I will be 50 in July, I am (or was) a very active woman, married to a great man, we loved to go fishing, camping and traveling. We have 6 grown children between the two of us, with 15 grandchildren and one on the way. We love to have family get togethers outdoor swimming parties and barbecues. One of my favorite hobbies is gardening vegetable and flowers, I love the outdoors.
My whole life has changed, in November I woke up one morning and the front of my thighs were hurting pretty badly. I went fishing with my husband on the Saturday and shopping with my daughter in law, but I was in pain all day. My legs just progressed in pain. Within a week the pain did not subside so I went to the doctor. My regular MD was not in, I saw somebody else she did some blood work and said she thought everything was okay to take tylenol and come back if it persist. It not only persist it got worse and grew to the rest of the upper part of my legs, groin and pelvic. I return to my regular MD. He did more blood work and. X ray. He spoke of fibromyalgia or polymyalgia and referred me to a neurologist by this point the pain has went to the upper part of my arms. The neurologist basically agreed with the MD's diagnosis of possible fibromyalgia or polymyalgia and also recommended I see a Rheumatologist which was the next step my MD also recommended.
This was in early December and the first rheumatologist appointment I could get around here even with a referral was mid February. My pain was steady increasing my whole way of life was changing, I could barely get in and out of bed or the couch without my husband helping. when I was laying down I could hardly move, my husband has to help me get dressed in the morning. The pain was bad! I called the rheumatologist office and beg to be seen sooner they put me on their list for cancellation in case somebody called in and cancelled. A couple of weeks went by I had not heard from . then i really got scared, weakness joined my pain, i had no strength in my legs or arms. On January 25th I called crying my pain was so severe begging to them to please get me in to see the doctor and explained the weakness that had begun. They call back later that day there was a cancellation I went in they did blood work the following Monday I got a call the blood work came back with no auto immune deficiency showing to go to the hospital and do xrays I went that day and did x rays. A week pass I did not hear anything from them. I called yesterday to find out they're closed until next week.
The rheumatologist had given me a shot of some kind of cortisone when I originally went in on the 25th of January it did not do any good. Before that my family MD tried me on 4 medications, 1 may be unable to think, I do still work a full time job, I cannot have my brain incompacitated. Another med made me sick as if I would have had the flu, the third did absolutely nothing. The only thing I still take is tremadol / ultram which I try not to take too much of I do not want a dependency on drugs. My husband has brought me massage units, TENS unit, heating pad, lotions, bath solutions.
The one time I saw the rheumatologist she did mention polymyositis. Honestly I had never heard of this before I continue to read and do research and all of my symptoms fall under polymyositis.
I have completely lost my quality of life, I am in a lot of pain, and this weakness has me very scared that I may end up crippled. It is very frustrating to have had this continue bar close to 3 months to see three doctors wish to our specialist and in all due honesty feel like they just are not taking this serious. Not a day goes by that I do not hurt, not a day goes by that I can live my life like I used to live.