My name is Missy, and I am 21 years old. However, I feel as if sometimes I have the body of a decrepit old woman.... I have a multitude of symptoms that have got me and everyone around me stumped. I don't know what is relevent, what is not, so I guess I'll just make the seemingly ever growing list of things I've got going on....
-Severe headaches/migraines pretty much daily since I was 15, but I remember getting them as young as third grade.
-Horrible pain in my:
Knees. Everytime I squat down they pop and have done so since I was little. Sometimes I feel like they can not support me enough to get back up. They also pop and hurt so bad, its hard to walk for an undetermined amount of time. If I try to slightly run up the stairs, (when I feel the slight and rare burst of insparation); I feel like they might just buckle.
Hips. They hurt, alot. And most times when they hurt, the pain is also present down into my knees and ankles. It is usually just one side at a time, but sometimes when I'm in bed or just lounging on the couch, doing no physical activity at all out of no where both knees and hips get this horrible stabbing, throbbing pain that makes it difficult not to cry.
Ankles. Like the rest, crack and hurt alot when I get up in the morning and throughout the day. Sometimes I feel like its broken or twisted just from getting up. (I of course know its not broken, and the pain usually passes after a while).
Back. My lower and upper back are almost in constant pain. I admit however, that my poor posture (I am just a young girl in her 20's, my mother has to remind me to do this on the daily) does not help this situation, though I honestly do feel almost worse when I sit up straight. Sometimes I don't have the energy to sit up like a functioning part of society.
Wrists. They crack almost anytime I move them side to side or up or down and hurt when I do either. The pain does get worse when its damp or rainy or cold. I have broken my left wrist when I was 4 and 14, and my right wrist when I was 12 (what can I say, I was a daredevil..though I don't think many daredevils break their arm during track... a generally low contact sport)So I expect that some of the pain I'm feeling is due mostly to that, but with the other joint problems I've been having and can't help but think it could be due to something else.
My Head. I have a headache probably 80 percent of the time. A kind of achey dull one hangs around almost constantly, but out of nowhere a sharp pain will come, never starting at the same place. Sometimes its an intense all over ache, sometimes its isolated, my eyes hurt, my jaw hurts, sensitive to light, nausea, orbs, and a gereral sense of wanting to curl up in a ball in the dark for days is the norm for one of my severe headaches, which sometimes happen up to 3 to 4 times a week.
- I feel confused alot, and sometimes have a hard time remembering things; even though I have a great memory. I can remember things that happened when I was six years old as vividly as today, but sometimes I forget what I or someone else is talking about mid conversation.
- I have noticed that I slur words and combine words when I talk, it feels like my brain knows what to say but can't get it out right. Needless to say, it is terribly frustrating because people like to make me aware everytime I goof up, which just makes me feel even worse about it. I never had any speech problems at all as a child, I learned to read early and have always been into english, history and that sort of stuff, so I feel like what I am experiencing is not something normal for me.
- I have abdominal issues (that I really, really despise talking about) that have been going on since I was about 13, though I never sought medical help until recently because I just thought maybe it was normal, but the severity and occurence of the symptoms were dramatically interfering with my everyday life. I went to gasto's, who told me it was IBS and sent me on my merry way with a pro-biotic and some immodium. (This was after a different doc told me that IBS is a diagnosis that is given when a doctor really has no clue what your problem is). I also get sharp pains in my left side, that hurt in my intestinal area under my ribcage (I'm very short waisted) and straight through to my back. I also have boughts of nausea and vomiting, and not being hungry or eating for long period of time, though I have a deep love affair with food!
- My skin will get really red and feel hot, and I start to sweat, and I start to feel dizzy and like I am just going to pass out. My skin then goes pale and I feel cold, and usually end up throwing up (or coming very close to it). This has happened to me in a variety of places, including home, work, and in line outside for a concert. Not what I call a good time. It has happened after I've eaten, so I don't think it is that sort of issue.
- I have horrible vision, and my most recent trip to the eye doctor came with the results that my left eye may possibly be affected with glaucoma. My perscription seems to get worse every time I go back. My eyes were worse than my fathers when I was 17, and he was 45. And, it always seems that I can never get the right perscrption. My vision goes blurry sometimes, and my eye are super sensitive to light. It can be a cloudy day and my eyes will squint. I also wake up with what I like to call 'eye goo' and it will form durning the day and really isn't a very attractive thing. My eyes swell and are red. I do have horrible allergies, but sometimes I have the eye problems with no other present allergy symptoms.
- I get sick way to much. Pretty much whatever bugs going around, I end up catching. No matter how much I wash my hands and take precautions. I also get sinus infections (horrible ones that last a good few weeks) at least twice a year.
- I have ringing in my ears that comes and goes.
- When I was 12-14, I would get a rash on my back, that would produce huge welts. They would itch so bad and oatmeal baths, benadryl cream or meds wouldn't help. At the same time the palms of my hands and soles of my feet would also itch horribly, but I don't believe the welts were present.
- When I was 14 I had what is believed to have been mono. It started at softball practice when I tried to run to first and my ankles felt like they were breaking. It then progressed to me being in bed for close to five weeks, sleeping 20+ hours a day, my throat swollen with a weird fungus issue (thrush I think?) and my mother having to spoon feed me mashed potatoes. Not exactly how you're supposed to spend the so called "prime years" of your life.
- Most recently, around the fourth of July, I became very ill. I had muscle/ bone aches all over, a fever of 103, was doing to hot/cold things, was very disoriented at times, my throat was swollen all down through my neck and I was vomiting almost constantly. At the first sign of this, my swollen throat led me to my family doc. She said its my allergies, but gave me an antibiotic. Then came the fever a few days later in the middle of the night, so we went to the er, where I was told it looks like strep throat, though the culture came back negative. She put me on a different antibiotic, and I went home. On the fourth my fever had gotten even worse, so we went back as directed. But this time, I didn't even recieve an i.v of fluids, I just laid there in pain and discomfort for hours, with them only feeling generous enough to give me tylenol, and send me home telling me nothing other than "take 2 tylenol, no more than 3 times a day" I think I could have figured that one out on my own.
On the second week of dealing with this, it was back to the family doc. Where, I got put on a third antibiotic. Still, no help. It then started to sowly improve and just went away after about four weeks.
With all these physical problems I have been experiencing, it only makes it worse because I also have been diagnosed with Bipolar Dissorder. I did not have the best childhood/adolecence, I was sexually abused by my step father from the age of about 10 to 12 or 13. My little sister and I were taken away from my mother, who then chose to stay with him. The state had taken the case to court, and it went on for three years with no ending result. Once the court mess went away my little sister went back and lived with my mom (and him) and he is still unfortunately apart of my family today. These events are no doubt in my mind contributed to my diagnosis and some of my problems. I would have bad mood swings, horrible depression, be up all night, cry for no reason... again, not a great way to spend my childhood and teenage days. I have been through therapy, on medications, and throughout the years have learned to manage it pretty well, and aside from feeling like crap almost constantly, I would call myself relativly happy, at least as happy as this crappy economy and world events will allow.
However, and I would like to know if anyone else has experienced this, when doctors look at me about the things I've described I get one answer. Its my depression. I get told that, get put on an anti depressant, and sent on my way. My family doctor just blamed everything on my allergies. Thats what made me feel like fainting and vomit, and ect. Needless to say I've grown extremely frustrated. So we found an interist, apparently one of the best doctors around (well, an hour and a half away). I was so excited because I thought that this was it, I'm going to find out whats wrong and be able to enjoy life.... well after three visits, I have found myself more dissapointed than ever. Prozac, and Imitrex. Not to my suprise, these things didn't work. So what was his solution? Celexa, Midrin, and a medicine for nausea.... apparently this is going to be a "home run" and he didn't even feel the need to set up a follow up.
I am frustrated. I wake up, everyday in some sort of pain. I was very active when I was younger, in dance, softball, volleyball, I was one of the boys out side from dusk till dawn trying to keep up with my brother and his friends. I was happy. Now, I find myself with no friends, and I feel like I haven't spent a day outside for over a year. Not because I don't want to, but because the sun/ heat will make me feel sick. Or my allergies will flare up to where I can't breathe. Or, I just hurt so bad that the only thing I feel I can do is sleep. I am unable to live the life I want to live. I missed out on much of school, having to graduate from a home school program, and am maxed out on my sick days at work. All my college classes I start off strong, then I will have a really hard time with the pain and sickness that I can't do it and though I start off with and am capable of A's, I get incompletes or fail. I just would like a doctor to at least look into other things, instead of just saying its depression and pumping me full of drugs. I am tired of bringing things up that are of concern to me, and having them being blown off for no big deal... I really just don't know what to do anymore.
With all my research, I have come across lupus many times. I was just wondering if any this stuff (and sorry there was so much of it) sounds like anything any of you have/had experienced, and if its something that I should go further with, or if I really just am a crazy, depressed person who really just needs to get a grip. I will fully accept everyones opinions, even if they do point to the crazy thing.... I just want to feel better, and don't know where to turn.
thank you so much to anyone who took the time to read all this rambly mess....
-Missy.
-Severe headaches/migraines pretty much daily since I was 15, but I remember getting them as young as third grade.
-Horrible pain in my:
Knees. Everytime I squat down they pop and have done so since I was little. Sometimes I feel like they can not support me enough to get back up. They also pop and hurt so bad, its hard to walk for an undetermined amount of time. If I try to slightly run up the stairs, (when I feel the slight and rare burst of insparation); I feel like they might just buckle.
Hips. They hurt, alot. And most times when they hurt, the pain is also present down into my knees and ankles. It is usually just one side at a time, but sometimes when I'm in bed or just lounging on the couch, doing no physical activity at all out of no where both knees and hips get this horrible stabbing, throbbing pain that makes it difficult not to cry.
Ankles. Like the rest, crack and hurt alot when I get up in the morning and throughout the day. Sometimes I feel like its broken or twisted just from getting up. (I of course know its not broken, and the pain usually passes after a while).
Back. My lower and upper back are almost in constant pain. I admit however, that my poor posture (I am just a young girl in her 20's, my mother has to remind me to do this on the daily) does not help this situation, though I honestly do feel almost worse when I sit up straight. Sometimes I don't have the energy to sit up like a functioning part of society.
Wrists. They crack almost anytime I move them side to side or up or down and hurt when I do either. The pain does get worse when its damp or rainy or cold. I have broken my left wrist when I was 4 and 14, and my right wrist when I was 12 (what can I say, I was a daredevil..though I don't think many daredevils break their arm during track... a generally low contact sport)So I expect that some of the pain I'm feeling is due mostly to that, but with the other joint problems I've been having and can't help but think it could be due to something else.
My Head. I have a headache probably 80 percent of the time. A kind of achey dull one hangs around almost constantly, but out of nowhere a sharp pain will come, never starting at the same place. Sometimes its an intense all over ache, sometimes its isolated, my eyes hurt, my jaw hurts, sensitive to light, nausea, orbs, and a gereral sense of wanting to curl up in a ball in the dark for days is the norm for one of my severe headaches, which sometimes happen up to 3 to 4 times a week.
- I feel confused alot, and sometimes have a hard time remembering things; even though I have a great memory. I can remember things that happened when I was six years old as vividly as today, but sometimes I forget what I or someone else is talking about mid conversation.
- I have noticed that I slur words and combine words when I talk, it feels like my brain knows what to say but can't get it out right. Needless to say, it is terribly frustrating because people like to make me aware everytime I goof up, which just makes me feel even worse about it. I never had any speech problems at all as a child, I learned to read early and have always been into english, history and that sort of stuff, so I feel like what I am experiencing is not something normal for me.
- I have abdominal issues (that I really, really despise talking about) that have been going on since I was about 13, though I never sought medical help until recently because I just thought maybe it was normal, but the severity and occurence of the symptoms were dramatically interfering with my everyday life. I went to gasto's, who told me it was IBS and sent me on my merry way with a pro-biotic and some immodium. (This was after a different doc told me that IBS is a diagnosis that is given when a doctor really has no clue what your problem is). I also get sharp pains in my left side, that hurt in my intestinal area under my ribcage (I'm very short waisted) and straight through to my back. I also have boughts of nausea and vomiting, and not being hungry or eating for long period of time, though I have a deep love affair with food!
- My skin will get really red and feel hot, and I start to sweat, and I start to feel dizzy and like I am just going to pass out. My skin then goes pale and I feel cold, and usually end up throwing up (or coming very close to it). This has happened to me in a variety of places, including home, work, and in line outside for a concert. Not what I call a good time. It has happened after I've eaten, so I don't think it is that sort of issue.
- I have horrible vision, and my most recent trip to the eye doctor came with the results that my left eye may possibly be affected with glaucoma. My perscription seems to get worse every time I go back. My eyes were worse than my fathers when I was 17, and he was 45. And, it always seems that I can never get the right perscrption. My vision goes blurry sometimes, and my eye are super sensitive to light. It can be a cloudy day and my eyes will squint. I also wake up with what I like to call 'eye goo' and it will form durning the day and really isn't a very attractive thing. My eyes swell and are red. I do have horrible allergies, but sometimes I have the eye problems with no other present allergy symptoms.
- I get sick way to much. Pretty much whatever bugs going around, I end up catching. No matter how much I wash my hands and take precautions. I also get sinus infections (horrible ones that last a good few weeks) at least twice a year.
- I have ringing in my ears that comes and goes.
- When I was 12-14, I would get a rash on my back, that would produce huge welts. They would itch so bad and oatmeal baths, benadryl cream or meds wouldn't help. At the same time the palms of my hands and soles of my feet would also itch horribly, but I don't believe the welts were present.
- When I was 14 I had what is believed to have been mono. It started at softball practice when I tried to run to first and my ankles felt like they were breaking. It then progressed to me being in bed for close to five weeks, sleeping 20+ hours a day, my throat swollen with a weird fungus issue (thrush I think?) and my mother having to spoon feed me mashed potatoes. Not exactly how you're supposed to spend the so called "prime years" of your life.
- Most recently, around the fourth of July, I became very ill. I had muscle/ bone aches all over, a fever of 103, was doing to hot/cold things, was very disoriented at times, my throat was swollen all down through my neck and I was vomiting almost constantly. At the first sign of this, my swollen throat led me to my family doc. She said its my allergies, but gave me an antibiotic. Then came the fever a few days later in the middle of the night, so we went to the er, where I was told it looks like strep throat, though the culture came back negative. She put me on a different antibiotic, and I went home. On the fourth my fever had gotten even worse, so we went back as directed. But this time, I didn't even recieve an i.v of fluids, I just laid there in pain and discomfort for hours, with them only feeling generous enough to give me tylenol, and send me home telling me nothing other than "take 2 tylenol, no more than 3 times a day" I think I could have figured that one out on my own.
On the second week of dealing with this, it was back to the family doc. Where, I got put on a third antibiotic. Still, no help. It then started to sowly improve and just went away after about four weeks.
With all these physical problems I have been experiencing, it only makes it worse because I also have been diagnosed with Bipolar Dissorder. I did not have the best childhood/adolecence, I was sexually abused by my step father from the age of about 10 to 12 or 13. My little sister and I were taken away from my mother, who then chose to stay with him. The state had taken the case to court, and it went on for three years with no ending result. Once the court mess went away my little sister went back and lived with my mom (and him) and he is still unfortunately apart of my family today. These events are no doubt in my mind contributed to my diagnosis and some of my problems. I would have bad mood swings, horrible depression, be up all night, cry for no reason... again, not a great way to spend my childhood and teenage days. I have been through therapy, on medications, and throughout the years have learned to manage it pretty well, and aside from feeling like crap almost constantly, I would call myself relativly happy, at least as happy as this crappy economy and world events will allow.
However, and I would like to know if anyone else has experienced this, when doctors look at me about the things I've described I get one answer. Its my depression. I get told that, get put on an anti depressant, and sent on my way. My family doctor just blamed everything on my allergies. Thats what made me feel like fainting and vomit, and ect. Needless to say I've grown extremely frustrated. So we found an interist, apparently one of the best doctors around (well, an hour and a half away). I was so excited because I thought that this was it, I'm going to find out whats wrong and be able to enjoy life.... well after three visits, I have found myself more dissapointed than ever. Prozac, and Imitrex. Not to my suprise, these things didn't work. So what was his solution? Celexa, Midrin, and a medicine for nausea.... apparently this is going to be a "home run" and he didn't even feel the need to set up a follow up.
I am frustrated. I wake up, everyday in some sort of pain. I was very active when I was younger, in dance, softball, volleyball, I was one of the boys out side from dusk till dawn trying to keep up with my brother and his friends. I was happy. Now, I find myself with no friends, and I feel like I haven't spent a day outside for over a year. Not because I don't want to, but because the sun/ heat will make me feel sick. Or my allergies will flare up to where I can't breathe. Or, I just hurt so bad that the only thing I feel I can do is sleep. I am unable to live the life I want to live. I missed out on much of school, having to graduate from a home school program, and am maxed out on my sick days at work. All my college classes I start off strong, then I will have a really hard time with the pain and sickness that I can't do it and though I start off with and am capable of A's, I get incompletes or fail. I just would like a doctor to at least look into other things, instead of just saying its depression and pumping me full of drugs. I am tired of bringing things up that are of concern to me, and having them being blown off for no big deal... I really just don't know what to do anymore.
With all my research, I have come across lupus many times. I was just wondering if any this stuff (and sorry there was so much of it) sounds like anything any of you have/had experienced, and if its something that I should go further with, or if I really just am a crazy, depressed person who really just needs to get a grip. I will fully accept everyones opinions, even if they do point to the crazy thing.... I just want to feel better, and don't know where to turn.
thank you so much to anyone who took the time to read all this rambly mess....
-Missy.