What is going on?

[dogmom]

I have a number of medical issues including epilepsy, interstitial cystitis, migraines, major depression, constipation. For these I am on 12 medications. In the last couple of months I started having pins and needles, tingling in my hands and feet. It's been bothersome but tolerable. This last week, my legs, feet and lower back began aching as if I'd ran a marathon. My bones hurt/burned, and my muscles ached to the point where I had to bring in a cane that my husband was given as a joke for his 50th birthday last year. It hurt to get up off a couch, out of bed, to stand up, etc. This has never happened. Today, my foot had the pins and needles sensation like normal in the toes and small of my foot, but then began to burn on the ball of my foot and it hurt terribly. What is going on? I've been to so many doctors, had so many tests run and no one can tell me what is wrong!

[Jos06]

Not sure how long you've been on Effexor but i was placed on this once and it turned my world upside down. I was in the hopsital for 3 days before they realized all my symptoms could be coming from the Effexor. I stopped taking it and the new, horrible symptoms went away. I'm sure plenty of people take Effexor with no problems but I was severly affected. This may not help you but just thought it was worth mentioning......

[mamatrauma]

I read your post on medhelp entitled "my story".  You have all the symptoms of long-term untreated Lyme disease. Please go to this website www.ilads.org (International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society) and look for a specialist in infectious diseases, with a focus on Lyme and Tick diseases. Theree are dozens of reliable websites and support groups and there's probably one not far from you. My son is in a similar situation where he's been treated for a whole host of neurological and cognitive symptoms and most of our doctors don't believe he has Lyme but we're working simultaneously with a top Lyme doctor whose treating him gently while the other specialists rule out their areas of knowledge. Even though you're in Nevada and not the NE, if you hike, you can be easily infected. Also, you rescue dogs. Dogs are a great source of infected ticks - if one's not well attached to the dog it can attach to you instead.  California also has some top Lyme doctors if you can't find one in NV. Check out CA's Lyme site: http://www.lymedisease.org/. Because both Lyme blood tests are reliable, and according to the CDC website, Lyme must be a clinical diagnosis. So even if you've tested negative for Lyme, you can have been bitten by an infected tick. Luckily, you can undergo a course of antibiotic treatment even for entrenched Lyme. Good luck.

[Godofredo MD]

Hi.

How old are you now? Do you also experience joint stiffness and pain? What were the tests done recently? Any MRI performed? Were your uric acid and vitamin B12 levels determined? Answers to these questions might help us understand your condition better.

I am sorry you had to experience these symptoms and it is making your life harder than usual. I do hope your symptoms would resolve soon.

[toolmaker]

I am sorry you are getting this impression that nobody cares.I wish to believe that they all care but could be just like me and not have any knowledge or experience with your condition.Be patient some one knows.

[dogmom]

I guess you guys don't care either. Everyone else at least gets the courtesy of a response. Thanks for nothing.

[dogmom]

If it will help you, here is a list of the medications that I am currently on.  Amitritriptyline 100 mg for bladder pain/depression, 60mg Cymbalta (I was recently switched to this from Effexor Xr),  1mg Alprazolam (for Interstitial Cystitis), 40mg Sanctura ( Interstitial cystitis), *as needed for pain Phenazopyridine ( for interstitial cystitis), 100mg Imitrex tablets (migraine *as needed), 20mg Imitrex nasal spray (for migraine *as needed), 0.5 injection (migraine *as needed), 40mg Relpax tablets (migraine *as needed), 250mg Topamax tablets (seizures/migraines), 400mg Dilantin capsules (seizures), 500mg Keppra (seizures), 48mg caplets (constipation), 34 grams Gycolax powder (constipation), 150mg Lyrica (leg pain and tingling - I was just started on this about 1 week ago when this new pain started.).

I drink about 2 gallons of water a day to stay hydrated taking all of these medications, though despite that, my mouth is still dry as if I had been out drinking the night before and I woke up with cotton mouth. I drink no caffeine, and the only other beverages I generally have are 2 very small glasses of reduced acid Orange juice to take the powder with, and a couple of cups of decaf coffee in the morning. I have been sober for 11 years, so no alcohol.

I really need some advice from someone. I've been tested for diabetes (as this runs in my family, and my urologist found sugar in my urine on one of my visits. Future blood tests were negative though. Lupus also runs in my family, but the doctors here don't seem to be concerned about that as I have not been tested for that. I was hospitalized this past year for depression and at that time they told me that I had low blood calcium, but no one has ever mentioned that again. I also had to stop taking B vitamins because they caused my cystitis to flare, though I can eat many foods that have them in it. Very confusing. I'm sorry to ramble. I hope some of this helps.