Inflammation

[Sandra]

Hi Guys, hope everyone is doing their best. i have gotten into a situation again. I am so inflammed i don't know wha to do. from ,my eyes hurt so bad , my mouth which is burning non-stop to my stomach which is refusing any kind of food to my bowel and bladder that hurt so bad i can hardly walk. It hurts right around to my back so I can hardly bend. Pretty sure it's just the same old same old, inflammation. Had a scope of my bladder a week ago and it showed inflammation. i can't tolerate anti-inflammitories at the best of times and right now i would never even try, pretty much I just lay there with clinched teeth, very painful. Anybody have any practical suggestions to releive inflammation? I use the heating pad or cold pack, but it really doesn't do much. My head is drawing me to chicken soup but I can't eat much as my stomach just doesn't work, in fact everything just quits working and it feels like everything just becomes rigid and on fire. Sure would appreciate some suggestions. This happen to any of you? Thankd Sandra

[Seeker]

G'day Sandra, The first suggestion I have is "go see a doctor".  You may have more than what you think is wrong with you.  See a Doctor first.


Seeker

[beverley]

Aw Sandra, you are really having a rough trot - I have irritible bowel syndrome and I find I have become very intolerant to wheat now which gives me similar symptoms to those you describe, but nowhere near as bad!  My bladder seems to be a real mess these days - I get up and down to the loo 7 times some nights and the smallest amount of urine at night causes me discomfort and low abdominal ache - it's partly because I don't go to the loo often enough during the day (typical teacher syndrome).  But none of this sounds quite like what you are suffering and I think Seeker is probably giving you sound advice.  I would go to the Doctor and get it checked out.  You really shouldn't be in this much pain and misery.  Hope you get some answers.
Beverley

[Scottietottie]

Hi Sandra 

I agree with the others. You need to get this checked out - and soon. Pain causes stress and stress causes flare ups and you need medical advice as to how to damp the inflammation down.

Take care - Scottie 

[Tinker]

Sandra, have you been on steroids before?  Did it help? I'm no doctor but that sounds like a possibility for you.  You can't go on like this......gotta get some treatment to reduce the inflammation if that is what's wrong.

You're going to need an IV if you can't eat.  Please keep us posted and see your doc asap.   

[Sandra]

I do take prednisone as I have Addison's disease, only it is just a replacement dose of 7.5mg daily. i am not to take more unless i run a fever, although my rhuemy has had me double that dose for a week when things get bad. I have been studying inflammation. Thankfully no test ie the scope(s) comes back with anything real bad, just always inflamation. I see the urologist again soon, I will speak with him about it. But I have decided to see a registered dietician and see if we can come up with an anti-inflamation diet. I do try eat well, lots of antioxidants but everything falls apart when this happens as I can only handle chicken soup, yogart and some melon, that's not too bad but I do get hungry for real food after a week or two.
i guess i'd better try see my GP, only he usually just tells me to see my rhuemy....that's kind of difficult as she is 11/2 away and I'm not in good shape to travel, and with her schedule i'm not sure when I'd get to see her.
Is sjs to blame for these inflammation flares? Or is this something else going on? It has been a toss up for a long time between sjs and lupus. I had the lip biopsy so I know I have sjs but the ANA test comes back negative re lupus so my rhuemy said I don't have lupus. My cheeks sure have the red butterfly though, the butterfly always appears when I am inflammed. Is this something that happens with sjs? My rheumey says not. Confusing to me??? I do so good otherwise, I mean the aches and pains, dryness, swallowing is hard but doesn't keep me down just this inflammation. Thanks Sandra

[Tinker]

Sandra, I don't know the answer to any of your questions.  But there are others here who know much more than me.  I was just diagnosed with SS a couple of mos. ago.

The endocrinologist thought I had Addison's, also.  I did the 24 hr. urine (neg) but my blood was high for cortisol.  Tonight , I am taking .5 mg of dexamethasone and then having a blood test tomorrow am.  This should rule out Addison's (at least I think that's what he is thinking.....he isn't very communicative and I can't understand his accent.)

I hope you feel better soon and get some answers.     

[Linda196]

Tinker, depending on the time of day that the blood tests were drawn, high cortisol should have ruled out Addison's already. Addison's is shown to decrease cortisol production, while Cushing's causes an increase.

Once the increase or decrease of cortisol level is determined, then it is necessary to do further tests to determine if the change is a result of problems in the adrenal glands themselves, or if it's a "chain of command" problem from the pituitary gland. that's where you are right now...Dexamethasone suppresses ACTH production and should decrease cortisol production if the source of the excess is pituitary related.

[Sandra]

No, the diagnosis of Addison's disease was made in 1989. I did have the ACTH test at that time. I have no idea what causes this problem I'm dealing with now. I am stiff, cramping so bad i can hardly move, reflux, neck and head ache, my eyes feel li9ke they will burst. I wonder about my thyroid. Problem, my GP is just OTL. As my husband says, "I don't have a doctor, I have a receptionist, and until she finishes med school I don't think she should be deciding if I get an appointment or not."
Sandra

[Scottietottie]

Hi Sandra - I don't think she should be deciding either. If you can't get an appointment - could you switch docs? Other option - if the inflammation is really bad - try ER.

Take care - Scottie 

[Tinker]

Tinker, depending on the time of day that the blood tests were drawn, high cortisol should have ruled out Addison's already. Addison's is shown to decrease cortisol production, while Cushing's causes an increase.

Once the increase or decrease of cortisol level is determined, then it is necessary to do further tests to determine if the change is a result of problems in the adrenal glands themselves, or if it's a "chain of command" problem from the pituitary gland. that's where you are right now...Dexamethasone suppresses ACTH production and should decrease cortisol production if the source of the excess is pituitary related.

Thanks, Linda!

I should hit the books to get a better handle on all these ailments.  So much to learn......

I had the cortisol in the am the first time.  And today, I gave a fasting am specimen.  He said he hasn't ruled out Addison's yet even though my 24 hr. urine was neg for cortisol. 

I've got more reading to do....thing is, I can't retain what I read.  I highlight things and come back and read again and barely remember the material.  Whether it's chemo-fog, fibro-fog, med-fog, I don't know , but it sure is a pain.   

Thanks again.