beezkneez
05-18-2004, 03:31 AM
Hi, I am your normal everyday 21 year old except for one thing....I am trying to help my Mom with a misery that no doctor around here has been able to diagnose or fully treat her symptoms. It tears my heart to pieces seeing her this way. No one can really understand unless you see her and know how much pain she is in. I live with it everyday and I just want to get her help. She says that she can't stand it anymore and she feels like she won't be here much longer. But I love her...she is my Mom and my best friend. Here are some of her symptoms:
1. She develops hives if her skin is aggervated (ex. if you squeeze her arm or if her pants rub her and if her shoes aggervate her feet.) The hives itch awfully expecially on her feet and become very hot, sometimes even blistering the skin, and then they hurt.
2. She becomes very worn out after little exercise. (ex. walking from her room to the living room.) She is unable to walk long distances without her knees and shins hurting.
3. She has these body aches. She said it feels like the flu. It started out as once a week and went to three times a week and now it is everyday. Every muscle in her body hurts. She said it feels like it goes down to the bone. The only partial relief she can get is laying in a hot bath.
These are just some of the symtoms, the most serious of them. She has been tested for many things and all the doctors can tell her is that they don't know exactly what it is. She was tested for lupus and fibromyalgia and they said it wasn't either. She has to take medicine for her thyroid and celebrex for some of the pain. But nothing really helps. Is there anyone out there that knows what this might be or knows somewhere that we can take her to get tested for what it may be? If you do know maybe what it is could you possibly recommend any medication she may talk to her doctor about that could help her? Thanks for your help if there is any you have to offer. I would take her place in a heartbeat if I could because I hate to see her in this pain so if you can help please do!
1. She develops hives if her skin is aggervated (ex. if you squeeze her arm or if her pants rub her and if her shoes aggervate her feet.) The hives itch awfully expecially on her feet and become very hot, sometimes even blistering the skin, and then they hurt.
2. She becomes very worn out after little exercise. (ex. walking from her room to the living room.) She is unable to walk long distances without her knees and shins hurting.
3. She has these body aches. She said it feels like the flu. It started out as once a week and went to three times a week and now it is everyday. Every muscle in her body hurts. She said it feels like it goes down to the bone. The only partial relief she can get is laying in a hot bath.
These are just some of the symtoms, the most serious of them. She has been tested for many things and all the doctors can tell her is that they don't know exactly what it is. She was tested for lupus and fibromyalgia and they said it wasn't either. She has to take medicine for her thyroid and celebrex for some of the pain. But nothing really helps. Is there anyone out there that knows what this might be or knows somewhere that we can take her to get tested for what it may be? If you do know maybe what it is could you possibly recommend any medication she may talk to her doctor about that could help her? Thanks for your help if there is any you have to offer. I would take her place in a heartbeat if I could because I hate to see her in this pain so if you can help please do!
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Vball_#4
05-18-2004, 10:24 PM
Just curious how long she has been on celebrex? I had a friend who had problems like this and it was caused by the celebrex itself. Made her have hives all over. The dr. old her to stop the celebrex and everything disappeared. It was an allergic reaction to it. I think celebrex is high in some type of sulfur. Maybe she should talk to her Dr. about this.
Best of Luck Vball_#4
Best of Luck Vball_#4
beezkneez
05-19-2004, 12:12 AM
She's been on celebrex for a couple of years now. Really the celebrex helps with some of her pain. She knows if she misses a dose of it. How long did it take your friend for everything to clear up? Did it get worse before it got better? Thanks for you help
TrishaT
05-19-2004, 12:54 AM
Has the Dr. checked her for Epstein Barr Virus? I am going through the samething only the hives are not bad. I agree part of the itching could be from the Celebrex.
good luck
Trisha
good luck
Trisha
californiasunflower
05-19-2004, 10:30 AM
Hello :wave:
Not sure this term applies to your mom's condition but may be worth a try investigating "arachnoiditis."
Hugs to you! :angel:
Not sure this term applies to your mom's condition but may be worth a try investigating "arachnoiditis."
Hugs to you! :angel:
Vball_#4
05-19-2004, 06:25 PM
I just know that my friend had the chronic hives from the celebrex and once she stopped her hives went away. There is other alternative medicine for the joint pain. The celebrex could be causing the hives but also helping the pain. Just do a search on the side effects of celebrex. I did last night and it said people allergic to sulfa drugs and aspirin should not take celebrex. It could be several different things going wrong especially if she has problems with her thyroid. But with the hives I would think an allergic reaction to something. Best of luck.
Vball_#4
Vball_#4
beezkneez
05-21-2004, 02:35 AM
Thanks you all. I will check out the things you mentioned and see what they say and then I'll let you all know something. As for the Epstein Barr Virus and Arachnoiditis, I'll check them out and perhaps call her dr about them. Thank you again!
zekat
05-21-2004, 11:53 PM
I would also check her most recent thyroid labs -- severe joint pain is a CLASSIC, CLASSIC sign of an underactive thyroid (hypothyroid). Unfortunately many doctors use outdated labs to treat the underactive thyroid (doctors like to use the TSH as the only indication on how a thyroid is functioning when Free T3 & Free T4 tests are more important) -- you might want to check out the thyroid board. There are a LOT of very smart people there. I would suggest to start getting copies of all of your mothers lab work and research, research, research. I really do hope you can help her find some relief. Good luck to you!
californiasunflower
05-22-2004, 03:59 PM
I agree with Brandekristene. check out the thyroid, particulary hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's Disease, which is the autoimmune thyroiditis.
Also, look through the lupus board, particularly at the symptoms chart.
Also, look through the lupus board, particularly at the symptoms chart.
beezkneez
05-23-2004, 02:46 AM
Yes, I have posted in the lupus board. Like I said we aren't sure what it is and none of the dr's around here know what it is either. So, mostly I am trying to find out some answers and diagnose this so we can get her some help. She does have hypothyrodism and they are taking care of that, also, she has a dr's appointment in a couple of days so I will ask them to check her thyroid again. It's time for that anyways. As for the Hashimoto's Disease...I will look it up and see what it says. Wish us luck!
californiasunflower
05-23-2004, 04:04 PM
The key with hashimoto's is that the TSH lab test results may indicate normal ranges. The doc's need to review the Free T3 and the Free T4. Her ranges need to be based on her symptoms (mid-upper ranges, I'm told by the Board, are best). The Thyroid antibody needs to be tested to see if she has the autoimmune thyroiditis.
If you're near a library review some of the thyroid books. See MidWest1 posts on the thyroid board. She has a lot of good info too!
If you're near a library review some of the thyroid books. See MidWest1 posts on the thyroid board. She has a lot of good info too!
zekat
05-23-2004, 04:19 PM
Be sure to get a copy of your mothers thyroid labs -- and like californiasunflower said, MAKE sure the doc tests her Free T3 and Free T4 (I would also suggest that she get her Total T4 & Total T3 labs also). But once you get a copy of the labs, post her values with the lab ranges on the thyroid board (or here -- I'll continue to check this post) and you will get A LOT of feedback. All you have to do is skim the thyroid board and see that MANY, MANY people are told their thyroid is "normal" and that they are fine but it is so often not the case. A lot of people feel continue to feel terrible even though their doctors tell them their thyroid is under control. It's just a thought but something you can seriously look at. Maybe it's a combination of things, you know? Good luck
bingling
05-27-2004, 01:31 PM
Look int stress and anxiety symtoms..her thyroid may be causing that.
You would be surprised what it can do to your body.
You would be surprised what it can do to your body.
californiasunflower
05-28-2004, 03:30 AM
Wenchling--please share what you know that the thyroid can do! :)