What is wrong with me?

[jjean]

I am disabled and want to find out why!  I have trouble standing and walking and can not climb steps!
Do I have Lupus or Lyme Disease or Rheumatoid Arthritis?
(I am female-age 56.)  My muscles burn and get heavy and stiff and hard to move, when I use them.  It hurts to stand (because weight bearing causes pain). And my knees are sore and weak.  I can not get on the bus!  also feel ill every day and get daily rashes that last less than an hour.

1-The Rheumatologist said I has sjogrens syndrome.
2-The Neurologist said I hasd MYasthenia Gravis.
3-The Hematologist said I had paraprotienemia.
WHICH DOCTOR IS RIGHT?  ARE THEY WRONG?  NO ONE EXPLAINED MY MUSCLE SYMPTOMS...COULD I HAVE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS OR LYME DISEASE?

Here is a list of my Abnormal Tests from the three different doctors:  

ANA by EIA: 2.9 (reference <1.5)
SSB: 1.4 (reference <1.0)
AChR: 1.2 (reference .4) (done by a neurologist)
CCP: 30, 44 & 46 (Taken in the last few months),(reference 60.)
H.PYLORI IGG: 2.93 (reference <0.91) (I asked for this test, because of severe
stomach pain. Doctor gave me a prescription for PREVPAC.)
RAJI: 37 (reference 78 (reference <63.)
The rheumatologist said the RAJI test "could mean many things...autoimmune
disease, infection or cancer.. .i this true?
How can he find out why I have circulating immune complexes?
Blood abnormal: Alpha 2 globulin .23 (reference .11-.22)
Blood protein called: gammopathy
Urine: Albumin, alpha 1, alpha 2, beta, and gamma protein.

X-Rays Spine: (done last year).
"Curvature of mid thoracic spine, scoliosis in lumbar spine, mild dorsal kyphosis,
moderate osteophytes with vacuum phenomenon at several disk levels in mid and
lower thoracic spine. Degenerative changes in cervical spine as well."
Also: multi-level degenerative disc disease, mild cervical and lumbar stenosis.

X-Rays Hands: (ordered by rheumatologist this year)
"Joint space narrowing and osteophyte formation of multiple DIP joints and first
CMC joint on both sides..."

X-Rays Knees: "both patellas spuriously elevated" (effusion, found by internal
medicine.)

X-Rays Ankles: "Marked flattening of the arch of both feet with bilateral hallux valgus."

EMG: "Severe ongoing denervation of S1 and S2 nerves."

Doctors exam:  "Sacroiliac joint dysfunction, mid thoracic joint dysfunction, and kyphosis."

Thse are my Symptoms...
1-I can not stand or walk one block. (get burning stiffness and heaviness in both legs with weight bearing.)
2-My arm muscles ache when I use them, and get stiff and heavy.  
3-I have trouble repositioning my body because it feels heavy and stiff.
4-I have morning stiffness in my neck, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles. (It migrates.)
And daily stiffness and pain in my sacroiliac, and today at the base of my skull...it is severe!
5-I have pain behind my kneecaps, and weakness in the muscles around my knees.
My knees have no strength. I can not get in an out of the tub, or climb 5 steps.)
6-And I have severe exhaustion, nausea and feel ill all the time, and get rashes that
come and go, several times a day, (they last a short time, with a fever of 99.-99.8).
(Recently I have slurred my words. This has happened several times since March 2009.)
*When the neurologist held his finger above my head, and told me to stare at it,
my head started shaking slightly. I asked him why, but he did not tell me.

My rheumatologist told me to get a second opinion...please help me.
Does anyone know if I need other tests?  Are my symptoms autoimmu
Also please tell me what my abnormal RAJI test for circulating immune complexes means.
Some days I can not get out of bed...I am SO sick...what is wrong with me?

[CRAIG333]

Hello,

My name is Craig. I am 29 years old and have been having muscle problems the last couple years. 1 1/2 year ago I was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis. I was told I had to have surgery and have my thymus gland removed. I had that done January of 2009.It is now January 2010 and nothing has changed. I just went to see my neuroligist and he has put me on 40mg of Prednisone a day. I have been on for a week and I am in more pain in my legs than I have ever been, Can t walk far or carry anything. Having neck pains shaky fingers. I was wondering if anyone has any relation to this or knows what else I can do. I also tried mestinon which just gave me severe stomach pain. I had to get off that fast. I would really appreciate any feedback from anyone.
Thanks

[AireScottie]

I saw from your other post that you were there.  If you can't get good help from Cleveland Clinic, where can you go???  Although, the first one I saw there had almost no knowledge of Sjogren's.  I went to their site, looked to see who specialized, and simply made an appointment with him.  Didn't ask anyone what they thought, just did it.  I'll send you a private message to let you know who I see.  Don't know how much better it will be, but at least he knows there's treatment for it.

[jjean]

My rheumatoilogist is at the Cleveland Clinic, and he is very apathetic.  So, I contacted another rheumatologist at the same hospital and she said I need to see a rheumatologist ASAP!.  But then she looked up my record and saw that I was a patient of Dr. B, and she changed her mind and would NOT even see me!  I can not climb steps too good or stand too long, and feel very sck all the time.  My rheumatologisat does not care...

[AireScottie]

Oh, there's definitely treatment for Sjogren's!  I'm on it.  It's not surprising though.  Rheumatologists don't seem to know much about Sjogren's.  I'm not an expert with the MG, but I don't think one course of prednisone would help much with it.  Mestinon has been the drug of choice for 40 or more years.  Not that it stops the progression, but it does help the muscle movements.  I see you're in Ohio; is there any chance of you getting to Cleveland Clinic?  That's where my rheumatologist is.

[jjean]

What a cute dog!!!  Well anyway, I was thinking that I might have more than one thing wrong with me, and the doctor gave me PREDNISONE for the MG, and it did NOT help...and another doctor said I might have something called Eaton Lambert Syndrome!??  And the rheumatologist told me there is NO treatment for sjogrens...and I do not believe him...but he is not sending me to an infectious disease doctor, and I feel like I am being passed around and have no real answers!

[AireScottie]

Well, it's possible all three of your doctors are right; you may have more than one thing wrong.  When the neurologist diagnosed you with myasthenia gravis, did s/he start you on Mestinon (pyridostigmine bromide)?  That has been the treatment for MG for decades.  It would help tremendously with the muscle weakness.  What did the rheumatologist recommend as treatment for the Sjogren's?  Just treatment of dryness, or are you starting Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine sulfate) or methotrexate?