New Day, New Diagnosis!

Do you Want to tell your Arthritis:  

C'mon Man!!

Many of us suffering from the Chronic Pain of Arthritis have a love/hate relationship with their doctor. First off, there is no way you can tell them about every little ache and pain for the last two months. Then there's little ridicules questionnaire where you rate yourself
on all of your joints one by one. I am certain most doctors don't take a look at them. 

Then there's that inclination of these Doctors to want to prescribe all these drugs that have the potential to do you harm while taking them. I am mostly talking biologics. 

Last winter was one of the worst in 35 years in the Northeast. If you are like me, it was also one of the most painful. My body sent up so many flares the Marines showed up at my door one day. So much for the cavalry saving the day.

There is no cause or cure for CPPD, or any other of the over 100 forms of arthritis. 

The fact is, in my opinion, that the Doctors don't know what's going on and don't know how to treat it properly between patients.  I'm just saying. Do you walk out of your rheumatologist's office thinking that it was worth the trip? Most likely not.

I have What?

I guess an unlikely place for another diagnosis caught me off guard when I went for a routine skin exam at my Dermatologist. She took one look at my toes and said I had Chilblains Disease. Huh.

Huh? Oh, Chilblains disease is related to Raynauds Syndrome. Raynauds is a disease of the fingers and hands. They get very cold due to lack of circulation. I have a mild case (I thought) of the stupid thing.

What happens is that your fingertips and toes (sometimes nose and ears) turn black at the tips in painful blisters, that if popped, can become infected.

Then comes the cure and cause. None known.

Well I didn't go to the Dermatologist for another weird diagnosis but there it was. Chilblains did answer a lot of questions I had about my poor tootsies!

My doctors advice? Get good socks and slippers. The disease was common in the Middle Ages in big cold drafty castles.

She said I must have royal blood.

Oh the luck of the Irish Ukrainian

Tomorrow is the first official day of summer. It seems that my feet are just getting warm. And due to my Arthritis/fibromyalgia, my allergies have been going crazy this spring. So we have to keep the air going to purify the air.

So I have cold feet in the heat of the summer!

For the most part, the spring and impending summer are welcome. I am in less pain, no longer taking steroids... just a mobic and tramadol when it gets worse. 

For now, I can live with my Chilblains. What other choice do I have. This summer I intend to work harder at the gym so when winter comes I will not have excess weight. So maybe 10 pounds.

Have a great summer and keep up the good fight!