at the hospital, but to be honest, I have no clue what tests I need to be asking for...
Can anyone please please help?
Thank you so much