Everything hurts. Riding made it worse. Update: Doc just pulled me off work for 3mos

[downen]

Well, as I said, we all present differently. But the lightheadedness would make me push for a stim test, lacking another diagnosis. Not to scare you, but Addison’s disease can cause you to go into shock easily, and without hydrocortisone you can’t pull out. I wear an emergency bracelet with instructions for an emergency dose if I’m ever in that situation. Medical personnel aren’t trained to handle an Addison’s crisis, and people die from undiagnosed Addison’s disease.

All the suggestions people are giving you are valid, but Addison’s can be ruled in or out with a simple three-step blood test.

[Lauruffian]

Is that a test my endocrinologist would order? Or GP, or…?

[downen]

Yes, your endocrinologist would probably need to order it. Most GPs are not familiar with Addison’s disease or how to test or treat.

Your endo might fight you on it (they did me). It’s a very rare disease, less than 10,000 of us in the U.S. However, if you have insurance to cover it, I’d force the issue. Even if you don’t have Addison’s, if the test is borderline you might have adrenal fatigue which could be contributing to your not feeling well. People don’t realize the impact that the adrenals have on our bodies. We think in terms of adrenaline (which I still produce), when it is the cortisol produced by the adrenal cortex that powers our body functions.

[Jaegermonster]

BTDT myself. Mine started with Type I diabetes several years ago. Then add the Hashimotos.
Then in 20111 add in Shingles, which caused Viral Meningitis. Since then I have been diagnosed with Celiac disease last year, and (this year finally!) with Fibro and now Lupus. My symptoms were very similar to yours.
While I was trying to find a dr who didnt say it was either all in my head or it was hormones, I did a little of my own investigating.
If you are on a statin drug you may want to add some COQ10. I also added in B12 and Vitamin D. That helped a great deal, and I also cut out sugar and caffeine from my diet. Then I eliminated anything processed and anything in a box (except for Special K cereal and the occasional taco shell).

Being very careful what i eat, to a fault, has a direct correlation with how i feel. If I am not super careful and eat something i shouldnt, I pay dearly for it the next day and sometimes into the second day with joint and muscle pain and all sorts of agonies.    I also learned that inflammation in your body feeds on sugar, so the less you feed it the better you feel.   You will have to find what foods are triggers for you and what aggravates your conditions and what doesn't.

For me between the celiac, the fibro, the diabetes and the lupus it was just easier to cut it all out and pretty much just only eat food in it’s natural state and nothing from a box.
About 6 weeks ago my rheumy put me on Cymbalta and Gabapentin and I feel so much better. I will never be back to my old self again but I can actually go ride my horse and not spend the rest of the day in bed.

[Jaegermonster]

I saw you had your b12 and Vit D checked and one was normal and one was low. Mine were the same, however, they are finding that what was thought to be “normal” is now turning out to be not sufficient for many people and especially those with auto immune issues.
I highly suggest supplementing both (and I take an insane amount just to feel better) and see if something so simple could help you get some relief.

[2horseygirls]

Have read several miraculous, life-saving stories (with a ocean’s worth of salt ) about the dangers of diet sodas, and how giving them up can save your life.

Halfheartedly gave them up a couple of months ago (as in making conscious decision to drink iced tea or seltzer water, but still have a sip or two occasionally), and have felt much better since then. I always feel … less … when I’ve had some.

Sending jingles and positive energy for a clear diagnosis and treatment.

[grayarabpony]

“Low blood pressure is normal for me, not that it’s not terribly low. Normal for me is like 120/80 or so.”

120/80 is not low. Clinical low blood pressure is a reading lower than 90/60.

Op, hope you can find a solution and feel better soon!

[LauraKY]

Your symptoms are screaming “tick borne disease.”

Headaches check
Hashimoto’s check
Light headedness check
Overwhelming fatigue check
Sore joints check
Swollen hands check

You need to find someone who adequately tests for tick borne diseases (not your average doctor, I went undiagnosed for years and years, all the while showing negative on the first line tests) and knows how to treat it if you do have a tick borne disease.

PM me if you want anymore info.

[Lauruffian]

I’ve been wondering that, Laura. I’ll send a PM.

[Bristol_Bay]

[QUOTE=LauraKY;7206326]
Your symptoms are screaming “tick borne disease.”

Headaches check
Hashimoto’s check
Light headedness check
Overwhelming fatigue check
Sore joints check
Swollen hands check

You need to find someone who adequately tests for tick borne diseases (not your average doctor, I went undiagnosed for years and years, all the while showing negative on the first line tests) and knows how to treat it if you do have a tick borne disease.

PM me if you want anymore info.[/QUOTE]

We really don’t have the tick problems so prevalent in other parts of the country. Not in SoCal, anyway. Even if you do a lot of hiking in the local foothills and mountains, there are ticks, but not like back east.

[Lauruffian]

I figure it’s unlikely, but at this point, I’m willing to consider anything that might make even a little sense. If tests knock it out, so be it, but it’s worth at least asking.

A sister-in-law of a horsey friend of mine right here in SoCal contracted Lymes disease from in tick in this area, so they are here, if not prevalent. I’ve reached out to her and she’s connecting me with her SIL. I was encouraged by her not to believe it isn’t here; she’s of the opinion it is underdiagnosed.

[Kneigh]

Since I live in SoCal too, I’ll chime in. A couple of years ago I went to the doctor after I wasn’t able to remove an embedded tick by myself - evidently the tick’s head had been pushed down by my bra band completely through the the skin layer and lodged into muscle, necessitating actually cutting it out. Since the tick had been there 72+ hours the doctor put me on antibiotics (sorry can’t remember what kind), and said while tick borne diseases are rare in SoCal, that doesn’t make it impossible to get them.