Hi everyone. I'm hoping that someone can point me in the right direction, give me a new idea to consider or offer some suggestion on what may be going on with me. I will try to keep it as brief as possible.

2005 I was admitted to the hospital for having a fever above 102 (that wouldn't break) for over a week. I had severe edema, a petechia-type rash on both legs below the knee and my joints were so painful and swollen I could barely walk or move my arms. I also had lots of upper abdominal pain between my liver and my spleen that had been going on for quite sometime (and which I still experience often). My clinical manifestations were:

High Platelet Count
High ALP
High ALT
High UA Ketones
High UA Blood (large)
High UA RBC
High RA
High EOS%
Low BUN
High Lipase
Low K
Low Lymph%

An MRI was performed and they found a "questionable" clot in my portal vein. I was later prescribed warfarin and have been on it ever since. After three days in the hospital, numerous tests and numerous questions like "Have you been outside the country? Have you been bitten by something?" They (in a grasping at straws measure) requested a colonoscopy even though I had no digestive distress or symptoms. I refused and checked myself out AMA. I was sent to Rheumatology. The Rheumatologist put me on Prednisone and Plaquenil straight away but could not tell me what was wrong other than it seemed to be "autoimmune related" and possibly Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Since that episode, I've had chronic joint pain which can be attributed to the RA. I've been on and off Prednisone, Plaquenil, Methotrexate, Sulfasalizine, and Warfarin. The Methotrexate seems to help a great deal with the joint pain, and morning stiffness. HOWEVER, I've had the following symptoms ever since the above mentioned episode that no doctor can explain:

- Severe, debilitating fatigue
- Connective tissue pain (NOT muscular) mostly in forearms
- General malaise
- Low grade fever (hovers around 100)
- Often these symptoms hit in mid-afternoon. It feels as though my plug has been pulled and I crash hard.
- The symptoms also come on hard almost every time I shower. I have to lie down before I can even get dressed or put on my makeup.

Recently, it was suggested by my current Rheumy that it may be fibromyalgia. Although I only responded to two of the trigger points.

I'm really at a loss here and I know this is a LOT of information, but I'm really desperate to find an answer or at least a new direction or some good questions to start asking. Thank you, thank you, thank you for any help you may be able to give me.

Medical advice or opinions here will not be as safe as what you liekly already heard from your doctor. You may be a candidate for something like the Mayo Clinic Appointments at Mayo Clinic (http://www.mayoclinic.org/patientinfo/appointments.html)

Interestingly enough, it sounds very much like Lyme Disease.

Thank you for your suggestion Ballengerb1. I just submitted an application to them to be seen. I never considered that before!

Thanks J_9. I've actually considered that before. I had no discernible bite mark nor the trademark bullseye rash though and hadn't been anywhere that I could have received such a thing. So probably not likely.

Have you had your thyroid checked?

Yes. Multiple times actually.

Potassium?

Potassium was low in the initial screening. I don't think they've checked it since though. What would that indicate to you?

You might not believe me, but I am no anti-activist against prescription drugs. However, during the last ten years of studying medicine, there are too many instances of patients get in what Dr. Earl L. Mindell, RPh, PhD and Virginia Hopkins, MA call the "pill popping mindset."

Basically, this is when a patient goes into the hospital for a minor ailment and the Physician prescribes a prescription drug. However, the prescription drug causes unwarranted side effects that often, the patient does not consider. He or she returns to the hospital and the Doctor prescribes another drug for the new symptom.

Business goes as usual. The new drug causes it's own select effects on the body. Now, the patient is experiencing more symptoms. As a result, he or she returns to the hospital, only to receive more drugs. This process happens over and over until you look back and notice that you are on 5-15 different medications. This cycle has to be broken with a simple change of mind set.

Physicians are under tremendous pressure, mainly from insurance companies who constantly threaten to strip them of their license if they do not prescribe a drug. After all, that is what they are trained to do. They are not trained to put in thoughtfulness to a patient as a whole. Imagine spending $500,000 on an education and losing your licenses to practice. Much of the times, the physician's comply and just prescribe the drug. This keeps lawsuits from hanging over the hospital and Physician's head. Now, I said all that to say this:

Be sure to talk with your Doctor about the side effects and interactions of your medications. Many of these side effects are mild, but some are severe and require you notify your Doctor for possibly a doe adjustment, and alternative drug, or to take you off the medicine altogether. Knowing your symptoms results from side effects of your medicine may not help you feel any better, but it can keep you from unnecessary Doctor visits, sometimes and stress wondering what's wrong with you. When this happens, you can spend more time tracing down the source of your original pain.

Hope this answers your question!