I AM AN EDUCATED, 56YO CAUCASIAN WOMAN:

For many years, I have tried to find answers to why I am so sick.
Doctors have diagnosed me with FM/CFS, Connective Tissue Disease,
Rheumatoid Arthritis, Diverticulitis, Ulcerative Colitis, Chronic
Hives, and Eosinophilia Myalgia Syndrome (My HMO does not accept this
Dx since Stanford Hospital diagnosed it, not them.) I was told to stop
looking for anything else, learn to live with my "conditions," eat
right, and exercise. Several times, I was referred to mental health.
Until recently, I have not been able to separate the symptoms from my
other illnesses and it has been frustrating to be so sick and not be
able to communicate it with my doctor. I have to fight for pain
medication when I am not sure I can even make it through another day.

The misery is indescribable and HMO doctors do not have time to listen.
 Now that I have segregated many of the symptoms, I feel positive that
there is someone out there that can help me find the answers.

This "mystery illness" comes in episodes and lasts about a month
and then for a period of time is gone. I remember having blisters on my
legs once when I was about eight years old and again on my lower back
when I was in my twenties, but I do not remember any other symptoms. As
I got older it became more frequent and for a week before the breakout
I would feel tired and have moderate flu-like symptoms.

The past 15 years it has become more frequent and symptomatic.  Since
April there are only a few days between relapses and the misery is so
bad that I beg God to take me. It starts with debilitating fatigue and
sleepiness.  I sleep up to eighteen hours a day for several days and
have little or no recall of it. My blood pressure runs around 95/65 and
if I get up it drops further and I pass out. I am too weak and short of
breath to even talk.  My skin becomes extremely sensitized, especially
my upper arms, with a bee-sting type itch that occasionally is somewhat
relieved if I keep ice on them constantly.  Clothes with sleeves or
anything that touches my arms is unbearable. My feet hurt and are
sensitive when I lie down and I have to make sure nothing touches them.
 I also have tremors in my hands and my right leg feels like rubber and
goes where it wants to go. It seems that everything is super-sensitized
including pain, noise, blurry vision, taste, temperature and touch. The
pain in my joints and bones is at best an eight on the pain scale and
sciatic pain can take me to the floor.  There is annoying discomfort in
other nerves that eventually determine where the blisters will appear.


As the days/weeks pass I am able to eat small amounts of bland foods,
such as oatmeal.  It is difficult to form sentences and understand what
someone is saying. I can hardly remember anything and get confused when
trying to do simple things.  Living alone it is up to me to take care
of myself, which is impossible much of the time.

As soon as the blisters appear, usually on my lower back and buttocks,
I start to feel better.  Once they drain and crust over I feel great,
in comparison, and start working on getting myself healthy again.
Unfortunately, this is the only time I am physically able to go to the
doctor.  Naturally, he thinks I would feel better if I stayed in shape
and tried harder.  He gets angry and will not listen when I say I
can't.  According to him, he cannot diagnose the blisters unless I
come in before they are crusty and does not understand that I am too
sick to leave the house.

Three days ago the blisters crusted over and I awoke feeling wonderful!
 Dealing with my other health issues is possible compared to this and
it is such a relief when it passes.  Today it's starting all over and
I don't know if I can make it through again.

I have always been a bright, inspirational woman that can do anything I
set my mind to.  It has been stressful and hurtful that my doctor
thinks the problem is mental and refuses to see it any other way.  I
make sure my mental health is good and several times have been asked to
lead support groups for the chronically ill. Unfortunately, I cannot
commit to anything since I never know how long I have before it hits
again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello,
I suggest that you place the above post in these two newsgroups and read
the book mentioned below. I am NOT a doctor

alt.support.lupus
alt.support.thyroid
There are several people in the thyroid newsgroups that are experts related
to adrenal disorders.

Book:
"Adrenal Fatique" by James L. Wilson

Google:

Lupus

Autoimmune Disorder

Autoimmune Assays (ANA Tests).  It's a blood test to identify autoimmune
disease.