I haven't had any tests yet. I haven't been online in a couple of days because the pain is intensifying and making me very nauseated. The past week has been the worst thus far. By the time I laid down in bed last night my feet actually felt as if they were broken. I hurt all over so bad that I broke out in a sweat and became sick to my stomach. I began to cry but then my head felt as if it was going to explode so I had to force myself to stop. The dizziness is getting worse, too. My husband and I just don't know what to do. I still have 13 whole days til I see this new doctor. I am just scared that either I will die before then or be unable to walk into his office. It feels as if something is eating me up inside and everyday it is worse. My family doctor prescribed me some Hydrocodone 10/500 mg for the pain but unfortunately it is like not taking anything at all. I have taken this before for pain and it helped but not this time for some reason. I have heard that people with bone cancer can't stand to be touched; that is how I feel right now. I apologize for maybe sounding so pitiful but it is hard to find anyone to talk to about this. I have come to realize that most people don't want to hear, aren't interested or think that 'this is all in my head'. Surprisingly, my mother has been very supportive and helps me out when I need her. I say surprisingly because in the past when I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder she had a hard time dealing with it and didn't want to hear about the details. But now, I seem to have a medical illness she has stepped up and is trying to help me. I am very grateful for that. Everyday, I try and count my blessings and avoid focusing on the negative but as each day comes and the pain and other symptoms seem to worsen, I am totally being tested.

Hmmm...
I don't know if this will apply to you, but I'm throwing it out here just in case. I spent 8 years undiagnosed. Since some of our symptoms overlap, here goes (you can do with this what you wish):

I had my thyroid tested multiple times over the years. I had profound fatigue, bad migraines, brain fog, memory issues, high cholesterol, dry skin...
lots of other symptoms.

After 8 years (of being reassured that my thyroid was okay because my hormones were okay), I was finally diagnosed with something called Hashimoto's Encephalopathy. It's a rare complication of autoimmune thyroiditis. I had no idea I had the thyroiditis until the neurologist checked my thyroid ANTIBODIES to diagnose the HE. I eventually had an ultrasound done on my gland and it was chock-full of tiny nodules from the autoimmune destruction! Boy, was I ******, after 8 years of being accused of hypochondria!

I have no idea if this applies to you, but if you're running out of things to test, here's one more to try! Most HE patients have normal hormone levels, and I never had a goiter, etc. Also, I never had any of the more severe symptoms (psychosis, seizures, coma)- just felt like crud all the time. Most doctors don't know about HE, and they are trained not to check antibodies unless the hormones are off FIRST. OOPS!!! They may be missing a few cases of thyroiditis!

Sorry you are ill and with not answers. I hope this helps somehow.
Best Wishes!

Hi HEperson,
Thank you for sharing that with me. I have had the levels of my thyroid tested many times and also tested for diabetes several times. The results were baffling not only to me but to the doctors as they all came back normal. However, they never tested for the antibodies. I have eight more days to wait until I see the Rheumatologist and everyday until then I have been like obsessed with trying to figure out what it is that is causing all of this. I have been vomiting once or twice a day everyday since Friday of last week and having horrible headaches. Today I haven't taken a pain pill because I am trying to see if that could have made be sick to my stomach. Now, I am in so much pain literally from head to toe. I put a call in to the Rheumy and am waiting for him to call back. Sometimes, I really feel like I might die before I see the dr.
Yes, I understand about being accused of hypochondria. Some of my family tell me, "Oh, it's probably something simple and that I shouldn't worry about it." But, like I told my husband, how can I think about anything else when I am in such pain all the time? I really try to divert my attention on something 'more useful' but everytime I move around too much I vomit. I have begun to complain a little less as I see it does no good. But what if I have end stage cancer? Last night, I told my husband that maybe we should start making plans. Maybe, this sounds extreme but I feel like my body is failing me.
Do you have any suggestions about how to stop thinking about it?
It is actually sort of weird cause since I was twelve until about November of last year I had tried to take my life so many times. There were times I almost died. I have struggled with depression most of my life. In Nov for some reason I realized that my purpose in life was to not live for me but for my son who is nine. He needs me to raise him and teach him right from wrong and such. Why now do I become ill and feel as if I am dying, not by my hand but by God's?

With all the vomiting and all... have they tested your cortisol and ACTH - for Addison's?
BTW, I learned the hard way that docs will say tests are normal but um, yeah, get copies for your own file and you may find little gems in there.

No, I haven't had any test done, yet except for a Vitamin D level which came back low. He put me on a Vit D prescription to take for a few months and referred me to the rheumy who I haven't seen yet. I called them today and got an earlier appt for Mon the 25th @ 10:30.
Does Addison's cause hot flashes and vomiting?

Addison's causes vomiting. It is hormonal imbalance caused my the adrenal glands being imbalanced by autoimmune disease or tumor(or in my case - removed) and causes the adrenal to stop releasing cortisol in response to the pituitary's call via ACTH. Cortisol controls the body's metabolism and stress response. So when the body is under stress, instead of the BP going up, it will go down. Sodium drops and potassium rises usually. Vomiting happens (I have a bucket in many rooms just in case and carry anti-nausea pills) as well as other symptoms - you can find them under an addisonian crisis if you search.
Hot flashes are different but I do sweat a lot when my cortisol drops.

I'm sorry you are going through all of this. You are very strong to get up every day and be a mom to your son in spite of not feeling well and then the depression, too.

Do you think the rheumatologist would be willing to check thyroid antibodies? Most doctors do not order them unless your hormones are off first, but from my own case, I don't think it should be this way. Low thyroid can cause a whole lot of symptoms, including:
elevated cholesterol and triglycerides
weight gain
fatigue
depression
numbness and tingling from compression neuropathies
psychosis
mental slowing/problems concentrating/brain fog
dry skin
puffy face and eyelids
headaches
miscarriages/problems conceiving
anemia
cold hands and feet/ cold intolerance
hair loss

plus a lot more. HE has some overlapping symptoms with low thyroid.

I know that all of the medical literature says that if your TSH and T4 are okay, then you can't be having symptoms, but I don't think this is always true.

Anyhoo, it might be something worth looking into if they have tried testing everything else.

Sorry again you are going through this.
I hope you get answers soon!

HEperson when you had your antibodies tested what were the numbers? Or what were they looking for? A certain number of antibodies?

Thanks HEperson.
I will make a list of questions that I will ask the rheumy when I go on Monday. If he can test my thyroid antibodies will be one of them.
I would write more but I am feeling really weak right now. It comes on so fast...like episodes of weakness and nausea then the pain intensifies soon after. Monday can't get here soon enough.

HI

In addition to your thyroid antibodies make sur they test your adrenals and your sex hormones. And I would also add iron and ferritin as well.

Good luck and let us know how it goes. Make sure to get a copy of all your tests.