If you're a regular reader, you may remember me saying recently that in order to appreciate the ups of your life, you have to experience the downs, too. Well, it seems that the downs my be coming my way.
Over the past few years, I've been having difficulties with my feet. I developed a plantar fasciia problem in my left foot. I was referred to a podiatrist and that was resolved. Then, I began having difficulty walking after I had been sitting. Gradually that became worse, but other than telling my new doctor that my feet hurt, I didn't pursue it. Since the pain shifted around from place to place, I felt there was no point in discussing it further with the doctor.
Well, the pain increased and I developed a plantar fasciia problem in my right foot. My feet began to hurt when I went to bed, and I was having difficulty sleeping. Ultimately, my doc sent me to an orthopedic doctor. He x-rayed my foot every way possible and agreed about the plantar fasciia problem. He gave me several exercises to do that helped, and asked me to take an EMG test.
The upshot of that test was that I have small fiber neuropathy. 95% of neuropathy is due to diabetes, but I'm one of the 5% who aren't diabetic. The orthopedic doc sent me to a neurologist.
HE asked me to take 11 blood tests. When the answers started coming back, it seemed to point that I had problems in the rheumatology area. He prescibed meds for the pain. Quietly muttering "lupus" under his breath, he sent me on to a Rheumatologist.
Now, THIS doctor is kewl! He's practiced for 30 years, and has taught rheumatology at Rush in Chicago. He's also worked in the county hospital, so I suspect that he's seen just about everything. He spent more than an hour with me on our first visit. We tentatively came to an agreement that the three things that disturbed the neurologist COULD simply be unrelated syndromes, and not signs of lupus.
So, a week ago Tuesday, I went to my dermatologist and told her what was going on. Marks on my arms and legs which she feels are sun damage were one of the symptoms being considered. She did two biopsies. One was a definitive test to determine if lupus was present in the skin. The second would determine if her assessment of sun damage was correct. The definitive test came back in three days, and I do NOT have lupus in my skin.
So...I don't know if that means I don't have lupus anywhere else, but I'll know more on Tuesday when I visit with the Rheumatologist again.
What this leaves us with is a larger puzzle. I have a medical problem. Something is causing this neuropathy, and all we might be able to say is that it isn't lupus.
With that in mind, I plan to wait to research the subject. It seems to me that there is no point in scaring myself over things which "could be" or "might be." Better to enjoy this Spring, and continue life as normally as possible until the boom drops. I have been incredibly lucky this far in my life, and God may grant me a little more luck in the future. No matter what comes my way, I have loads of good memories stored up, and the will to adjust to what comes.
Comments (9)
You are right....no need in fretting over what MAY or MAY NOT be. But, anxiety associated with waiting for test results is awful. What is not so nice, is when you do all these tests and your Doc. can't pinpoint why it is you have symptoms because everything tested is normal or negative. Anyway, I hope it is nothing serious.
You said the pain was in your feet...right? That still leaves your hands free to type blog entries! :-))
Posted by Dr. D. | April 7, 2004 9:04 PM
Posted on April 7, 2004 21:04
Empathy. No matter what potential diagnosis is whispered, most of us feel we have that condition until tests prove otherwise. I shall cross fingers, toes and eyes that you get the details including simple treatment very, very soon!
Posted by Essay Canajun | April 7, 2004 9:40 PM
Posted on April 7, 2004 21:40
Hope you have better luck with your doctors. One of my cousins was diagnosed with Lupus YEARS ago. After 20+ years on high dosage steroids, a different doctor, seeing similar symptoms on other patients, ran another set of tests. These came back positive. My cousin had been suffering from Lymes (sp) disease, from a tick bite.
He is now cured but the steroids have taken their toll on his body. He is in his early forties but looks, and acts, close to 70.
I will be wishing you all the luck on this.
Posted by Wichi Dude | April 7, 2004 9:42 PM
Posted on April 7, 2004 21:42
You have what, in us older folks, would be called spunk (but you don't qualify as one of us older folks). I'll just say: you go, Girl!) Know that many of us are concerned for your well being. If good thoughts help, you have them!
Posted by Cop Car | April 8, 2004 4:25 AM
Posted on April 8, 2004 04:25
I hope everything gets straightened out and that it turns out to be something fairly simple to treat!
Posted by bogie | April 8, 2004 8:35 AM
Posted on April 8, 2004 08:35
Now we'll just have to wait and see without any speculation or worrying won't we?
Did I emphasise not worrying?
I did. Good.
Posted by Legomen | April 8, 2004 2:10 PM
Posted on April 8, 2004 14:10
hmm...odd? Well, glad to hear that test results to date are ruling out some nasties. Planter Fasciitis... oh that is so so so so painful (can you tell I have experience??!!! --- yes, we did talk about this before, didn't we.)
now... whatever the current cause is, don't worry and frett --you do sound like you are expecting a whopper of a diagnosis when you do get one - I do hope you are wrong.
Take care, Buffy --- and get some physical comfort somehow... as able.
Posted by Desiree | April 9, 2004 2:11 AM
Posted on April 9, 2004 02:11
Eash one of you, in your unique way, have warmed the cockles of my heart! Thanks for your support and advice!
Doctor D.....you can bet I'll keep on blogging! It's brought me to a great circle of friends. *S*
Essay, thanks for the empathy. I hope the doc has more information for me next Tuesday. And, if not then, soon.
'Dude, I'm so sorry to hear about your cousin. Lyme disease has become better known in the past ten years. When he was diagnosed, it wasn't often considered. The worst of it is, the Lyme disease was treatable, and the misuse of steroids isn't. The neurologist had me take a test for Lyme disease, and I think that one turned out negative.
Ah....spunk! I'm going to hang onto that thought, Cop Car, as well as your good wishes. *S*
Thanks, Bogie....I really hope so too!
Legomen....I hereby appoint you to head my Diversion Team! I plan to visit your blog each day to take my mind off all this. Your entry on the "go to Hell K" was a great start.
Des, the plantar faciitis is almost healed! The orthopedic doc had some very good exercises that were simple to do. My sister gave me an old tennis ball to roll around under my feet, and Dear Husband gave me a water bottle to freeze and use the same way. AND, the woman who leads our exercise had us doing yoga for balance, and that helped, too. I'm glad to know what to do should it ever rear it's ugly little head again!
Posted by Buffy | April 9, 2004 9:57 AM
Posted on April 9, 2004 09:57
Wichi Dude's story is sad. To misdiagnose Lupus and treat with steroids for so long when it was Lyme Disease?? That's why even when I know my diagnosis is correct, I have no problem if a patient wishes a second or a third opinion. It is your right.
Posted by Dr. D. | April 9, 2004 12:38 PM
Posted on April 9, 2004 12:38