Another weird physical disease

[irish]

I was watching one of those "mystery" health cable shows today. The show was on a fellow who had all these symptoms that no one could figure out. He spent a whole lot of time in ER and in doctors office and had a bunch of diagnoses including the all familiar "all in your head" theory.

He ended up in ER where a very astute ophthalmologist was on call. This doc listened to the story and believed the guy. He asked him for a urine sample and put some of it in a container out on the window ledge in the sun. The next day doc checked the urine and it had turned purple. Doc got his medical books and showed the patient what he had. It was called Acute Polyphyria. I hope I spelled that right.

I did a search using polyphyria disease and got a list of links. I clicked on the Wikipedia one and got the info that was the same as the show talked about. Man, what a tough diagnosis. One third of these people die because the symptoms are misdiagnosed. So many symptoms of so many other diseases and they come and go. I am glad I didn't have that disease because I think I would be dead by now.

We always think we have all the bad luck, but it seems there are some really weird diseases out there. Just my take on an interesting subject. Irish

[Cheryl]

Wow, that's a very interesting story.  (Now, truthfully, how many of you are considering putting a urine sample out in the sun after reading this?)

Cheryl

[Joe S.]

It used to be that Naturalpaths would accomulate a list of all symptoms and then try to find a match. Today, they try to match 2 or 3 symptoms (John Hopkins method) and verify with lab tests. If the lab tests do not correlate, it is all in your head.

Yes, there are others that have it worse than we do. Our front line doctors see waves of similar symptoms and treat these symptoms in mass with rules of thumb. If the rules don't match, as humans they are frustrated or you are sent to another doctor.

If it is the wrong specialist or you do not fit their rule of thumb, it is in your head or you are passed to some one else. The doctors have a very hard job when it comes to diagnosing illness. If they get it wrong people could die. There is a lot of pressure on them.

You are at war with what ever disease you have. Use every weapon you have to win your battle (doctor, internet, forums, magazines, books, medications and supplements).

[susanep]

I remember one time before diagnosed with anything, going to a obgyn that had me come back for something else, and I said I felt like I had a kidney infection. They tested me, and he said no it's all clear. No meds.

After 2 days I felt worse, and went in to the regular gp I was seeing at the time, and he tested my kidneys and said I had a bad kidney infection, and put me in the hospital for one day for dehydration.

I sometimes never know what to believe with any of them these days.

susanep

[Tharrell]

Oh it can get worse than yhat! My daughter went to her eye doctor to check on her inflammation. Doctor said inflammation in the one eye had now moved to the back of the eye and also moved into the other eye. That it was very serious! She said she made an emergency appointment with the Retina specialist and drive over there right now! So we get there 30 minutes later to just to hear from that doctor that she sees NO inflammation AT ALL!!!!! Say what? And yes, I watched her tripple check her self with every possible machine available. She is the leading Retina specialist in Houston.

[susanep]

A person just never knows what to expect.

susanep