Undiagnosed Autoimmune Disease - No one will listen to me
Hello All - so would love some advice or thoughts.
I'm 43, wife and mother of 3. In May 2017, healthy but slightly overweight, I went to visit family in Texas and had strep throat (which I had about 4 previous times in the previous 2 years). Took antibiotics full round, returned home. Two days after finishing antibiotics, I woke up and could barely even move (couldn't even pull my covers over me, barely walk, severe joint pain muscle pain, you name it. Went to Doc and they sent me to rheumatologist.
They ran so many test with really no avail. The only thing that came up positive was HLA-B27. At the time ANA was negative.
Over the last six years it has been just so much joint pain, muscle pain, muscle weakness. They tried plaquinel first, nothing. Then started my process of biologics. I moved rheumatologist a couple of years into it and she ran more test, but still not much answers. I was put in the spondyloarthropathy category, but really unspecified. My new rhematologist over the last few years has been thorough but has really put me in the complex sector of things. Here's current breakdown:
> have Chronic Kidney Disease, unspecified found in 2008 with proteinuria only; two kidney biopsies only showed some scarring but nothing else
> Clinically: Knees, Elbows, Ankles feet inflammed, swollen, heat; muscle weakness in arms, some tingling in arm and thigh; right SI joint pain (chiropractor manages well); weight gain from predisone and lack of mobility); ringing ears, tops of hands swell for several days at a time; ankles swollen throughout day; itching skin, some low grade fevers at time; High blood pressure; fatigue, cant focus; memory bad
> CRP and ESR both elevated in the 80's - 100's most of the time, can dip down to 50's, 30's if biologic works
> New last month ANA: Positive, 1:2560, Homogenous
> ANA Antibidies: dsDNA was 1, all other antibodies were <0.2 (ALL within normal range) :/
> Vit D: deficient (lowest 11, highest 32) last 5-6 years, currently on 100,000 dose
> Vit B: also low, currently taking injections every other week
> Homocysteine: elevated
> CBC: all normal except elevated WBC (prednisone) and HBG slight low; RDW slight elevated
> CMP: all normal except for creatinine (High) and GFR (Low) from CKD
> All GI scans normal (with only a little GI involvment)
> On my six biologic with doc submitting under Ankylosing Spondylitis
> All Thyroid testing normal except Reverse T3 Elevated
> No RA positive labs
> Started seeing Functional Medicine Practitioner and did mold testing, negative; she is going to help me get rid of inflammatory foods to hopefully help some
Really just frustrated at lack of answers! I know my Rheumatologist is doing her best…I’m just complex. My insurance just denied my next infusion because of dx of 'undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy' being experimental. Doc is considering change of dx to seronegative RA so we have option of a IL-17 drug instead of TNF Blockers. So trying to consider that option.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
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Unfortunately the broad effects of B12 deficiency is not well understood in the medical profession. Part of the reason is that a better understanding of B12 absorption process has only become developed in the last 5 years. Add to that the recently understanding that the absorption process declines with age and the result is rampant under diagnosed and under treated B12 deficiencies.
My own treatment experience with B12D has ranged from monthly injections of 1 cc of B12 starting about 15 years ago to the precent 0.5 cc injections every 5 days! The increases in injections was necessitated as my symptoms evolved from Anemia/Fatigue in the beginning to short term memory and balance issues
recently.
Because my B12D was triggered by Celiac Disease gut damage my B12D adsorption problems were more widespread that just the symptoms listed above and the B12 injections have helped significantly in managing them in part because B12 is a powerful anti-infamatory!
Chris47 -
Hi , Did you see an Endocrinologist? I have Hashimoto disease, thyroid underactive disease and all your symptoms are on the list. I take Levothyroxine 75 mcg, which has helped.
I, too, had undiagnosed B12 symptoms. I had the first set of injections, which normalized the number, but became very unhappy with maintenance injections.
I did some research, which suggested that oral B12 was actually just as effective, when dosage is correct. I talked with my GP, got her blessing, and my B12 is at the high side of normal now!
You might check out oral B12
Hi. I'm so sorry to hear your suffering like this. I am 50 and have been dealing with this since I was 32. All of what you said but threw the years things have gotten worse by far. So I would say don't stop becuz finally now docters fear I have ulcerative colitis which untreated all that time means I could be in serious trouble bc it's an auto immune. Which I've known like u that your problem is auto immune. So my advice is keep going to every specialist you can until something is found don't ignore it or any symptoms. Keep a log!! Good luck!!!!
I agree with you. I too have Hashimoto disease and on same med as you. Could well be this.
You and they are right, technically it could be anything. However, all of these symptoms can be caused by hypothyroidism. And of course an often goes undiagnosed or ignored in women especially older women. I would go to an endocrinologist and have lab tests done correctly, and make sure it's someone who's willing to test out a low dose of thyroid hormone.
I also suggest as previously recommended to see a naturopath or a functional medicine doctor. They do run more tests and look at causes of your symptoms. After taking prescription meds that did more harm than good for me, I gave up on my health providers. There can be many reasons why you’re feeling they way you do. I found my functional medicine doctor by googling in my area. You can search for one on the website by city and state at ifm.org. Wishing you the best in finding an answer.
I feel for you! Like you I was in pain, sleeping a lot, gaining some weight, I was shedding some hair and was sick a lot. A specialist diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. I finally got in to see an Endocrinologist years ago. Tests showed my TSH was very low and I have Hashimoto's autoimmune disease. I started taking Synthroid and having my TSH checked every six weeks slowly increasing the dose until it was right. My endocrinologist said my thyroid disease had likely gone on since adolescence so the doctor recommended testing my 12yr. old daughter. She was diagnosed with the same as I was. My doctor had said that the lab test range is incorrect. She had 30 years of experience. For example...the normal range goes to about 5.0 according to the labs. This is to low she said and can cause many symptoms. The TSH level shouldn't be lower than about 2.5. I feel best when my TSH is about 2.0. If it's high I feel shaky, have trouble sleeping and a lot of anxiety! Now this year I was diagnosed with an extremely rare autoimmune disease, Esophageal Lichen Planus. My immune system is attacking all of the mucus membranes in my body. It's in my esophagus, mouth and skin. No cure for this disease! There's approximately 25-30 cases in the country. Hashimoto's may be a contributing factor! I was also diagnosed with Colitis this year which is also an autoimmune disease. I sure hope you can find a good Endocrinologist! I feel for you!
HI, LDN is also used to treat many chronic pain conditions. I have CRPS 2 neuropathy from abuse. LDN did not help me. It helped my granddaughter. She was on high opiates that stopped working. LDN has got her pain under control at 4.5. I had a strange autoimmune disease hit me when I had my second spinal cord stimulator implanted. My liver enzymes went up. I had every liver test known. I don't drink and I started a healthy Keto diet. They are almost normal now. I eliminate racing/junk thought. I do my best to live in the present moment. Keep positive thoughts that everything is fine. Not so easy to do, but the diet change and brain change help. I have been on Levothyroxine for 23 years. I was on the brand Synthroid and thought it was better than the generic. The co pay is out of control now. I will keep positive thoughts for you and everyone. Can't go wrong with that. I use Ketamine to beat my pain. I have a friend with severe Migraines several times a month. He uses the Ketamine nasal spray. He has relief in 2 minutes. He does stay in the dark for a few hours. At work we massage his neck, head, and face gentle. I feel the horrid tension he has. No clue to the cause. He can feel it coming on. I do not drive until it wears off. That is just me and might not affect someone else. Ketamine is also used in lower doses for depression.
LDN does not help everyone but the people it does help, often have tried everything else. Since you mention ketamine I must advise not to use ketamine and LDN together. Nothing bad will happen but the LDN will not allow the ketamine to work- even though it is not an opiate. Scientists haven't figure out why yet.
Since you like the mental approach, you might enjoy "The Genie in your Genes" by Dawson Church, PhD. It is more than a self help book. Thank you for the positive thoughts. Sometimes they move mountains.