From the Beginning

Late January 2005 I began having episodes of light-headedness and rapid heartbeats with bouts of perspiration and constipation (which had been going on for years). I literally felt like I was having a heart attack. I had an EKG performed, which showed nothing, but I followed up with my general practicioner. He immediately ran lots of blood work and scheduled me for a stress test of my heart. The blood work indicated low potassium and the stress test was normal. I began taking potassium and my symptoms subsided. I was put on blood pressure medicine since my blood pressure had been elevated but when I became pregnant I stopped taking the meds and have not had to begin them again. Looking back on my blood work results now, there was an indication of low thyroid levels but no follow up was ever done.

Mid 2005, while pregant, my personality began to change according to my husband. I began to become more moody and angry. I began to cry more and become more fatigued. Of course I contributed it ALL to the pregnancy. Let's face it, I wasn't as young as I was the first time! Anyway, I had terrible back pain and restlessness in my legs. Again, it was because I was pregnant, right?

December 26, 2005 I gave birth to our son, James. No problems - except I couldn't walk for almost 12 hours after birth from the epidural. But, after that I did fine with only the pain in my back when I left the hospital. I followed up with my obstetrician who told me to see my general practicioner - which I did. I had x-rays of my back but nothing showed up. I was told it would "heal on its own" and sent on my way. As time went on I began to get more and more tired, I guess some would say depressed and very moody. We moved in August of 2005 and it all hit me like a ton of bricks.

After moving to Texas into a two story house my extremeties started to show symptoms of the worse kind. It had gotten so bad I could barely sit on the floor with my toodler and play because my legs would begin to cramp and I could hardly get myself up. I began to feel a lot older than I really was. Not a good sign. Plus, it started to get harder and harder to walk up and down the stairs. Finally, I found a local provider and made an appointment. After an evaluation and blood work, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. I was amazed actually because I always equated people who had trouble with weight to have this disease. But, the numbers didn't lie, I was hypothyroid. My doctor put me on a low dose medicine and within a few weeks I began to feel a bit better.

Three months later we had to change my meds because my symptoms were starting to show their ugly heads. No problem I thought...we'll get it right.

Fast forward to February 2008...by this time my legs are in terrible shape with numbness and tingling, my arms have begun to have some of the same sensations, and I and finishing up Lyndsey's birthday party and BAM - chest pains set in! Out of nowhere I begin having chest pains on the right side of my chest. They radiated under my arm and up my neck. I thought it was probably a bad case of heartburn since I had pizza and cake but it lasted for 3 days. Finally I went and say my PCP who took X-rays of my chest and scheduled a CT scan with dye to check my heart and vescles...all came back normal. When the chest pains were continuing 8 months later, I had an upper GI, full abdominal ultrasound, and another stress test, all whick came back clean. But....the chest pains still continue today....March 2010!!!

Since my symptoms progressively have gotten worse I decided to change from my PCP to an endocrinologist in April 2009. At first I was happy with the change. He seemed to more knowledgeable and took a scan of my thyroid, changed my meds again and seemed more active with his patients. He took a more active role in the problems with my legs and set up a test to check the nerve response in them and referred me to a neurologist (which I had seen once before and found nothing wrong). I took the nerve test which found some slowing in my nerve responses and I followed up with the neurologist. She sent me to have and MRI on my spine and said their was really nothing wrong but maybe some age related arthritis. Hmmmm....but I still feel the tingling and numbness in my legs...what do I do?

This all leads me to where I am today.....

One day when I had one of my severe migraines and I was trying to fill my migraine medicine prescription, Byron and I were sent to Walgreens to fill it because my normal pharmacy didn't have it in stock. While there, Byron asked the pharmacist a question about another medicine that we have been unable to get. During the conversation she mentioned a world-renowed doctored named Dr. Ridha Arem located right there in Houston. However, he didn't accept insurance and he was expensive to see. The next week I did some research, bought and read his book and decided he was the type of doctor that I wanted to trust with my treatment. Actually, he was the one I wanted to trust with my treatment. So, I made and appointment.

On March 2, 2010 I saw Dr. Arem for the first time. I was a bit nervous but confident that he would be able to sort through my medical history and make heads and tails or it all. First, I do have hypothyroidism as first diagnosed but do not have nodules on my thyroid as my first scan idicated. So, I may not have Hoshimoto's Disease as I was diagnosed as having ~ good news! So, Dr. Arem changed my meds and put me on a compound T3 which is what I was hoping for ~ good news again! However, my blood work indicatd that my adrenal gland is not working properly and that I need a stimulation test to see what is causing the malfuntion. That is to be done is approximately 8 weeks at my next appointment with Dr. Arem. He also wants me to participate in a 2 night sleep study to test for a sleep disorder - possibly sleep apnea. Me, I'm not sure of that, I think I am just a poor sleeper so I will see on that one! Next I have been referred to another neurologist. Dr. Arem would like me to be tested for MS. I am sure it is to rule it out but I would rather be safe than sorry.

I haven't listed all my symptoms and believe me, you don't want me too! But know that they have been life changing for me ~ and my family. They have had to endure a lot of crap from me with my moods and fatigue. And my husband...God bless him, he has had to deal with the most. I just hope and pray he can hang in there for the rest.

I am nervous and hate all the testing and ruling this and that out and the well maybe it is this or the let's try that, but, I am tired and want to figure this thing out! I will keep my family and friends posted on what is going on...the good and the ugly (hopefully not much of that). Keep your good thoughts and prayers going!