Under left ribs in back pain/weight loss/fevers/left shoulder pain/fatigue - Page 3

coolied · 12-12-2007, 11:31 PM

to tell you the truth, the part that caught my eye was the part where Cipro can cause joint damage in children.... logic would dictate that although not as common, it would be possible that joint damage could also occur in adults......... you did mention something about being told you were going to have arthritic problems, and it does specify to tell your doctor if you've ever had arthritic problems before taking Cipro......... problem is, you may have already had arthritis and not realized it, and the Cipro aggravated it............ if your're in this much pain, and they can't figure it out, a 2nd opinion couldn't hurt, either........

hukleberrie · 12-12-2007, 11:54 PM

I have had a second opinion. I saw a general surgeon when they thought I had colon cancer (which ended up being colitis) & he didn't think it was arthritis. The D.O. (osteo) thinks it's because my joints are hypermobile & my rib is slopping around. The PT thinks I have scoliosis & thoracic spine issues along with trigger points & muscle knots & a rib out of place. A different general surgeon I saw thought it might be arthritis of the rib (which I originally thought was strange, but not as much anymore....). So who knows. The PT also was wondering about my WBC count & if I have had a CBC lately. I am wondering why she would say that. I should have asked. I had the CBC done in July. Would it show something now that it didn't show then?

I never did realize I had arthritic problems before taking Cipro. I have taken it before, I think. I had lots of problems with UTIs in the past, years ago. My mother takes it all the time, too. I saw a rheumatologist in high school (diagnosed with tendonitis of the ankle) who said I was going to have arthritis. That was it. Never had problems again with pain (besides childbirth & normal bruises & strains & stuff like that) until about 7 years ago when I had SIJ pain, started doing yoga & dealing with it. Now this horrid rib/back/shoulder pain. Palpitations. Weight Loss (from colitis). Dizziness (from inner ear issue, I believe).

I truly trust my PCP. She's very caring & concerned. It's just that she is confused as to my problem, and to be honest, it was slightly better before physical therapy, but now it is so painful again, I can't take enough pain meds. I am sure she could help me, but I can't ever get in to see her since they changed the office over to a completely digital office, she only sees like 8 patients a day & I want to talk to HER. I have called for an appt & can't get one. Was told to go to urgent care. Did that & it's just not like being able to talk to her, they don't understand all my issues.

So I am lost... given tons of diagnosises, that all seem to be wrong & I am lost & unsure where to go from here....

coolied · 12-13-2007, 12:48 AM

i feel so bad for you, somehow with the difficulties they've had with coming up with a diagnosis for you, and reading your posts, i'm wondering if you've got a lyme-like disease......... any chance you were bitten by a tick in the early summer, or springtime maybe? I know that causes all sorts of total-body symptoms with alot of arthritic symptoms to go along with it, and it always seems like it takes them years to finally figure it out............ and I think that does tend to cause low-grade fevers, too......... the other clue is you said you had the flu shortly prior to these symptoms, well, one of the symptoms of lyme disease is "flu-like" symptoms early on, with possible joint, heart, and nervous system symptoms as it progresses.......... so maybe your flu wasn't the flu after all........ read this:

[url]http://www.medicinenet.com/lyme_disease/page2.htm[/url]

your symptoms seem to match lyme disease to a tee, and remember 1 in 4 people never even get a rash, so never know they've been bitten....... the palpitations you're experiencing could be due to the possible heart symptoms........

coolied · 12-13-2007, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hukleberrie

The PT also was wondering about my WBC count & if I have had a CBC lately. I am wondering why she would say that. I should have asked. I had the CBC done in July. Would it show something now that it didn't show then?

Hmmmmmmm..... maybe they are looking into Lyme disease.......... i'm pretty sure it messes up your blood counts, and maybe July was too soon after the bite to be showing up in the bloodwork..........

hukleberrie · 12-13-2007, 07:28 AM

Wouldn't they have noticed the swelling in my joints on the bone scan or ct or something? I never noticed a rash or anything....

I have requested my lab results & hope to pick them up today after my pt appt. These results are the only thing left that I don't have the results of so I am hoping that something will show up, but my pcp says everything is within normal ranges.... My family is so concerned with the weight loss (I am getting really skinny) starting up again, but that is only because I finished my round of Azulfidine for colitis & it must have not been gone. The D.O. says I must have an IBD, crohns or colitis. The surgeon who preformed my colonoscopy/EGD said that I had colitis that was not ulcerative colitis & 1 month of azulfidine would fix it, but I guess not.

I did have a tick bite as a teenager that got a staff infection in it, but that was upteen zillion years ago & nothing lately. It is possible, but I don't really think so....

I haven't been getting fevers anymore. Just mostly PAIN, weight loss & palpitations & dizziness.... My D.O. says I have IBD & hypermobile joints. PT says I have a rib out & I am hypermobile & they believe I have mild scoliosis. I was born with congenital hip dysplacia, so I wonder if this has anything to do with all this pain....

If it was arthritis or lyme with swelling in my joints, wouldn't it show up on one of the tons of tests I had done?