← Return to Autoimmune something: Struck with extreme fatigue

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@susandenise

This is exactly how it started for me. I’ve been told almost everything under the sun. It’s sickening what these doctors do. I will NOT take gabapentin although it really does help you sleep it will cause severe issues to other organs you really don’t need now so try another sleeping alternative. I have swelling in my lower left leg down to my toes. They look like sausages. I have lost all mobility in my wrists and to turn a page in a book I just find some days I cannot move my fingers. I have had these tests ran also. I am in the same boat you are. I was also told in the ER ( I went because my breathing was so bad it felt like my lungs were stuck together and the pain throughout my body was way beyond their stupid pain level of 10 chart) anyway I see a psychiatrist who has prescribed me klonopin and vistaril for my many mental illnesses on top of all this. I can so relate to you. I also have COPD as I am a smoker also but the nicotine or some toxic chemicals in those cigs really do help the pain. I can’t drive anymore, my vision went from 21/20 to 21/-131 in just a few months. I have severe cataracts. I have osteoarthritis in my spine from my c3 vertebrae in my neck to the middle of my spine where a 3 cm mass was found. I also have been to every specialist and nobody will help me. The findings are there! As with you also. I have decided to just go on until I can’t anymore. I cry everyday. Almost all day. Horrible excruciating pain day and night. I cannot write well anymore nor lift much. I am a farmer so this really put a damper on my life. What is odd is that it came on so fast! I was doing Zumba and my right foot bunion area started to hurt. Thought I did too much of a workout so I tried to continue but I couldn’t from the pain. From day 1 of onset of pain and to where my condition is now has worsened drastically in 11 months. I’m told no matter what I do, what meds someone may prescribe I only have maybe 10 more years to live. I’m in agony. I understand your situation. It’s so bad. These doctors are awful! By the way since we are on the Mayo Clinic site don’t they treat rheumatoid arthritis? I’ll check it out because I’ll seek Mayo out as my next facility. Thank you for your story. Finally I know I’m not the only person who feels like they have the flu 24/7, fatigue, swelling, off the chain pain in EVERY JOINT AND BONE.

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Replies to "This is exactly how it started for me. I’ve been told almost everything under the sun...."

One treatment for rheumatoid arthritis is weekly shots of methotrexate. Which did help but I also have psoriatic arthritis. BUT: The methotrexate will damage your kidneys as is what happened to mine. I stopped the methotrexate but am now consumed with horrible pain throughout the body and the psoriatic arthritis has my finger nails falling off (agony) and the rest of my body responding to pain as well. Damned if you do and damned if you don't. It is easy to give up now but what keeps me going is my cat and dog. They are old as I am (83) they are 14 years of age. They need me to help them with their passing then my turn will come. But, I still smile (when I can). As hard as it is. Good luck to all of us. Peach

Please do try to get to Mayo! I think you would be assigned a team of Drs to work with you. Do you have health insurance? I think Mayo is not pricier than other places and it is the best.

It took over 4 yrs to get a diagnosis but now the fight for proper treatment. The gabapentin helps with the night pain so I can sleep but with nothing during the day the struggle is real. I have been told that I have less than 5 years and less if progression keeps going as it has been. I do not put a grain of salt on their time lines as this is not the first time I was told the end was near and bypassed it totally. I am just tired and frustrated.