Medical Update

Right off of the bat I must say two things: (1) I am sorry for the major lack of updates, as I said in the last post there have been quite a few issues going around my head that I am trying to sort out before I post and I know if I start a post on it, I will just go off on it all before my mind is made up. (2) This is most likely going to be a very very long post as there are quite a few topics to tell about and some I have to kind of go back in time a few months (or years) before I can explain the problems.  I thought about doing this in many smaller posts but I think (as I am writing this opener) that I will keep it as one (that may change when I get finished though!).  Okay, so here it goes, in order of mildest to worst (or in my mind the least frustrating to the most frustrating):

Couldn't See a Friend
This one doesnt really fit in to the medical category until you dig a little deeper.  S is a good friend that I met in the winter semester at university and we have been good friends ever since.  He is probably the one that I keep in contact with the most and even though I dont get to see him often, I know that he would be there if I ever needed him (and visa versa of course).  He was going to be in a city close to me a few nights ago and asked if I could meet up with him and we could go out to dinner and do some stuff.  Well it was a little over an hour drive and I just didn't think that it would be a good idea.  He even offered to let me stay at his hotel over night to rest up for the trip back but I still had to decline.  Not impressed about that as I haven't seen him in about two years.

Getting Less Coordinated!
Just this last week I have done two stupid things that have both led to pain and injury.  The first one was slightly over a week ago when I was carrying my laptop in my left hand while coming down the stairs to go to bed.  Well I tripped over the last step and managed to ram my hand into my door so it was squished between the frame and my laptop.  Was very tender and sore and I still have a bruise there with some tenderness still.  The recent one happend on thursday night when I was sitting on the couch and went to let my dog out and I got all wrapped up in my blanket and tripped.  Thankfully (???) I caught myself on the two end tables before falling flat out but I really did a number on my body.  EVERYTHING hurt that night and I was in a lot of pain.  My back is still spasming if I set wrong but the rest of it seems to settled down.  Tonight I almost missed a step and fell down the stairs and have been getting shakey and off balance quite a bit lately.

Headache's Returning and Pain Level Increasing
Not that big of deal but I have been waking up with the old headaches almost everyday now but if I go back to sleep it seems to subside.  I know I am overdue as this medication hasnt been changed in a very long time but I just hoped it would stay like that.  Going to have to ask about incresing the dosage next time I see my family doctor.  I have also been in a lot more pain lately.  I am not bad through the day but by around 7 or 8 at night everything just starts to hurt really really badly.  My hips have gotten so bad lately and sitting in one spot for a long time (even just to sit for dinner) makes them feel like they are popping and building up pressure.  I am not sure what actually is going on in there but it will have to be mentioned to my rheumatologist when I see him next.  An increase in my long-acting medication may be needed which isn't too bad as I have been at this dose for a significant time frame (by alternating this med and another similar med instead of higher dosages when building up tolerances.)

Medication Not Working
Again, doesnt seem too important but for me it really is.  When in Baltimore at the EDNF conference one doctor 'diagnosed' me with significant autonomic dysfunction (my internist at home then confirmed and made an official diagnosis of sever autonomic dysfunction).  One of the most debilitating and depressing symptoms of this is very very increased sweating.  He gave me a few medications to ask my dr about and I started on one of those medications (at the dosage he suggested) in september and we noticed from about december - february I was actually dry most of the time.  Even situations where I would have been drenched and dripping sweat (literally) I would remain dry.  However it all came back with a vengance and I am already back to the massive sweats again.  Not sure what we are going to do about it next, either try the other medication and using an alternating schedule, increasing the dosage or just scrapping that idea all together.

New Specialist?
Who would have thought there is a specialty in medicine that I have yet to explore?  The doctor - a gastroenterologist.  I have had certain lower GI issues for years now but some things are starting to show more and more frequently that I believe I should be getting myself checked out.  Not to go into any graphics but this could be a very serious problem or a very simple one but I really have no clue.  I just really really don't want to have to go through the test that I am sure will be the first one ordered :S

Right Knee and Subsequent Problems
I touched on this earlier with talking about my hips.  As you know I injured my right knee at Christmas and am still on the path to getting it fixed.  I am a lot better, no crutches and can walk normally without a limp (unless I am tired or too much walking).  I am able to drive short distances myself and have been able to sit comfortly for the most part.  However all is not better.  I still have pain in it, still taking breakthrough pain meds a lot more often than I would like to and still frustrated by it.  Looking at the scans done earlier though, my left knee is in more dire need of fixing then the right.  However, as I said to my mom, I have already had three operations on my right knee.  Since damaging it at Christmas I have had significant pain increases in my left knee, left ankle and more worrying is that both my hips are in a bad spot right now.  I start walking and can literally feel that my left knee cap is not in the grove and have to do some bending and stretching to make it feel better.  My hips have just been bad with a lot of pain and they will be the next thing I talk to my rhuemy about. 

Anyways, since I have already had so many surgeries on my right knee, and that I know it`s issues are causing the other joints to start to fail, if I am going to have 'experimental'and 'tricky'surgery, I would prefer to have it on my knee that is already damaged instead of starting the surgery process on another joint.  I am not naive and know that other joints are going to be operated on in the probably not too distant future (5-10 years-ish I am guessing) then I would prefer to mess up a knee that is already messed up instead of having two messed up joints.  I know that most people probably won't understand this but thankfully my mom seems to and really wants me to express that feeling to the surgeons when I see them next week (eeks!!).  Just hope I can explain it well, in front of my dad, so they understand and don't think I am crazy.  I just want to get rid of some of this pain and instability!  I can't go for bike rides with my nephew, can't go out and play soccer or badminton in the front yard, can't go for walks with my dog and most disheartening is that we are thinking of going to Flordia in the next year and if something isn't done, I won't be able to go on any of the rides and will be having to rent a wheelchair / scooter to just survive (which I really don't want Kyler to see me in as I dont want him to realize that I am not normal).  I am only 29 years old and I swear that my 86year old grandmother has better leg joints than I do!!
I can't believe how long this is going to be!!!!!!!!!!! I am so so sorry that it is long.  I have taken the last topic point out and will put it up by itself as it is so long.  If you have gotten this far --- thanks for reading :)