At the risk of grossing someone out, I’ve compiled a list of all of my symptoms. This is more for my reference than anything else, so that if I’m out and forget my yellow notebook I can just go to this page with my BlackBerry. I guess I’m also kind of hoping that someone will see this and go, “I know what’s wrong with you!” Sad, but true.
If you’re interested, I’ve documented everything from the beginning to now over at Scars Can Speak:
- Kill the Pain
- Kill the Pain: Doctor Soup
- Kill the Pain: More Doctor Soup
- Kill the Pain: Full Circle
- Kill the Pain: Suicide Watch
Arms, Hands, and Fingers
- Dull and achy to sharp pain in arms, hands, and fingers
- Jello, rubbery feeling in arms — It’s as if I’ve just spent the last hour working out or something
- Weakness in arms and hands — I sometimes have difficulty opening bottles, jars, etc.
- Numbness — This whole mess started when my left arm went numb from the elbow down
- Swelling — My left hand will occasionally swell at the base of my thumb and the side opposite to my thumb. My thumb is always sore and stiff when this happens.
- Itchy, sometimes painful, clear bumps — These appear on my palms and on my fingers. They usually take care of themselves after a few days, but they’re a real pain in the ass. They appear on my right hand more often than the left and they’re nearly as hard as a callous.
Legs, Feet, and Toes
- Dull and achy to sharp pain in legs, feet, and toes — Occurs more often in my feet and toes, but occasionally occurs on the inside of my thighs.
- Achy joint pain in my knees and hip — Occurs mostly on the right side
Other
- Recurring styes — Usually multiple at any given time, in both eyes. I’ve never had this problem until a few months ago. Lately I can’t seem to get rid of them. Note: I rarely wear makeup.
- Hemorrhoids and constipation — Again, something recent that I’ve never had a problem with. This scares me more than anything else; the fact that something that doesn’t normally bleed is indeed bleeding scares the fucking hell out of me
- UTI-like symptoms — Every time I get a urinalysis for this, it comes back fine. And yet, every so often, I won’t be able to pee. I’ll pee a little and then feel like I have to pee again several minutes later. And the pain, when this happens? Unimaginable. There have been times where I thought I was going to have to go to the hospital.
- Eczema — This started a few years ago. I get little patches of very dry, bumpy, almost scaly skin that don’t go away no matter how much lotion I use. Then, all on their own, they disappear. I don’t know if this is related or not, but hey.
My aunt says that all of these symptoms are because my body is eating itself, that they are signs of an autoimmune disease. She has Crohn’s Disease and rheumatoid arthritis. I’m not sure if I’ve been tested for Crohn’s, but I have been for rheumatoid arthritis several times and it’s always negative. Autoimmune diseases do run in my family, though, so it’s definitely a possibility.
There is probably more that I am not thinking of right now, but this is the gist of it. I don’t mean to gross anyone out. Believe me, I used to never like discussing my bowels with other people. But at this point? I’m all out of ideas. I’ll take any suggestions I can get.
Besides, you can’t tell me that you didn’t want to know all of these icky things! You know you did! 
Wow! That's an exhausting read.
*squeeze* (=-
Hmm… I'm thinking that Dr. House would be wrong on this one if he were to say "it's not LUPUS!" Have you been tested for it?
http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/te…
Just a thought.
I'm sorry that your life is so difficult. I'm hoping (and praying) that soeone wil be able to see a pattern to these symptoms and really help you.
It is! I've never realized just how much it is until I listed it all like that. I'm not sure if it's all related or not, but at this point? I'm willing to try anything.
I have been tested for lupus, several times actually. It always comes back negative. I wish it were positive, if only to have an actual diagnosis! Thank you, though. (:
Thank you. I have an appointment with a new doctor next week. She's not a specialist, so I'm hoping that between her fresh eyes and lack of medical tunnel vision, I can at least get somewhere with this.
Man I'm so not sure at all what it could be :S and you're doctors are stumped? My sister Kate had some issues like this too. Maybe change your diet? that seemed to work for her?
Hey, I just commented on one of your Scars Can Speak posts. I don't want you to think I'm stalking you or anything, I'm just really interested.
Some of the symptoms do sound like autoimmune responses, especially the eczema, styes, and bumps on your hands. Any of the other symptoms could be described as vascular, right down to the consipation. Something autoimmune could cause a vascular response, which would explain the widespread symptoms. Have you ever been checked out for Multiple Sclerosis? It's the first thing that jumps out at me, but doesn't explain everything.
I’m very afraid about crohn’s disease. I have some symtoms in abdominal pain, often in the lower right area, and diarrhea. Should I go to see the doctor? Please help.
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I've thought about changing my diet, but honestly can't see any reason why it might help. I have added more fiber, but that doesn't seem to make a difference either.
Honestly I feel that none of the doctors I've seen so far have put nearly as much effort into figuring this out as they could have. I'm hoping that the doctor I see on Wednesday will be less inclined to just hand me over to someone else — or just let me go.
I'm not sure, to be honest. I'm going to have the doctor I'm seeing Weds test me for it, though. I've been doing research and this time I have a list of things I'm going to insist upon being tested for. I'm tired of the bullshit at this point. I'm also really and truly a little scared, but that may have something to do with watching one episode too many of Mystery Diagnosis….
Welcome to my blogs, by the way! (: I promise I'm not always this weird. Wait. Yeah, I guess I am lol!
I’m not a doctor, but I definitely recommend you go see someone. Abdominal pain like that should not be ignored. I hope they can help you feel better. *hugs*