Has Anyone Ever Felt This Way, These Symptoms Are So Strange

I have those symptoms and was DX'd with fibromyalgia....Don't know if it's still considered a catch all diagnosis, but that is what they told me over 20 years ago now. If you're not opposed to supplements, Wobenzyme N (it's pricey, but SO worth it!!) helps with my pain...Might be worth a try for you!

Hope you get an answer and you feel better really soon. It's so frustrating feeling this way and not knowing, but a fibro diagnosis blows, too :(

Oh, something I also forgot! I was DX'd with sleep apnea about this time, too! Is that a possibility for you, perhaps??

Lyme Disease. People can have false (-) on their blood test. They have to order a more involved blood test to sometimes find it. Good luck. I read what others posted and fibromyalgia also sounds like a possiblity.

A friend of mine suffered for years with 'arthritis' or so she thought. It had all the symptoms of it...and she even had shoulder surgery at one point. Then one day she was reading an article about artificial sweeteners and how bad they were for joint and nerve pain. Well, she stopped using them and within a matter of a couple of days was back to normal-no more joint pain!

So if you use articial sweetener you should stop for a while and see if you have any improvement. Also, take this as a lesson that traditional medicine does NOT always know whats best and in fact often has blinders to the fact that there is a connection between what we eat and how we feel. I suggest talking with a naturopath to help you explore alternative answers to your problem.

Also-consider that you are allergic to sulfuates in the wine- a lot of people cannot handle these. Sometimes one glass is all it takes to make me feel sick the next day.

Could you be diabetic or have developed an allergy? Is there any possibility there is mold in your home? Have you been bitten by anything recently like a spider or tick? Have they ruled out fibromyalgia? Are you depressed? You might be surprised how depression/anxiety can manifest itself physically.

It sounds like symptoms of Fibromyalgia or Lyme to me too... I have a few friends who have suffered with those as well. There is a fantastic supplement I have been taking which has dramatically improved my quality of life. I know a couple of friends who take it for similar reasons as the symptoms you describe, and they are doing much better. Let me know if you'd like more info. It would really be worth a try. It may be exactly what you need to feel better again. Praying that you feel better, L....

This weeks Newsweek magazine has a feature on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. It actually sounds quite a bit like what you're describing.

Good luck. I hope you find your way back to health soon.

I have a dear friend going through similar problems, but some symptoms are a bit different. I might recommend trying to get into see and endocrinologist (to rule out diabetes or any hormonal/gland type issue...thyroid, thymus*, etc.) and maybe a neurologist to address some of the central nervous system symptoms. There are a number of different things that could be happening and the stress involved in thinking about all of the hundreds of things you 'could' have and things that 'sound like' will just cause you immense stress. And then stress symptoms will either start new or will make whatever is happening that much worse (cortisol works to help with inflammation and immune system upkeep, but as a stress hormone, if too high, will make things worse, including blood sugar levels if you are diabetic).

So I guess what I would recommend is to advocate to see specialists and in the meantime try as hard as you can to not imagine yourself into new and/or worse symptoms from the stress! Your current symptoms are real and need attention ASAP. I wish you the best and am so sorry to hear you are struggling with a medical mystery! The mystery part is probably more difficult than anything else after awhile huh? :(

Best wishes!

You might want to look into Fibromyalgia as some of the other posters suggested. One I was thinking of is PMR polymyalgia rheumatica. My mom was diagnosed with this earlier this year after she was misdiagnosed with lyme disease. With PMR the onset of the illness can be sudden. A patient may have a healthy history until awakening one morning with stiffness and pain of muscles and joints throughout the body. These symptoms persist and are often accompanied by an intense sensation of fatigue. Some patients notice a gradual loss of appetite, weight, and energy. They can check for an elevated ESR. Hope you can figure out what is going on. I saw the pain my mom was in for 8 wks until the proper dx was given. I know how frustrating it can be especially being a nurse to not be able to figure out whats wrong. Good luck.

Flares, fatigue, pain in your feet and basically all over your body - wow, I am so sorry. With the foot pain, could you maybe have diabetes? With the flares and fatigue, could it be allergies to gluten, maybe even Celiac? That is all I can think of. Best of luck to you.

Hi L.,

I haven't read your other responses yet, but it sure sounds like you have a huge inflammation problem. I would suggest you try any herbal anti-inflammatories, and Trivita's Nopalea is excellent. It's expensive, but it seems to be working well for my 91yo father. Check out: www.sonoranbloom.com. It may be just what the doctor didn't order. :)
You didn't mention if you exercise or not, but I would also suggest at least five minutes of good stretching a day, daily walks and breathing exercises, to bring more fresh oxygen into your system.

Good luck to you!
"Grams"
from the Pocono Mts. of PA

Did the rheumatologist consider the possibility of ankylosing spondylitis? There is a genetic marker for it so you would know if you were tested for it. The symptoms can be similar to yours especially the fatigue and swollen joints. It is an auto-immune disorder. I'm sorry you are in pain and I hope you find the cause of it.

My friend has similar symptoms and has both types of Lupus...maybe get checked for Lupus? When I read your post another thing that came to mind was a possible allergy...maybe to medications or foods?

Do you have any unresolved emotional trauma? Do you push yourself too hard? Your body may be reacting to those things. Also, are you open to alternative medicine?

Keep searching. Fibromyalgia?

oh boy L.!! your symptoms sound just like mine before i found out i had a low thyroid!! definately go get your thyroid levels checked!!
good luck!

I had this same problem, and I narrowed it down to diet. Namely salt - if I eat too much salt, eg a lot of potato chips my body almost immediately reacts to it - it may not work for you, but I cut down on my salt, way down - and I feel so much better. yours may be something to do with wine, maybe it is grapes, or the tannins, I had to cut out various things in my diet before I realized what the culprit was. so keep a food and symptom diary.
I actually do have a raised ESR, so I have some form of arthritis, but it is under control at the moment

I wonder if they are going to finally settle on Fibromyalgia?? A lot of what you are describing...exhaustion, pain, flu like symptoms sound just like a friend and coworker who was finally diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. As you know they have to eliminate a lot of other things before they finally come to the Fibromyalgia.
She has gotten a lot of relief from Lyrica ...although the benefits seem to be decreasing as she continues usage. She is also using Cymbalta I believe...but am not sure what else she is on. She is also increasing her intake of Vitamin C....which has seemed to have some benefit.
Good luck to you

Fibromyalisia? (sp-i know i spelled it wrong-) seems like maybe that? Have you been to an acupuncturist before? I had some pretty wacky symptoms for awhile and that treatment really helped. Hope you get the answers you are seeking and get to feeling better!

M

Sorry you are dealing with all of this, what a pain!

My short recommend would be to keep trying to figure out what it is in the Western medical context. But, also check out alternative paths (e.g., acupuncture, herbalists and chiropractic). More details on my reasoning are below.

I had some odd health issues (some similar to yours, and some different). I went through a series of doctors (my GP (who is great), allergist., rhumatologist, and endocrinologist) to try to diagnose and treat whatever it might have been (e.g., lymes, lupus, fybromyalgia etc). These symptoms, attempts at diagnosis and treatment through medication went on for about 2-3 years.

The diagnosis never got more specific than a sort of vague auto immune disorder. I tried a variety of medications, but the symptoms continued to bother me. I was exhausted and could barely wake up, which it turns out was related to the medications building up in my system.

Ultimately, a friend suggested an acupuncturist. So, I went to an acupuncturist twice, then to an herbalist for a few months (who suggested I stop taking the western medicaitons). So, I stopped the medications. I also started to exercise (3 times a week). Within four to six months, my symptoms were nearly gone and I my energey levels had returned to normal. Two years have now passed; I rarely get those symptoms. I can't say for certain what of these efforts worked, but I am symptom free and glad. The allergist's view was that the auto-immune disorder "had probably just run its course." I beleive the non-traditional/eastern medicine worked really well for me.

So good luck.

I would not try random supplements and or major dietary changes without consulting an herbalist or a nutritionist - get recommendations from friends and try the associations of trained folks. Just to have someone help you navigate things.

While I did not do this, I wonder if it is wise to keep a journal to track of things (e.g., pain/non-pain, diet, medications, etc), perhaps you will note a pattern, or at the very least can speak well of your situation.

Best of luck!

Are you taking any medications?

Have you checked for Lupus or Fibromyalgia?

lupus? I am so sorry you are in such pain.

After going to my doctor, getting tests for everything, seeing doctors for hormones, thyroid, sugar, etc, I was finally pronounced healthy. Except that I couldn't stay awake past 9pm, and would nap for 2 hours after lunch, and still feel exhausted. I finally went to a chiropractor/nutritionist who specializes in functional medicine who, rather than give me a diagnosis (which if he had, he admitted it would be chronic fatigue), looked at me nutritionally - found heavy metals, toxins in my system, and in dire need of supplements.

After 6 months of a restricted diet and taking supplements that I needed, I felt like a new person. I did not take any medications, and the regular doctors had found nothing out tof the ordinary - my parents even suggestion I have my head examined by a psychologist.

That was several years ago, and I could not be working the way I am now if not for the care I received by looking and looking until something worked.

I wish you luck and success in your journey to wellness. I don't think you have Chronic Fatigues BTW, but you might have some other problems that your normal doctor isn't finding.

I have almost your exact symptoms and was just diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis, which is a rare form of arthritis that occurs in men and women 20-50. (The bilateral joint pain, fatigue, swelling in my digits, horrible issues with my feet, all of it.) BTW - I've only had one patch of psoriasis, which is why it was never suspected. My sister has ulcerative colitis, which was the tip off. I also have a weird pattern on my thighs that looks like you can see the blood flow through my skin, like a faint red web and brittle nails that split or flake.

This is a great website that breaks down the different kinds of arthritis strains related to the spine. http://www.spondylitis.org/. Interestingly, I always had a bad back, realizing now it was most probably the arthritis all along.

Good luck!