rhythm+hue

Where is Dr House when you need him?

November 6, 2008

UPDATE: Well the Doc still doesn’t know what it is but has decided to go with the gout approach, even though the uric acid levels were nowhere near being what they are when you have gout. Regardless, I will continue the medication and will be having more blood tests on Wednesday to see if the inflammatory markers and uric acid levels have changed at all. And yes, the right ankle is feeling MUCH better, although still swollen and the left has been much better, with the swelling being more of the pain than the ankle movement. Left wrist is still a little painful but all round it is healing but so slowly - whatever it is!

Thanks for your prayers and thoughts everyone!

I have been pretty quiet on here for almost two weeks and wasn’t sure if I was going to post about this but decided to as perhaps someone out there maybe able to help or this may help someone who also is on the same boat. So, what am I talking about? Regular readers here would know that I am overweight and endeavouring to change my lifestyle, so what has happened, is happening, is very frustrating.

Two weeks ago, I awoke to have my legs feel as if they had been used exhaustively the day before. You know the feeling - tired muscles, achy but in a good way. Problem was, I had not done anything remotely to warrant it. During the following day the pain in the left leg intensified and seemed to localize around my knee and ankle.

The next day the achiness subsided and the stiffness of my joints spread to my right leg; knee, ankle, middle toe; and to my elbows and wrists. I was able to move about and had normal days but had stiffness and achy joints for about a week. I thought I had an infection but had no fever. So, on the Thursday, less than a week after the pain began, my joints ached and were swollen and to walk was very painful on the joints and soles of my feet. I finally went to the Doc’s.

First diagnosis was rhuematoid arthritis and I gave blood for a test as well as blood for general well being tests. On the Friday I rang and the rhuematoid test came back negative. All other tests were fairly normal, with a slight spike on inflammations and my cholesterol was in the high side of normal. No fever or White blood cell abnormal readings. Monday, another appointment with the doc and the diagnosis was gout. Another blood test for gout and a prescription for gout meds.

After a public holiday here in Victoria for a horse race, I rang the clinic to hear that my gout test came back negative but with slightly raised uric acid levels. So I was told to keep taking the gout medicine and come back to the doc’s on Friday. But, it seems to be clearing very slowly, very slowly.

As I write this on my iPhone, with my ankles up and resting on the couch, it is almost two weeks since this began and while I am healing slowly it us very fyustrating that it is still ongoing with no identity to throw my frustration at. My ankles are slowly healing as is my wrists, with the right ankle still slightly swollen but not as achy, while the left is also swollen but still painful. The soles of my feet are much better and do not ache any longer, as is the case with my toe and fingers. My wrists are still slightly painful to touch and to flex but still not 100%. The knees and elbows are better, although the left one does ache mildly at the end of the day.

So what is it? No ideas. There are a stack of issues that have similar symptoms. I think it may be an alergy. So, back to the doc’s tomorrow for more discussion and tests.

I would appreciate your prayers and thoughts at this time. Thanks for reading through all this. Shalom.

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