Multiple diagnoses? I think I'm the poster child for this one. Not counting the wrong guesses the final count determined by the specialists I see is a minimum of 6.

Each time I went to a new specialist they would say something like, "I've only seen 5 patients like you in my whole career and I will be treating you by "shooting from the hip" due to the complexity of your case." Now, if that doesn't give one a great deal of hope.

I don't even worry about trying to attach a symptom to a specific condition or disease. What difference does it make anyway? In addition, I've been offered treatments to "assist in controlling the symptoms" from grossly high dosages of heavy narcotics, IV infusions, and most recently the implant of electrodes in my brain. Ahhh! NO!!!

I am now on a minimum number and dosage of meds to prevent that conflict. Deal with the symptoms as the arise to the best of my ability. What I will not do is compromise how I want to live my life, or what's left of it, for the sake of meds or symptoms.

Hi Craig ..nice to see you.

I agree, it's devastating to go to Dr after Dr only to find that you have yet another illness, disease or syndrome. I have been experiencing chronic pain for over 20 years. Starting with migraines at age 8, fibromyalgia at 14, degenerative disc disease at 18, ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS at 21, Arnold CHIARI at 25, and now Multiple sclerosis . at 28. Now I am confined to a wheelchair and am going blind in my right eye and have symptoms that don't fit with any of the diagnosis' I have so far, including a bleeding ulcer- which makes taking meds for autoimmune diseases difficult due to the possibility of bleeding out from a perforated ulcer. Filling out medical history becomes is like writing a novel, and hurts thanks to carpal tunnel syndrome and extensive nerve damage. I'm sure that you have all experienced the same looks that you get from New docs, as if you are a crazy hypochondriac, especially since I am so young. I am at the point now where I just want to give up, the pain and constant tests and pills and injections and not having just one diagnosis to deal with is almost too much to bear. If not for my children I likely would have already. The brain surgery almost ended me last year (surgery is difficult due to a mitral valve prolapse) but if I can survive that maybe I can find the strength to keep going. So I am right here with you all, and would be glad to give and receive support.I am new to the group but I look forward to getting to know you all.

Welcome CGirl, good to have you join us. It sounds
like you have a lot on your plate, for such a youngster.

I hope we can be of some help and comfort for you.

Well I have the MS obviously. Then I developed anemia. I've always had major depression -- What came first? Chicken (depression) or egg (MS)?

I have 2 new diagnoses in the last few months.

1. Some POTS related disease -- postural orthosratic hypotension. I have low blood pressure and rapid heart beat that skyrockets from sitting to standing. There is no cure. Just drink Gatorade , water, and eat a lot of salt.

2. Seborrheic dermatitis. On the sides of my nose and now causing crusting and puffy flaking under my eyes. I hate it. I discovered this is common with people who have neurological diseases like Parkinson's and MS. There is no cure. I can use steroid cream which apparently thins your skin.

These things must run in clusters, especially the autoimmune related stuff. Once your immune system is out of whack it seems like any and all immune related issues can pop up.

SIGH........both the POTS and SD appeared after having a months long foot infection that involved weeks and weeks of antibiotics.

Thank you for your warm welcome! I look forward to getting to know you all better!

We are all connected through the pain we experience, so I am happy to finally have people who truly understand what pain and constant suffering feels like for us, and there is only so much family can really understand since they may not have been through the same issues. Our pain scale is much different I believe than people who have never been seriously injured or sick.

Chiari - You do have the strength to keep going. You have been doing it right along since you were much younger. Hang in there and know that we are here to help you through this.

like many of us, I also have more than one "thing". My husband says it makes me special (uh, thanks but no thanks), my mother says "when you do something you do it big".

What really cracks me up are those one size fits nobody medical office forms. They give you maybe two lines to list your Rx, dosages, reason for taking etc and maybe a few lines for "other health issues"

I learned a long time ago to print out a list on my coputer - then I can just write "see attached" *I do get a giggle out of watching the staff's/MD's eye bulge when they see the printout.