Diagnose me! My doctors can't. - General Health Message Board

pinkpixies · 07-09-2008, 12:22 AM

A little back ground on me...I'm a 23 year old female. I am over weight (about 280 lbs) but now that I'm on the right dose of my levothyroxine, I'm losing weight fairly quickly...1-2 lbs of body fat per week. (I have a body comp done weekly at y nutritionist.) I have been going to my doctor a lot with different complaints and she blames everything on either my weight or anxiety.

I am still waiting for my test results to get back from seeing the kidney specialist...should find out in a few days...but I have a feeling they came back normal...so I'll need to follow up with my gp and make her do tests or give me a refferal. They did an ANA and renal function and 24 hour checking for total protein and creatinine (sp?) Here are my symptoms...any idea what could be wrong with me?

-proteinuria (protein in my urine)

-hypothyroidism (but finally under control with medication.)

-pain all over (literally...feet, toes, ankles, legs, knees, thighs, hips, back, collar bones, shouldes, arms, wrists, fingers, jaw...)

-poor circulation (my feet turn purple >.<)

-sensitivity to cold (like opening the fridge door causes intense pain in my toes and fingers)

-headaches and migranes (where I see flashing lights and every little sound hurts)

-skin feels bruised all over and hurts to the touch

-pins and needles in my feet, legs, thighs, chest, face and arms.

-bad balance (keep falling...specially in the shower...which is very painful!)

-dropping things all the time. If I try to pick up something heavy (like more than 3 lbs or so) I will get a shooting pain up from my hands to my collar bone...and I will drop it. Happens with things that aren't heavy at times too.

-folliculitis (sp?)

-lots of infections (vaginal, bladder and kidney)

-IBS

-dry skin and scalp

-constant itching all over

-dizziness and passing out. (doctors say it's a side effect of my medictions.)

...theres probably more, but I can't think atm. Do you guys know what could be wrong? What I could get my doctor to check for?

Medications I currently take: Levothyroxine, Cymbalta, Neurontin, Buspar, Yaz, and Miralax

midwest1 · 07-09-2008, 08:52 AM

You have lots of symptoms of B12 deficiency and Sjogren's syndrome, which are autoimmune disorders. If your hypothyroidism is autoimmune in nature - as most cases are - you are predisposed to have other AI diseases. That's where I would want doctors to focus, if I were you.

There is also a possibility that your hypothyroidism may be undertreated and therefore responsible for at least some of your trouble.

I'm sorry you feel so bad at such a tender age. That's just wrong.

japlopper · 07-09-2008, 11:06 AM

I would definitely start with a B12 test! You could also have a Vitamin D deficiency.

when I was low on B12, I had pins and needles, headaches, muscle twitches, fatigue, sleeplessness, and digestive problems.

pinkpixies · 07-09-2008, 01:02 PM

B12? That's weird...Back when I was vegan...I took a multi that had a really high dose of b12 in it...symptoms started about 6 months after I stopped taking it...and got severe about a year later...but I eat lots of meat and dairy now?

midwest1 · 07-09-2008, 05:20 PM

The problem with low B12 is usually not related to your intake of the vitamin, but to the process in the stomach that causes malabsorption of it. Don't just guess about getting enough from your diet. Insist on a bloodtest to measure it. Tell your doc you want the tests for pernicious anemia... which is the name of the disorder that low B12 causes.