Stiff ankle in February (and a lifetime of joint problems), worsening symptoms through April, PsA diagnosis in April followed by lots of tests, health going downhill quickly, more tests, even more tests ... and now in early December I finally have diagnoses of PsA, ankylosing spondylitis, celiac disease, hypothyroidism, simple fatty liver, and pre-diabetes. And I can FINALLY start treating my PsA - I start Enbrel on Friday. Whew!
I'm now gluten-free, and hoping once my gut heals a bit, I'll start losing weight and my simple fatty liver and pre-diabetes will reverse themselves ... and my thyroid problems will get better as well. Hopefully, a year from the doctor appointment that started the ball rolling on the diagnoses of all my health issues, I'll be in less pain and more mobile. I can hope, can't I?
I've been eating super- healthy for years. It's funny because my gastroenterologist was discussing seeing a nutritionist with me in reference to my pre-diabetes (this is before my celiac diagnosis shed light on my inability to lose weight) and I asked her what kinds of dietary changes I could make considering I don't eat many processed foods at all, and none with high fructose corn syrup, refined sugar, trans fats, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, monosodium glutamate (in all its forms), or food dyes. I eat mostly organic (when I can) whole foods. I was a pesco-vegetarian for years and in the past few years added humanely raised/killed free-range, organic meat to my diet once a week or so. She laughed and said she could use a lesson or two from me. LOL I will be seeing a nutritionist about a celiac / pre-diabetic / food allergy- friendly diet, though, because that will be a bit of a challenge.
Right now, my ankles, feet, toes, knees, fingers, thumb joints, sa joint, lower back and neck all have damage from the PsA. I use 2 canes or a wheelchair to get around .... just a little over a year ago I was hiking 5-7 miles through the hills of CT with a 2 year old on my back. It's been quite the year.
Wow - you've been through a lot! I'm 37 and hoping next year proves to be a lot healthier than this year.
I was told when I was 18 that I'd need double knee replacements by age 25 and haven't gotten them yet. Luckily my doctors now would rather put it off as long as possible so I don't have to have them done again (and again, and again).
Oh dear, Nym, I'm so sorry to hear about all of the complications. Celiac disease, like PsA, is an autoimmune issue. So has there been any talk of what the connection might be? Did one bring the other on?
How did you suddenly discover that you have Celiac, on top of PsA?
Yes, you can hope for less pain and more mobility, and we will hope along with you! Like you, I'm using a wheelchair less than 6 months after being diagnosed. It's not fun.
Good luck on the Enbrel! I'm still on MTX, and I don't think it's helping. I hope the rheumy will give me something more effective when I see her next month.
The discovery of celiac was a bit of a fluke. I have elevated liver enzymes, can't get my hypothyroidism under control (we've been working on this for a year and a half!!!), etc. etc. etc. and I was talking with my gastroenterologist about wanting to try going gluten-free to see if that helped matters, and she suggested she add the test for celiac in with my other bloodwork just in case. And it came out positive. I have friends with celiac who never got positive blood tests, but endoscopy proved celiac.
My endocrinologist jokes with me that I'm trying to win some sort of autoimmune olympics or something with all these autoimmune disorders piling on top of each other!
So far so good with the Enbrel. If I can avoid getting sick , though, it will be a miracle. Most of my friends' kids either have some sort of croupy cough or a gastro-intestinal illness at the moment. Ugh.
I hope you find something that works for you soon, Seenie!!!