Hello everyone!!! I was just checking in....saw some of your requests. My neck & back are feeling all better since the car wreck in early July. My RSD areas (right hand, arm, shoulder/ right ankle, foot) are another story.....as of a few weeks ago I was finally coming out of the flare from the wreck. Although my pain level was still at a constant 7 to 10. For whatever reason, I am now in another big flare. I've had lots of other new health stuff going on. My GI doc thinks why I am nauseous every day & vomit several days a week is related to the RSD. He said I have gastroparesis, which means my tummy is not contracting as often as it should. After this appointment they said from the labs they drew at the GI doc that my Cortisol level was low at 2.8. I get all kinda weird heartbeats.......saw the cardiologist & had an ultrasound of my heart, EKG, and I wore a heart monitor for a month. The monitor report said that I had rapid heartbearts & a few funny beats here & there, but overall not too bad. Also had to see an endo doc about the Cortisol level......she is running more tests so dont know whats going on with that yet. Docs also ordered a pulmonary function test.......I failed it horribly. 4 different techs came in to see if they could get better readings. My breaths were not even registering on the machine. So, today I saw the pulmonologist......she said she thinks I have asthma. I'm not sure if I agree with that diagnosis & neither did the doc. She said we would treat it as if it is asthma & see if that helps. They have me taking a "preventative" inhaler twice a day called Asmanex. Was also given an Albuterol inhaler for acute problems. So, I can start the preventative inhaler in a few weeks, after the Cortisol test (steroid issue.) I was also given a device called a peak flow meter to use 3 times a day & record the readings. There is a green zone, yellow zone, & a red zone, based on your size. I can't even get it to read in the red zone. My readings are before the red area even starts. So, guess I will just have to wait & see what happens there. My bipolar disorder & anxiety have been giving me problems too. Sorry I am not very chatty & cheerful right now. I hope everyone is doing well.....sorry it took me so long to reply.

I'm sorry everything seems to be going wrong healthwise for you right now FG. I hope things will improve for you !

Hi firegirl, I am so very sorry for all of your issues. One thing I know for sure is that stress causes our adrenal glands to shut down, and i believe that is what produces cortisol. I know it's very important to keep as calm as possible. I take lorazepam-an anti-anxiety med to help with that. There is research done on here regarding cortisol readings and adrenal glands. If I find something, I'll write to you
Take care and please know we are all pulling for you-know the flares are terrible-just coming out of one myself. Even in a flare, I try and push myself to stretch and exercise a little. One of your new friends, loretta