What next????

[mo7878]

Hi All,

I have been through medical hell in the past several months (it sounds like many of you can relate!)  I'm a 30 year old female, general good health over the years.  Quit smoking 6 months ago.  I play competitive tennis 2-3 times a week.  
Where to begin?
About a year ago, out of the blue I began breaking out in hives for no apparent reason.  I'm not sure if this symptoms if related to anything but it's the first medical issue I faced.  This past July I stopped eating Gluten and the hives went away (but I do not have celiacs).  I have not gone through with further allergy testing at this point.
Other symptoms that have started in past 6-9 months:
Stomach pain/chest pain.  GI doctor diagnosed a small hiatal hernia (no surgery needed) and gastritis.  Chest X-ray negative.  All heart tests came back fine.
Increased floaters in both eyes - daily, all day long, lots of them (i'm losing my mind!) No retinal detachment or optic neuritis.
Occasional flashes of light in mainly left eye - diagnosed with Optic Migraines
Extremely dry eyes - using drops 8x's a day per opthamologist  
Rarely blurred vision and eye twitching
Numbing/tingling in hands/feet
Electric shock feeling sometimes in head, back/spine, bottom of feet
Joint pain in hands
Some weakness in hands (sometimes at tennis I lose the grip on the racquet.)
Intense upper back, shoulders, neck, chest pain and some stiffness
Ringing in ears - occasional.  
Muscle twitches
fatigue
facial pain/headaches
loss of appetite

*Recently diagnosed with sinus infection and double ear infection.  Had 3 weeks of antibiotics -sinuses feel better but still have headaches/facial pain.

So I've seen a gastroenterologist and had an endoscopy; a pulmonologist b/c with the chest pain wanted to make sure my lungs were clear - all is well; optomestrist 3x's and opthamologist once - I have a follow up appointment tomorrow for a "visual field test".  She threw out the idea of a MRI.  I follow up with the ENT in 2 weeks to make sure my sinuses/ears are okay.  I see my endocrinologist in 3 weeks for my annual appointment.  I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism (Hashimoto's) 10 years ago and it has been managed well with medications.

So... I made an appointment with my PCP for tomorrow because I think I have one or more of the following:
Vitamin B 12 deficiency  - (My mother has this.  She doesn't absorb B12 and gets shots monthly.  10 yrs ago she lost her vision b/c of lack of B12 but once she started on the shots, her vision came back.)
MS
Lupus
Vitamin D deficiency
Sjogren's Syndrome

I'm afraid my PCP is going to say I'm a hypochondriac and dismiss it as anxiety (which I do have but I KNOW this is not my anxiety).

Where do I start????  Any thoughts or suggestions would be great.  This is interfering with my job and quality of life.  Sorry this was so long.  Thanks for reading it all :)

[faithhopegreatestlove]

Hey mo,
I'm really sorry that you are going through all of this. Mrs. Aristotle covered the bases here, but let me just chime in and encourage you to heed her advice to refuse to be fobbed off by the anxiety label. So many of us that participate in this community have been denied appropriate medical care by being labeled as hypochondriacs, stress bags (not exactly the medical term!!!) or afflicted with somatoform or conversion disorder. Though it also happens to men, it is especially likely to happen to females. If you do a little research on this board, you'll find that we've had many discussions about the issue.

Also, with the history you posted, I don't see where you've been referred to a neuro or a rheumatologist. Best of everything to you, and so sorry you are going to this.

BTW, I also have the vit D and B vitamin issues. Rather than get the B shots (which I used to get) or take the pills that make me really sick, I now take a liquid vitamin that my body seems to process.Just a thought.

--faithHGL

[MrsAristotle]

Hi and welcome, well Hashimotos is an autoimmune disease and it is very common for someone to develop other auto immune diseases.

I would say from your symptoms you could be right with Sjorgrens Syndrome as many of the symptoms match especially the dry eyes. Do you get dry mouth too? So I would certainly pursue this.

You see when you smoke you are not stressed out, and when you stop your body goes into shock because you have denied it a drug, and it has been known that the smoking actually masks symptoms of diseases.

I would stick by your guns it sounds like you have another AI problem going on OR your hashimotos has decided to wake up lol.

Dont be fobbed off by the anxiety label, yes you are anxious but why wouldnt you be. You are obviously a fit person so not one to make these things up.

Sjogren's is often associated with thyroid disease so it would certainly be my first point of call.

Good luck at the doctors let us know how you get on. mariax