Prayer request for a diagnosis.

[EricTheFred]

I'm not used to asking for this, but it's high time I start.

The short form is, I have now been ill for over thirty years, continuously. I've gone through a dozen doctors and nearly as many diagnoses. Starting this week, I am now waiting for the first test results of yet another doctor, this time a Rheumatologist. In the earlier years, it slowed me down a lot, but I was able to muddle through, but things have been getting progressively worse lately.

I'll spare you the details, as many of them are somewhat icky, but suffice to say if you combine the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Disease with the symptoms of Fibromyalgia, you've got a pretty close match.

For the last several years, I've been under the diagnosis of "Crohn's Disease", but my Gastroenterologist admits, I'm 'completely atypical'. In otherwords, it only looks like Crohn's if he doesn't look very closely. I don't respond to any of the medicines for Crohn's, and some of them have actually made me worse.

Over the years I have gotten progressively weaker. I know this is normal, but in ten years my usual afterwork and weekend activities have gone from sailing, woodworking, fishing and soccer to laying flat on my back in bed. Frankly, I have trouble keeping up with my seventy-nine-year-old father at this point. I don't do much anymore except go to work.

Especially frustrating is the projects that have gone on hold. One of them is a collaboration I was doing with Esoteric, another member here, and I'm embarrassed to admit, we could wrap this up if I only put in about a week of work on it, but I don't even have that to give.

So, I guess a prayer for Diagnosis is what I would like. Just for once, I would like to finally know what is actually wrong with me.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

I'll be praying for you![SIZE="1"]It's still kind of weird to use screen names in prayer though...[/SIZE]

[Tsukuyomi]

I'll be praying for you as well, Eric ^__^

i hope all goes well and they find out what's the real cause of your illness, so they can treat it properly 8(

please keep us updated, kk ^___^?

[Sheenar]

I understand the frustration and struggle that go with trying to get an accurate diagnosis --I am dealing with that as well --I pray for the doctor to have wisdom and for a diagnosis to be found.
Please keep us updated on the results. I will be praying for you.

[EricTheFred]

Thanks everyone for your prayers.

Well tomorrow (today, actually, since it's after Midnight) I go in for the followup visit and find out what the latest doctor has to say after all the blood-tests and etc. I've been through this many times, but I'll make myself stay hopeful.

[Phantom_Sorano]

My goodness! Bless your heart, Mr. Eric!
You will be in my prayers, not only for answers, but for relief of pain and healing.
Keep your head up. God speed.

[EricTheFred]

Well, the diagnosis is... tentative. (Sigh).

But the doctor believes I have Fibromyalgia, plus whatever IBD my gastroenterologist settles on (it's been tentatively Crohn's for some time now.)

In other words, not one incurable disease, but two.

Well, I'm starting on new medications, with three different doctors still dickering on what they will be (between my family doctor for ADHD, my gastro for Crohn's, and my rheumatogist for Fibromyalgia.) They have to make sure none of the pills I'm taking interfere with each other.

The only good news in here is that I might have also had some arthritis (I've had problems in my hands that have made violin and guitar almost impossible for me lately) but the rheumatologist now says it's part of the Fibromyalgia.

Anyhow, thanks folks for your prayers, and I will update as things go.

[Paul]

Well Eric, I'll keep you in my prayers daily. If there is anything I can do to help, plz let me know.

[Makachop^^128]

will be praying