Just typed my autobiography and lost the whole durn sheebang. Hands are nonfunctional bilaterally except for the pinkys, so forgive brevity and typos please. If you want to chat, call me at 315 342 4139 leave me a call back and optimal time to call and I willall you.
Things have not been well I regret to say. The atopic condition is insufficient to explain the motor loss problems, difficulty in cognition and short term memory, sleep disturbance, rheumatic joints, hyperthesia and lots of itching. Last October I lost the ability to fret the guitar and began to advocate for my own healing in a state of near mental collapse from not sleeping for a month except for short naps. Looking on the internet I became convinced I had RSD (now called RSDSA I believe). I'm a fairly good diagnostician and I sure seemed to have most of the symptoms: excema, itch, skin atrophy, rheumatic joints, sleep disturbance, hyperthesia, impaired short term memory, urinary urgence, thickened toenails, skin color and temp. changes...and on and on.
Waited over a month for a referral to a neurologist as my MD was an internist thanks to the blind incompetence of the office staff who never bothered to call it in to that office. I was treated with indifference although I explained the urgence...."these things take time, we'll call you". Meanwhile I can't sleep and lie awake night after night expecting heart failure at any moment. I finally called the neurologists office myself to learn no call had ever been received concerning yours truly. Then had a major episode and off again to the ER and was admitted. Got tested for everything except nerve conduction and all checked well.
Problem with RSD is any symptom can be ascribed to other medical problems and there is no definitive test for the disease. My heart was good, lungs fine, blood all within normal limits. Met with a psychiatrist who finally granted to medication I asked my Dr. for last October when I sought the referral to a neurologist. His office refused me the medication since it was addictive.
My MD rejects RSD, and I have had the nerves in my hands and arms exaimed by a doofus neurologist who never even heard of RSD how reassuring, but as per agreeement with Valerie who works now as a psychiatric RN agreed to treat my condition as a matter of anxiety.
Funny how when you finally DO get what you waited close to 2 months for the anxiety goes away! I am now sleeping and greatly improved in spirit although the condition persists. I now believe, I want to believe that I don't have RSD which has been described as the most painful disease known to man leading to paralysis, blindness, Alzheimer's, kidney failure and heart failure. Note as well Stage 2 is reversible and Stage 3 is not.
Since abandoning all and every food other than pure veggies, fruit, lean meat, fish....(if it's got a list of ingredients I won't eat it, or if I didn't prepare it myself). I believe the condition I have whatever it is is improving. The new ointment is helping and the worst fears and symptoms seem to be over. It was all a boogie man in my mind. Yup.
The doofus neurologist seemed to think my hand problems due to "parts wear out" end of story. My MD thinks I am prepsychotic since I had words in the waiting room with his staff. Short words strung together in rapid order, with feeling!
Now it's time for yet another MD. Meanwhile I have discontinued all analgesics oral and topical and use just the new ointment. Home life has improved and again I owe Valerie for sticking with me through the most difficult time I have ever experienced. Imagine working all day with nut cases and then to come home to a desperate hubby!
I lost all my plants save one terrarium with a handful of easy species in 2005. I miss my plants, my old life where I was well and able to do the work. This has made visiting this forum somewhat painful although you are all in my mind and heart and I haven't forgotten.
I hope you have the best of Holiday's this year and resolve to drop by more often, but I can only type with the pinkies and it's not easy. I have unlimited phone time and would love to hear from any and all.
Love you all,
Tamlin