Not random to me...

[hownow1cow]

This could be a lengthy post but please bear with me.  I have not even begun to deal with what I could possibly be up against...guess I really don't know what to do.  A little history...I have been doctoring for T1 diabetes for 9 yrs am insulin dependent, 50 yrs old. I have neuropathy in both feet. In May of last yr I had a bout of Bell's palsy, resulting in dry mouth, eyes,  no taste, droopy side of face, partial hearing loss, tender glands and no taste on the right side of my mouth. While I can hear better and eyes/mouth/face no longer droop (and I can now drink from a glass) the other symptoms persist. Add to this I am on hormones for menopause and Iam dry...all over... I had been treating for a stress fracture inmy foot and also had/have achy joints that do not improve with nsaids. Am on Gabapentin for neuropathy.  My dr did labs that came back ana abnormal with anti-ssb 332. Not wanting to be too crazy, thought I'd try here first for ideas. Have a 25yr old daughter diag w mctd when she was 10.

[hownow1cow]

I don't know what happened to my last post. I explained about testing for gout and was explaining my labs... The reference range for labs is neg 120U/ml. My RA screen tested at 65.7 with neg range <14IU/ml, so that was high. I am guessing Sjorgens with RA.But with my history of Bells palsy last year, I am beginning to woner whether its all connected or not. I had dry eyes 3 yrs befor the Bells and female dryness prior. Its just that it has gotten much worse as well as the dry mouth. The arthritis is not good either. Just looking for answers. Kind of like the chicken-egg question. Which came first? Bells or Sjrogens?

[hownow1cow]

I don't know what happened to my last post. I explained that I had been tested for gout and was going thru my labs. My reference range for my lab is pos> 120U/ml., neg <100U/ml. My ra screen with range being <14neg is high at 65.7 IU/ML.From all of my checking texts and online it looks like maybe Sjogrens and rheumatoid arthritis. But some of my symptoms have been attributed ti Bells Palsy

[hownow1cow]

My labs ANA screen was positive. I was being tested for gout and my uric acid level was at 5.2 on a range of 2.4-5.7, so it was not gout. That was just to rule out gout d/t the horrible pain in the foot which had a stress fracture. So my question is this: all of the reference ranges for my lab is ( negative120U/ml). The numbers were as follows: ssa 38, ssb 332, anti-sm 8, anti-rnp 5, anti-scleroderma 3, anti-jo-1Ab 3, anti-dsDNA1,anticentromere Ab 3, anti-histone 5

[TheLightSeeker]

My wife is experiencing Raynaud's symptoms also, which could be part of a subclinical low thyroid function. Temperature tolerance within a very narrow range is very a very common symptom, also annoying newly appearing symptoms, dryness, hypoglycemia, etc.
She did Dr. Barnes Basal Temperature Test (you may want to look into it also) which of course verified my suspicion for low thyroid function.
Conventional endocrinology to my opinion is still in the Dark Ages, when it comes to their "established testing (TSH, T3 & T4 serum testing) as it does not indicate cellular thyroid function! (only free T3, free T4 & reverse T3 will
show cellular thyroid function).
More people therefore, are left undiagnosed or even worse, misdiagnosed, than not!

Low thyroid function affects negatively the cells at the energy level, rendering them weak and unable to perform their repair, maintenance and all their other functions and processes.

When organ involvement is significant other serious chronic disease processes are imminent!

Yes ANA titre, pattern, anti-ssb lab range (each lab sets its own reference ranges) are very useful in diagnostic investigation.

Also look into Pathogenic Mycoplasma, Babesia, Bartonella, Ehrlichia
and other related co-infections as an underlying causative factor or co-factor. Notoriously difficult to detect through standard tests!
Dr. Garth Nicolson, a part time expert here at MedHelp, happens to be the world's leading expert in these types of infectious conditions, which I must admit most doctors have no idea they even exist! and yet the have become increasingly prevalent. Just do a search here, using Medhelp's search engine (on top of the page).

Hope this helps.
Niko

[hownow1cow]

Thank you for you response. As far as I can remember my daughter had an easy pregnancy. The ana pattern and titre were not mentioned on the lab report. Should I try to find those out? The more I look at all of this, the more I am considering seeing a rheumatologist. I have also been experiencing Raynauds since last summer in a/c and thru the winter. I am curious as to whether my issues lay dormant, the ones I passed on to my daughter, and hers manifest themselves earlier. Just thinking, you know.

[TheLightSeeker]

Hi hownow1cow.

You sure have some challenges.

Ideas,hmm. Plenty.

--- Possible Sjögren's syndrome (your lab ref. range would be helpful, exact ANA titre and pattern also)

--- Underlying low grade infectious conditions-acting as as co-factors
including Bell's Palsy

--- Depleted glutathione (from NSAIDS, Gabapentin and other stimuli)
leading to JNK gene activation, which signals disease processes initiation.

--- Other nutritional and mineral deficiencies (serum and/or tissue)

--- Hormonal dysregulation, possibly advanced stage adrenal fatigue syndrome due to chronic stress (could be hidden or not, or a bit of both) and other factors.

--- Probable low PH levels (acidic), contributing to the perpetuation of
body imbalances and inability to heal at the cellular level.
Healing of the cells and recovery from diseased states takes place energetically/electrically which happens to co-relate with higher PH levels
(alkaline).

Was there anything significant while pregnant with your daughter?
Any events, any abnormal medical findings, etc?

Please post again here with your answers and any questions you may have.

I hope this helps, but please note that it is not intended to replace medical advice.

Best wishes.
Niko