Autoimmune Diseases Are the Devil
Time has gotten away from me. I have been sick and haven't had the energy to write. Everyone on my mom's side of the family has some type of autoimmune related disease. Everything from Fibromyalgia and Lupus to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Multiple Sclerosis, we've got it all! I was diagnosed with some form of arthritis about 4 years ago. My doctor has not decided exactly what kind it is, but it's there. Over the last 6-9 months my symptoms have escalated. My joints have swelled. My muscles ache. Most days my body feels broken. There is a blood test called a SED rate. It tests the rate of inflammation in your body. A scale of 0 > 20 is within normal limits. When I was referred to a rheumatologist a few years ago my SED rate came back at 96. My most recent blood work showed that my SED rate was 46. It is much better than 96, but it is still very high. When I have had flair ups in the past I would just be tired and have a lot of pain. But over these la