I have felt for so many years that something isn’t right with me. Something’s wrong. Physically. Sometimes emotionally. Since meeting Vic, I have come a long way. He agreed that something was wrong and fought for me (at times with me) to try and get to the bottom of it. In 2005, our Orthopedic told me something was wrong. In 2005, my Rheumatoidologist agreed. It’s taken a while but I’ve been better in this last year than I have been in 15. (This doctor at least told me up front that what he thought I had (Psoriatic Arthritis, an auto-immune disease) but if it turned out that none of the treatments worked, we would keep trying until we found something that did).
But, something’s still not right.
I watched Oprah yesterday and she was re-airing a show from last week about hormone imbalance, perimenopause and menopause. Watching these women I was watching myself. Listening to the women who are suffering from hormone imbalance was like listening to myself or reading my journals!
Years of not sleeping well at night. Years of feeling like crap. No energy. Depression un-improved by anti-depressants. Brain fog. Night sweats. Feeling overwhelmed. Feeling unhinged. Not knowing whats's wrong but knowing something definately is. Chronic fatigue. Chronic illnesses. Excess facial hair. Either too much desire or none at all. Anger/aggression.
I thought to myself, "Could it be?!"
Today Oprah spoke with a few women who'd seen the show and I wondered, "Can hormone imbalance cause chronic pain?"
I went to Google and typed that thought in. While I didn't go into every result, the word "yes" appeared! My mind began to race as did my heart rate.
But I've been better since starting the iv's last January.
"Can Remicade affect hormone levels?!" I Googled that phrase and while there's nothing conclusive, the iv med I'm on can affect hormone levels in some patients.
What if the Remicade was improving mine to an extent?
Some people's auto-immune disease type arthritis, Fybromyalgia and Lupus greatly improved or went away after starting hormone replacement therapy.
Could this actually be my problem? I don't recall if my hormone levels have ever been checked. I thought a few years ago that I may be in perimenopause but was told by my then primary and my obgyn that I wasn't. But how did they come to that conclusion without tests? By looking at my age?
I don't think I'm already in perimenopause. But I am wondering if my hormones could be out of wack. So much of what I heard yesterday on Oprah clicked. If there's a chance that they are and if there's a chance I could be well and healthy, then I've got to explore this possibility. I need to look into this myself before bringing it up to any of my doctors. (YOU are your best advocate when it comes to your health).
Let the research begin.
But, something’s still not right.
I watched Oprah yesterday and she was re-airing a show from last week about hormone imbalance, perimenopause and menopause. Watching these women I was watching myself. Listening to the women who are suffering from hormone imbalance was like listening to myself or reading my journals!
Years of not sleeping well at night. Years of feeling like crap. No energy. Depression un-improved by anti-depressants. Brain fog. Night sweats. Feeling overwhelmed. Feeling unhinged. Not knowing whats's wrong but knowing something definately is. Chronic fatigue. Chronic illnesses. Excess facial hair. Either too much desire or none at all. Anger/aggression.
I thought to myself, "Could it be?!"
Today Oprah spoke with a few women who'd seen the show and I wondered, "Can hormone imbalance cause chronic pain?"
I went to Google and typed that thought in. While I didn't go into every result, the word "yes" appeared! My mind began to race as did my heart rate.
But I've been better since starting the iv's last January.
"Can Remicade affect hormone levels?!" I Googled that phrase and while there's nothing conclusive, the iv med I'm on can affect hormone levels in some patients.
What if the Remicade was improving mine to an extent?
Some people's auto-immune disease type arthritis, Fybromyalgia and Lupus greatly improved or went away after starting hormone replacement therapy.
Could this actually be my problem? I don't recall if my hormone levels have ever been checked. I thought a few years ago that I may be in perimenopause but was told by my then primary and my obgyn that I wasn't. But how did they come to that conclusion without tests? By looking at my age?
I don't think I'm already in perimenopause. But I am wondering if my hormones could be out of wack. So much of what I heard yesterday on Oprah clicked. If there's a chance that they are and if there's a chance I could be well and healthy, then I've got to explore this possibility. I need to look into this myself before bringing it up to any of my doctors. (YOU are your best advocate when it comes to your health).
Let the research begin.
Comments
From that day on, I have noticed a pain in my elbow and it has progressed and flared in various parts of my body. Sometimes it is really bad, and other days not noticeable.
Since changing my eating habits in the last week, and really cutting down on the sweets and the starches, I have noticed that I feel a lot better.
Not 100% but better.
My grandmother use to complain about the same symptoms when she was younger. She had a hysterectomy (sp?) at the age of 35, so I do think hormones have a great impact on it as well.
You are right. Research! Research! You should refine your internet research so that you can actually read things by experts. In the advanced options, you should be able to do that.
Hope you start to find some answers.
No one knows your body better than you! I really, really, really hope that through your research you are able to figure out your true ailment and then are able to work on a cure. May you be on your way to feeling so much better! :)
I hope the hormone question will help to answer some of your other questions.
I don't know where this will lead. Perhaps to nothing, perhaps to a little help, perhaps to a lot. Regardless, it's worth a shot.
I already do so much to try & help myself - watch my sodium & sugar intake, try to eat natural/organic foods as much as I possibly can, take vitamins, take my meds as directed, I've started exercising again and I only ever get just so much better. Honestly, if this is it for me, that's fine - I'll accept that after I've exhausted every other possibility.