Monday 28 November 2011

And now over to Displaced on the Health Check Desk

Well it was a beautiful day in Sydney to visit the Immunologist Professor McCool.  Good news on most fronts with several nasty conditions being ruled out.  Prediabetes was confirmed with findings of both high glucose and high insulin so dietary changes are in the cards for Displaced.  Hashimoto's reconfirmed (but with lower levels of antibodies which is interesting).   I also tested positive for Gastric Parietal Antibodies which can be associated with atrophic gastritis and with a B 12 deficiency (but my B 12 levels were ok).  (I thought there were only two Bananas in Pajamas, B1 and B2, -- who the hell knew they were up to twelve!!!)

Unfortunately the radiographers had not yet made the MRI report available but Cool McCool had a glance through the hard copies of the scans and said he couldn't see anything that wasn't meant to be there.  The thing in my brain that looked like a bobby pin was pronounced to be a flaw in the film not a miracle worthy of a Lifetime movie.

Off I staggered to the pathology department to have more bloods taken, only seven vials this time, among the things that are being tested for is Myasthenia Gravis (an auto immune condition meaning muscle weakness) and heaven only knows what else he is looking for.

I'm feeling ok about the results except for the prediabetes.  The best thing I can do for that is to exercise more but my muscles are so badly reactive to exercise at the moment I don't know how I am going to do that.  I got a pretty severe lecture from The Horsewoman about starting to change my diet and my activity level.  I'm still experiencing muscle weakness and pain on use from my activity on Friday night.  My arms are still super sore.  Otherwise a pretty good day!

10 comments:

  1. A pretty good day sounds like a pretty good thing. :)

    There's lots they can do for the B12 thing...shots if they have too (not nice, I know, but I'm told that you feel so much better afterward that it's worth it).

    Could you manage some gentle exercise like Tai Chi or beginner yoga to help with the pre-diabetes?

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  2. That exercise thing is a catch-22 in your current condition; gentle and steady walking maybe? But I'm glad for you that it was a pretty good day and the results weren't too awful. Prediabetes isn't diabetes and can be turned around but oh dear, with Christmas and the party/drinky season coming up that's a hard call.

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  3. All I can say is God bless, and our thoughts are with you. Posting a link to yours on mine, and BE WELL!

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  4. Hi, you and me sound very similar - I have Fibro, Hashimoto's (which I think started it all) Sjogren's, am pre diabetic and lastly diagnosed with inflammatory myopathy which accounts for weak and inflammed muscles in upper arms and upper legs. These muscles feel like they are bruised and swollen and mean walking up stairs and getting out of chair is difficult. It was only diagnosed by muscle biopsy. The reason i am telling you this is I had an MRI and test for Myasthenia Gravis and many vials of blood later they found nothing much. It seems once you get 1 autoimmune condition the others may follow. Good luck with all these investigations on the medical merry go round! What hospital are you going to?

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  5. Hey you got the Fibro Blogger badge to work! You get the perserverance badge!

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  6. Well done for such a looming day as it was! I'm so glad for all the rule-outs, though I feel for you on the pre-diabetes (no wonder the juice diet turned out so badly). I have no advice on the exercise thing accept to try sitting on a balance ball more often (better than nothing. (((gentle hugs to you))))

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  7. Sarah- I think I might try water aerobics (or something) I don't really have the mindset for Yoga.
    Carinthia- the goose may be getting fat but I am getting thinner LOL
    Peter- welcome and thanks!
    Good- *sigh* yes we sound far too similar - there is something inflammatory going on for me but they don't yet know what. BTW I can't take credit for the badge my mate Jazz sent me the code *S*
    Kris- I was actually on the juice diet when they took the bloods for this test... I might have different results with a less extreme diet!

    Thank you all so much for your support and caring -- I am moved (seriously) by this response!

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  8. Hey Sweet Gal, I'm so glad the big stuff was ruled out. Bummer about the pre-diabetes, but yeah, a diet change can certainly help to manage your blood sugar. Ask your doc about more fibre in your diet to help blood sugar levels, too.

    The exercise issue is a bitch-kitty. We need it, but in small doses and easy does it. Some days I can do quite a bit, other days just showering is a gargantuan effort. Walking and riding my recumbent bike has been my lifesaver. Yeah, if you can tolerate water exercises (even just floating on your back with some gentle kicking) it takes the pressure off your joints.

    Thinking of you every day, and pulling for you like mad. Keep your chin up, dear one.

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  9. Jazz thanks so much for all your support. The exercise thing is a real problem. My arms are still weak from Friday's efforts and I am beginning to feel like they will never feel better again!
    The chin is way up at the moment *Smile*

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