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Could it be Psoriatic Arthritis? Who Knows?

Last June, I found myself sick, real sick. I had fever and chills and severe night sweats. I found myself changing my shirt 2-3 times a night. I got clinically diagnosed with Lyme disease, but I never tested positive.

I was sick for a whole month. I missed about 2 days a week of work, until one day I was better.

The debilitating pain
Around December, I started feeling pain in my left hip area (iliac crest), it seemed to get worse every day. By the end of February, I could barely walk. By then, the pain also radiated in my lower back as well as my SI joint.

I wasn't able to sit or lay down at all for three months. When I did I had to change positions every few seconds. In the meanwhile, I was falling about 4 times in a month. I suffered from confusion and memory loss. Granted my memory has never been good, but this was on another level.

I am so tired, all day
I started the process for MS and was ruled out. More blood tests and more specialists, nothing. I had to go on FMLA and eventually quit my job this past June. I am so tired all day every day. I live with the loss of appetite and sun sensitivity to my eyes. I feel some days like I am beat with a bat, nausea, extreme weakness.

I have seen every kind of specialist for the pain and every time I get the same answer. "I don't know." I went to a rheumatologist in June and she mentioned I might have psoriatic arthritis since I have psoriasis.

Since waiting for a diagnosis
So I went for my 3rd MRI, this time of my hip. The other ones were of my brain and lumber, even though the only pain was my hip area. The MRI shows a lot including edema-marrow on my SI joint and posterior iliac, enthesial edema to my butt from my iliac.

Since the MRI, my ribs feel like the muscles are being ripped off of them. I am in so much pain. I go back to my rheumatologist today and she says, "I don't know."

What! Why?! I am at the lowest I have been in months. It has affected my entire life. I can't work, can't shop and some days I can't drive or sit in a car for more than 2 miles. If I make dinner for my family, I'm so exhausted, I cant eat. I don't know what to do or where to go at this point. I truly feel like I'm going crazy.

  1. Goodness me, -lee, you have been having a really rough time of it 🙁 It is incredibly tough to deal with these symptoms that have an impact on every area of life. I am so sorry that you are having to deal with all of this and with no solid answers. Did your rheumatologist mention anything about PsA at your most recent visit?

    I noticed in your status update that your rheumatologist has prescribed Humira. I really hope that this makes a difference for you. To answer your question, it's not unheard of for people to go straight to a biologic (although some people do have to go through other medications first). Has there been any news from your insurance yet?

    I am sending you some very gentle virtual hugs. Please remember that we're here if you ever need support or just a place to vent. -Catherine, Community Moderator

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