PAINFUL JOURNEY

[dlhigh]

PART 1

First off I'd like to say that this forum needs a topic choice added to the list for unknown or other.

I chose thyroid only because this is one of my problems.

When it comes to Autoimmunes many tests can come back negative and eventually lead to a positive diagnosis years later.
Both my step-father and a friend of mine displayed obvious symptoms of diabetes for 10 years before being diagnosed even though multiple tests had been done and both were finally diagnosed upon making a trip to the ER in severe conditions, yet I had told them both of my belief of their illness from the start.  Are blood tests being performed improperly or do we have an error within the test itself that doesn't  accurately read some people?

I've even read online numerous posts of people who have experienced the same problem with other autoimmunes.  I understand that many of these illnesses require numerous tests in order to accurately diagnose, but why are many of the tests that are in place not detecting the illness earlier?  Is it the tests or the ones interpreting them?

I've read through my medical records and discovered things that were never told to me from the tests that I've had done.  Why or how do doctors assume that these things that they never tell are nonessential, when collectively they can present strong evidence of an illness or illnesses?

Here's my situation:
I've sufferred from HSV-2 for 22 years.
First I experienced periodic severe stabbing pain in my RUQ abdomen and then I displayed chronic alternating diarrhea and constipation with severe abdominal cramping along with the first symptom.
I had every GI test and no diagnosis until two years, two surgeries, numerous doctors and tests later when I finally ended up in the ER and was diagnosed with IBS.
Meds for the IBS didn't help my diarrhea/constipation from alternating, nor prevent the sharp stabbing RUQ abdominal pains which had become more frequent and lasting longer.
I was also diagnosed with 3 herniated cervical, 3 thoracic and 2 lumbar discs, which meds and physical therapy didn't help any of my symptoms.

During this process, I began to have additional symptoms:

dizziness, migranes, tremors, slurred speech, memory problems, comprehension, word recall, difficulty paying attention, heat and cold sensitivity, shocking sensations when tilting my chin down toward my chest, extreme fatigue, difficulty walking, balance, pain shooting down arms and legs, numbness and swelling of hands and feet, facial swelling, stabbing eye pain and floaters, muscle aches-spasms-weakness and morning stiffness, nausea and vomiting, ringing in my ears, severe back, neck and leg pain, bowel and bladder disfunctions, insomnia, weight gain, difficulty breathing while sleeping, lump in my throat, temporary right side paralysis, temporary neck down paralysis.

There have been so many that I have to write each new one down to keep a record of them.  

Currently my main symptoms are extreme pain and ache all over especially my back and legs at night, severe swelling of my hands, feet and face and stiffness in the morning, daytime fatigue w/o sleep but night time insomnia due to pain, weakness, hoarse voice, uncontrollable irritability, battling depression, abdominal swelling after eating a small dinner my one and only meal due to pain and yet still gaining weight while on phentermine.
I've had almost every test possible done including thyroid with the exception of an LP which was never performed.
I've been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and have been taking Lryica, Zanaflex, and Tramadol while being weaned off of Gabapentin and have had no relief of my symptoms yet.

I've seen:
3 family practice doctors
2 neurosurgeons
2 neurologists
1 orthopedic surgeon
1 Physical Therapist
2 Pain clinics
1 allergist
1 GI
1 General Surgeon
2 Urologist
3 Gynecologists
1 cardiologist

Had tests done at 5 different hospitals and tests included:
x-rays, ct scans, abdominal and renal ultrasound, MRI's, ekg, emg, evok potential, nerve conduction study, liver function, colonoscopy, endoscopy, upper/lower gi, barium enema, thyroid, sugar, lyme disease, numerous blood tests,  and so many other tests that I can't remember them all and I forgot to write them down, but they checked every organ, my muscles, nerves, bones, blood, skin and they did exploratory surgery,  kidney surgery and two Epidural Steroid Injections which didn't help with the pain, but made it worse.

[FancyPantsandMe]

Have you looked at your food and changing your diet>

It's not a "cure" but changing your food begins to allow the body to heal from the inside out.
I started educating myself on DVD's about food..such as Food Matters, the Future of Food, The Beautiful Truth.  
Sounds like you have done a lot to try and get better and nothing seems to be working.
Many times the medications you go on only cause more issues.
If I were you I'd get two books and begin to go in a different direction.
Eat to Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman M.D. and Gut and Psychology Syndrome.  The information in these two books will help you start to turn things around.  Dr. Fuhrman often has patients who have major anger at their original physicians because no one talks about food and what it does to tear down our health.  He has had patients who have reversed mnay diseases including a whole host of autoimmune issues.

You have to begin back at square one.

I wish you well on your journey.

[marymoto]

HAVE YOU HAD A LUMBAR PUNCTURE  SOUNDS LIKE MS