20 July 2012

SS-A, SS-B, KCS, CRT, SED, ANA, GERD, IL-1, TNF-a, Fc IgG = SLE, RA, 1-SS, 2-SS, MS (?)

all those letters, they actually mean something (well, lots of things).  in fact, they're all related to each other and to this post from a while ago regarding my health.  since then a few things have changed.  as some of you have noticed, i've been around a whole lot less.  my body is upset and if i want to have any hope of making it to work as scheduled i pretty much have to spend all of my down-time resting or sleeping.  (yes, i know it sucks.)

first off, i'd been suspecting for quite sometime that i have more than just hyperthyroid and discussed the possibility with a few doctors.  but after the one who initially diagnosed me moved i had trouble finding one who listened.  none of them were able to grasp the scope of my complaints let alone connect the dots.  then one night last summer i ended up in the emergency room and the doctor who i saw (really listened to me then) suggested that i get tested for lupus, ms, and other autoimmune disorders.

since then i've put off having further testing and have been treating my symptoms individually (which will ultimately be the plan i end up with a more comprehensive diagnosis anyway). but in the meantime had my bi-annual eye exam which sort of changed everything.i learned that i have very dry eyes.  i'm missing two of the three layers of moisture that we rely on to keep our eyes free of debris and lubricated.

it is now very likely that instead of the more common/well-known autoimmune disorders i have sjogren's syndrome, which means that i have inflammation in response to my body not recognizing and then attacking its own cells mainly in my mucous membranes.  when this happens all of my systems could be (and usually are) stressed.  due to all of this i will be seeing a doctor (who i know and trust) shortly after i move.  hopefully he will be able to get the results quickly as whatever i have has started to impact my day to day life.