I'm new here, I don't know exactly what is going on with me but I have my first rheumatology appointment monday and I am extremely nervous. I have been having strange troubles off and on for awhile now, but in october i started feeling very tired, dizzy off and on and had a bad case of the hives that i couldn't shake that got progressively worse until I thought I would have to scratch my skin off. I have severe allergies and asthma so at first I just figured it was an allergy. I was sore and stiff, but that happens from time to time for me and the last time( about 4 years ago I went in for it, the doctor told me I'm too young for arthritis and that i was just deppresed) so I ignored it. I lost about 7lbs in two weeks and then I woke up with excruciating pain in not just some joints like usual but all of them. I went to the urgent care since it was saturday. They told me I had a very high aso titer and so it was rhuematic fever. I was somewhat relieved. They put me on antibiotics, stronger antihistamines and prednisone. I felt better until i lowered the steriod, then I had really bad chest pain, asthma issues and the joints got bad again. So they gave me more steroids(ack!). Same thing, came off troubles returned. My aso returned to normal but the symptoms have still been bothersome since october. So that is when I got my referral. Some days are not too bad. Others I can hardly straighten out enough to get out of bed, or out of chair or car after resting for awhile. Things do seem to loosen up some if I keep pushing through it though. I am exhausted. I have to nap, not even an option anymore. I feel sick, dizzy and shaky if I do not and it gets worse until I just give in and rest. I have at least one rash at all times. I have had a rash that looks like broken blood vessels twice now that the reg. doctor can't explain. Nothing wants to move the same, its like I need to be oiled almost. Sometimes the joints feel hot, sometimes with swelling other times without. Most times I feel like someone is attempting to wedge a blunt object between whatever joints are bothering me at the time. I am thouroughly confused and frustrated. I do not want anything to be wrong with me but I don't care to be told that I am just depressed and imagining it either. Sorry about the long rant, I really needed to vent and my family is frightened enough already without me going on and on and I wasn't sure where to turn.
Poor Sleepy! It sounds like you've been through the wringer, and aren't finished yet!
If you indeed had Rheumatic Fever in October, they should be checking your heart valves for damage. Rheumatic Heart Disease can weaken your valves which could make you weak, dizzy and tired.
I'm not a doctor, so I'm not qualified to diagnose you (especially over the Internet!) but I am a nurse, and I've seen that happen to people.
Also, have you researched lupus at all? Often, RA symptoms + rash = lupus.
The Rheumy should have some better insights than your regular MD, and certainly more than an Urgi-Care doc. If it's RA, it should be a no-brainer for him, and if it's something different, but related, he should be able to uncover it!
Whatever it turns out to be, I hope you'll come back and update us. Until then, I wish you lots of rest.
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