I'm wondering if I'm fighting some kind of virus or what, and if this keeps up I'll message my doctor.
Tuesday morning I felt really ill, shaky and weak--I felt worse when I got to work and told my boss I might have to go home. But I ate a couple granola bars and actually felt better, but still not "right". Yesterday I felt so-so, just a little off. It's not PsA, but mildly fluish I guess. My stomach and ribs hurt off and on, and today I was light-headed and shaky again. It's not like having a cold or the flu--just "off". I'm getting concerned because my white cell count is below normal and I'm worried I have a bug that my immune system isn't fighting like it should.
Has anybody ever had anything like this and it turned out to be nothing? I just don't like feeling this weird.
It's been going on a few days so I reckon you should see your doctor, no harm in checking it out.
I occasionally feel faint, woozy etc. and go through a mental checklist of possible causes including drugs, bugs, ageing and PsA. Sometimes I panic because my body's already given me a strong message that it is not invincible by going and getting PsA so feeling unwell can be more worrying than it used to be. But these episodes don't last, I'd make an appointment with my GP if they did.
When I'm feeling perfectly well I tend to think that anyone over the age of about 10 is bound to feel like death warmed up at times due to life, stress, life, stress ..... repeat as necessary! But get thee to a doctor for reassurance at the very least. Oh, and interesting that Granola bars helped .... are you eating properly? (I sound like your mum!)
Yes, definitely ..... and for me it is always when I've not been eating properly and my blood sugar goes on a rollers coaster ride. But it's never lasted beyond getting a decent well balanced meal inside me unless I've had a bug. Well worth getting reassurance from your doc.
Yes, Sybil, feeling unwell is more worrying now! I start thinking I have a bug and I'm not getting the normal symptoms but instead it's attacking all my cells and I'm not fighting it off. I felt really weird--the dizziness and pain in my stomach and around my sides and general illness--yuck! I started feeling better yesterday and talked to the nurse. We decided to see how it goes over the weekend, and I think whatever it was has passed!
I don't like being a sick person (PsA) and having to depend on biologics and worry about catching things. I'm sure you guys agree--but we all know it could be worse and I shouldn't complain. Being on Enbrel which seems to have nearly stopped my PsA in its tracks is a godsend. Maybe I'm forgetting how crappy I felt 2 years ago before I started Enbrel. At that point I didn't care anymore about the "dangers" of a biologic cuz the PsA was more than I could stand. I need to put things in perspective--no bug I've had in the past two years has been anywhere as bad as my untreated PsA.
Thanks for your encouragement, Sybil and Jules! I apologize for being a baby! I usually don't tell my kids or husband these things because they don't understand, and when I did tell one of my daughters Tuesday how sick I felt she told me I'm a hypochondriac!
Jules, I think I'll be fine now! You guys are so sweet! ☺
Three hours ago when I commented I actually did feel better. That was shortly after I got out of bed and hadn't done anything yet. Now that I'm trying to get some of my normal Saturday housework done, I'm completely exhausted, light-headed and feel like a wet noodle. I ate breakfast and drank two cups of coffee and that didn't seem to help--I thought it would give me some energy.
I'm gonna keep plugging away here and hope as the day wears on my get-up-and-go comes back from wherever it went!!!!
Just read both of your posts together and happy then sad! You have had a great run keeping PSA in its place maybe it’s just mini flare? Often I go a couple 2-3 days feeling very similar even with digestive stuff( that doesn’t need meds) or cold like symptoms (again no meds) then wake up and snap right out of it in few days to a week. I always make excuses for it like working, stress, family stuff but I always let it go because my motto is if it doesn’t last more than a week… That doesn’t help the nagging part in the back of my brain that worries starting on day one though. I sure hope its nothing and think you are right to see how things are on Monday because you do tend to be a consistent person in that area. I do love how you pay so much attention to what your body tells you like a good relationship you listen to subtle hints! That’s a good thing in my book! Take care!
2. Knowing you, I feel silly even suggesting this, but any chance you could have a short 'holiday-at-home'? I do these as necessary, I'm lucky to be able to I suppose. Basically go to bed early, do whatever feels best for your body for a few days .... a little stroll, some stretching, a nap, make dinner maybe, lie on sofa reading book etc. till you feel restored.
I'd recommend both 1. and 2. but especially 1. You may have just hit a wall, that happens more frequently and harder with PsA than without it. Sometimes something's got to give.
Grandma J said:
Three hours ago when I commented I actually did feel better. That was shortly after I got out of bed and hadn't done anything yet. Now that I'm trying to get some of my normal Saturday housework done, I'm completely exhausted, light-headed and feel like a wet noodle. I ate breakfast and drank two cups of coffee and that didn't seem to help--I thought it would give me some energy.
I'm gonna keep plugging away here and hope as the day wears on my get-up-and-go comes back from wherever it went!!!!
My daughter said it could be I need new glasses. My prescription changed almost a year ago and I didn't take the time To shop for new ones. Gotta get on that. I might ask my doctor about changing my BP med. But, you know me, I hate doctor appointments!! My knee started hurting Saturday after I mowed the lawn (rider). All I did was have my foot pressing the gas pedal for 2 hours straight. You wouldn't think that would make a knee start hurting!!! I've tried ice and heast and neither helped. I'm sure it's OA--just another annoyance!
2 hours straight with my foot down on a pedal would make a lot of my dodgy bits & pieces start hurting.
Help me here .... how might new glasses help? I've been puzzling for ages so had to ask!
Grandma J said:
My daughter said it could be I need new glasses. My prescription changed almost a year ago and I didn't take the time To shop for new ones. Gotta get on that. I might ask my doctor about changing my BP med. But, you know me, I hate doctor appointments!! My knee started hurting Saturday after I mowed the lawn (rider). All I did was have my foot pressing the gas pedal for 2 hours straight. You wouldn't think that would make a knee start hurting!!! I've tried ice and heast and neither helped. I'm sure it's OA--just another annoyance!
If you are feeling faint and dizzy consider your food intake. What are you eating? Drinking enough water? Iron levels?
I have reactive hypoglycemia, so I have to eat small meals all day long. I try to incorporate protein into each meal. It helps keep things level. When I am not feeling well I do not eat properly and it does more harm. Also can cause a PsA flare.
New glasses would help if you have tired eyes or trouble seeing. Dizziness would be caused by inner ear trouble. You might have that checked out.
Thanks Punkin and Sybil. I did go to the doctor early in the week and she thought my lightheadedness was vertigo. She had me do some movements that would stop the vertigo, and gave me a handout about the "Modified Epley maneuver" for self-treatment of benign positional vertigo. I was sort of in disbelief, but after I did the maneuvers several times for a couple days, the lightheadedness went away!
The one thing I don't like about this particular doctor (my internist) is if I followed her advice I'd now be on about 6 prescription meds on top of my Enbrel and bp med. I told her I was having a frequent low-grade headache, which had been constant over the past several days (now that I think of it, the lightheadedness probably caused it). Anyway, she started saying I should take gabapentin to prevent this migraine headache I was having! I'm thinking, what migraine headache? First she said she'd write a prescription that I could take to the pharmacy if I ever felt I needed the gabapentin, but then she started saying she'd just call the order in to the pharmacy so it would be ready for me to pick up. I'm like, well I'm not sure I need the stuff. And she's like, well don't you want to take it? No, not really--I'd have to read about it and I really don't think I need this prescription med for a low-grade headache! Do doctors get a cut out of meds they prescribe? Cuz, I swear, every time I see that lady she wants to order me some new meds! And she knows I don't like pills!
Oh, and Sybil, my daughter's husband was having "lightheadedness" and it went away when he got new glasses with a stronger prescription. Poor vision could probably cause a similar feeling--it definitely could be causing some of my headaches.
Good for you making it in and having it checked out! Also great to hear the exercises are working. Sometimes the diagnosis can seem so foreign and odd, huh? I remember when I first went to be seen about rib pain and almost laughed it could possibly be an autoimmune diseases or arthritis. Never heard of such a thing but you know my doctor was right and sometimes a little trust goes a long way. Gabapenten for vertigo? Is it causes by nerve issues? Either way glad to hear you are starting to feel better!
Now I have an ear infection with sharp, stabbing pains in my ear shooting to the top of my head. I had an itchy ear canal a couple days ago, which was probably a warning sign for impending problems.
I know in America we are quick to treat ear infections with antibiotics. A doctor once told me that's because numerous untreated ear infections will cause permanent hearing loss.
I'm wondering if it would be smart to get antibiotics because I already have horrible constant ringing in my ears and I don't want any more ear problems. I just don't know how necessary it is--especially if the pain might go away in a day or two.
I'm so dense sometimes ..... looking back at your description of the way you feel: shaky, weak, mildly flu-ish, exhausted, dizzy ..... that's exactly how I feel when my sinuses go funny. Which they do fairly often. And over the last year I've had ear infections too which I think are connected but I'm not sure.
The doctors do treat my ear infections promptly, but with steroid drops. I recently saw the GP about the sinus stuff (it's about time as I've had it on & off for about 30 years) and she thought it might be responsible for lowering my neutrophils. She said it was an infection & gave me antibiotics. But I don't understand how it's an infection if it constantly comes & goes ......
You could seek my advice on all this or you could hold a colander over your head in a rain storm. As you can tell I don't understand it one bit!
I've just had another pesky and uncomfortable outer ear infection and at the first sign of tenderness I get out my trusted OTC treatment of an acetic acid spray that the pharmacy recommended. I guess the psoriasis in my ear canals is itchy so likely that I unconsciously poke dirty fingers in there (and of course a cotton tip has never been known to be used, ever, I promise ..... said Pinocchio). Been wondering whether steroid ear drops would help calm/heal the psoriasis so I must raise that with the doc.
Steroid ear drops do work well for me. Plus a teeny bit of my old friend Balneum Cream in the ear seems to help with the psoriasis. I assume that there's a fine line between enough cream to ease the psoriasis and a little too much which might create a good environment for infection so I am really careful.
Jules G said:
Can you have a chat with a pharmacists Grandma J?
I've just had another pesky and uncomfortable outer ear infection and at the first sign of tenderness I get out my trusted OTC treatment of an acetic acid spray that the pharmacy recommended. I guess the psoriasis in my ear canals is itchy so likely that I unconsciously poke dirty fingers in there (and of course a cotton tip has never been known to be used, ever, I promise ..... said Pinocchio). Been wondering whether steroid ear drops would help calm/heal the psoriasis so I must raise that with the doc.
Thanks, you guys, for the advice, I appreciate it. The ear pain is almost gone now but the shooting pain still stabs the side and up to the top of my head today. It must be a nerve being pressed on or something. I took my 2 Tylenol and aspirins and a good nap with our grandson sleeping on my lap and right now it doesn't hurt. I hope whatever it is isn't catchy cuz he'll be screaming with pain as babies do with ear infections.
If it keeps up I'll stop at the pharmacy and see if I can get some of the stuff you suggested.
I messaged my doctor because the ear pain came back over the weekend and I seem to also be having a bit of a PsA flare. My hands and shoulders were sore all weekend, and I didn't sleep well last night because my achy, throbbing left hand kept waking me up. I haven't had achy finger/hand joints in almost 2 years, so this is bugging me.
What's also bothering me is that I'm wondering if my normal WBCs (at 4.2 now, up from 3.2 a few months ago) have something to do with possibly fighting an infection and I'm wondering if getting on an antibiotic asap will resolve the ear pain and the PsA flare?
I might as well also mention my job has been very stressful because a couple of our student workers are idiots and can't do their jobs right, so all their mistakes affect me. I'm limited to 20 hours/week and lately I think I've been spending 80% of my time fixing stupid mistakes they make. I've worked there 15 years now and have never had so many problems training people in! I personally would let them go, but that's not my call. My supervisors are just as frustrated but apparently too wimpy to give these kids an ultimatum. So, I've been more stressed out than ever and surely that isn't healthy.
Interesting about the steroid ear drops and Balneum cream--I'll mention them to my doctor.
Ugh! Not what you want at all! I've had a lousy day myself and am hoping it's a blip. Nobody wants PsA blasts from the past ... long gone symptoms should stay that way in my opinion.
I reckon you need to get your ears looked at and treated ASAP. I sometimes find that stressful situations give me a burst of pain that then subsides & I really hope yours does.
Grandma J said:
I messaged my doctor because the ear pain came back over the weekend and I seem to also be having a bit of a PsA flare. My hands and shoulders were sore all weekend, and I didn't sleep well last night because my achy, throbbing left hand kept waking me up. I haven't had achy finger/hand joints in almost 2 years, so this is bugging me.
What's also bothering me is that I'm wondering if my normal WBCs (at 4.2 now, up from 3.2 a few months ago) have something to do with possibly fighting an infection and I'm wondering if getting on an antibiotic asap will resolve the ear pain and the PsA flare?
I might as well also mention my job has been very stressful because a couple of our student workers are idiots and can't do their jobs right, so all their mistakes affect me. I'm limited to 20 hours/week and lately I think I've been spending 80% of my time fixing stupid mistakes they make. I've worked there 15 years now and have never had so many problems training people in! I personally would let them go, but that's not my call. My supervisors are just as frustrated but apparently too wimpy to give these kids an ultimatum. So, I've been more stressed out than ever and surely that isn't healthy.
Interesting about the steroid ear drops and Balneum cream--I'll mention them to my doctor.