Spondyloarthritis, Osteoarthritis, Psoriasis, Fibromyalgia, or Lumbar Myelopathy? Is it one of them or all of them?  Currently I am being treated for all of them. It is important to remember I am sharing information about my condition. Your condition, treatment, and symptoms may very different than mine. That's okay because people react differently to treatments, medications, and physical therapy.  Your doctor may be more familiar with a particular treatment plan or medication that he/she has seen work for patients. Remember, do what's right for you because it works and if it's not working be prepared to talk about that with your doctor.  It's important we lead much better life's when we feel good!

Being a good patient is more than just doing everything the doctor tells us to do. Our doctors are busy people and if we are prepared it will not only insure we get proper treatment, but also take up less of the doctors time.

What can we do?

• Keeping a good daily diary
  • keep track of new and old symptoms
  • keep a list of medications and track what works and what doesn't
  • list any reactions to medications
  • Be honest about how we feel
• If we see more than one doctor we should make sure they know we are seeing another doctor and what we are seeing them for
• Let that doctor know the list of medications we are taking and what the doctor is using them for.  Sometimes medications are used for different reasons or for more than one condition. 
• We should keep a list of questions that we have so we don't forget anything
• Keep a body chart (working on one and will post as soon as it's ready)
• Understand what our doctor wants us to do, if we have a flare-up.

We must always remember Doctors have a license to "practice medicine". They are human beings just like you and me. They will help us to the best of their ability; by listening to us and others; from their experience and knowledge; collecting information about our symptoms and history; and from the results of our medical tests.  All the information collected about us will allow our doctors to determine a treatment program and medication regime for us to follow.  If we decide not to follow their guidelines, that our fault.  If we follow their guideline and we are still having problems, they may need to make adjustments. It is important to remember we all are unique in some ways so what works for one person, may not work for another. 

If you are really following the doctors recommendations and you are not feeling better and are not confident with the decisions your doctor is making, find a new one.  There are some doctors that no matter what you know, or how you feel, just don't listen.  Do yourself a favor and find a good doctor.

Here is a list of Doctors I know and trust:

Indiana

• Dr. Lisa Holtsclaw,
  Fort Wayne, Indiana, she is currently taking new patients and she is our family doctor. Visit her web site

Arizona

• Dr. David Gates
  Internal Medicine
  8432 E Shea Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ 85260,
  (480) 368-7000
  *Dr. Gates is one of the best Internal Medicine Doctors I know. Web Site
• Dr. Allen Block
  Neurology
  10210 N 92nd St Ste 202, Scottsdale, AZ 85258
  (480) 314-5460
  
• Brito, C Gilberto MD
  Urology Associates Ltd
  100117 N. 92nd St. #103, Scottdale, AZ 85258
  (480) 661-2662
• Yosowitz Lee S MD
  Obstetrics and Gynecology
  10200 N 92nd St Ste 215, Scottsdale, AZ 85258
  (480) 657-0308
  * Dr. Yosowitz delivered 2 of my grandchildren by C-section, the experience was wonderful and he is terrific!

Fibromyalgia is considered a syndrome and to those of use that live with the symptoms of Fibromyalgia it is not taken lightly. A recent article in the NY Times, suggested that some doctors believe that Fibromyalgia is not a real disease and while others do. The doctors do have a right to their opinion. (Food for thought, people often make fun of those things which they have not experienced or do not understand.)

I have read the article, in the NY Times that Alex Berenson wrote, a couple of times.  His article presented differing opinions and concerns about Fibromyalgia. In his article he has provided many links to: doctors, drug companies, and organizations. Opinions are good, they help us to think so read the article and formulate your own opinion. I am not a doctor, so all I can tell you is that I never used to visit the doctor, I was never sick, and when I experienced any pain from anything I just kept going, then one day, a whole bunch of symptoms hit me and I couldn't make them go away. I am not a person that likes medication or thinks about being sick.  Now I live one day at a time, hoping the craziness of symptoms for the syndrome Fibromyalgia leaves me alone.

My oldest daughter, 29 has now been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and the doctor started Amitriptyline and Flexeril.  After 3 wk's she was not seeing any difference except she became increasingly short fussed and irritable. The doctor placed her on Nuerotin 300mg. 3 x daily after a month she did not have any improvement.  Her Sed rate is higher than it should be for her age and is also being seen by a rheumatologist to rule out Lupus or RA.
UPDATE: May 7,2008 my daughter had another medication change.

• How does it start?
• UK
• Women
• Fibromyalgia Network
• Mayo Clinic
• The National Fibromyalgia Association
• Medications, some new information

My main complaint, pain and stiffness that varies day to day, and sometimes hour to hour. When a flare-up happens, I don't know how much increase in pain I will have or when it will happen. Sometimes I just don't feel good for a couple of days and 'BAM' (term used by Emeril very often) everything starts happening.

Symptoms:

• Pain
  • Legs, knees, and sometimes feet
  • Increasing pain in lower back
  • Stinging and burning pain occurs here and there
• Creepy crawlies, tingling, and numbness
  • Left thigh constantly, varies from dull to a lot
  • Face, head, arms, hands, and just about everywhere from time to time (I never know where)
• Weakness and fatigue varies from day to day, sometimes to the point of exhaustion
• Left eye only, dagger eye pain, eye infections, styes, and tearing
• Difficulty getting up from floor, walking up stairs, rotating, lifting, and bending
• Ocassionally balance problems

My problems are less severe than many others and I am thankful that even though I may not feel great, I'm still able to get around.  Of course someday's are worse than others and those days are not pleasant. 

I hope that all of us will one day have the answers to these syndromes, diseases, and illness.  My thoughts and prayers are with all of you that are struggling to find answers and relief.

For more information please click one of the panels below.  Contact me: GrannyBroom

Lumbar myelopathy ('Myelopathy' means that something is wrong with the spinal cord itself). I have numbness and tingling in my left upper thigh. Someday's it is much worse than others. I am also having trouble with walking or standing because of pain. I have not found very much information about lumbar myelopathy. There is a lot of information about cervical myelopathy and the two conditions are similar only different parts of the spinal column.

Cervical myelopathy Cervical spondyolic myelopathy Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Spinal myelopathy

I have these very attractive red lesions with dry flaking skin on top of various sizes on the calf's of my legs that my doc believes is psoriasis . They started about a year ago.  At first they were red dots that appeared to look like guttate psoriasis and they were on my legs, some on my stomach, and here and there.

Currently the areas that I have do not change even with prescription ointments. Some of them have been there since the initial outbreak and sometimes a new one appears.  Some go away, some don't. These areas are not like the thick gray lesions that many with plaque psoriasis have. They are red underneath with flaky, grayish white scale on top.  Very dry appearance.  Normally they do not itch, ocassionally when a new one comes out it may itch a little.

My grand-daughter was freaked out when she saw them on my legs for the first time.  We talked about it and she did share that she doesn't feel comfortable when people stare at me.  Before I go out I think about it first and decide how I feel on a given day, then I decide how I want to dress and whether I want to cover up my legs or not.  My worse outbreak is normally on my legs, but I do get them other places.

What do you I say when Adults Stare or look at me funny? 

• Respond quickly, be brief, and make it simple.
• I practiced what I was going to say.
  • I have psorasis and it's not contagious, it just looks creepy.  For some reason my skin cells reproduce at a more rapid rate than yours.

Children are curious?

• Keep it simple and at a level children can understand.  A positive attitude about something always helps children.
  • My granchildren are different ages so I have tailored what I tell the little ones and the older ones.  I explain it the little ones like this: Psorasis is not something you can "catch" or pass it on like a cold. For example: You know how a dog or cat sheds their hair. Your skin cells shed to and fall off and you don't even know it.  My skin cells are fast and instead of falling off they pile up on the skins surface.

This is the worst area on my right calf.

• Psoriasis.org
• Psoriasis arthritis 
• Psoriasis arthritis, patient education
• Medicene.Net

This is a close-up picture of some of the lesions on my left leg

Rosacea (pronounced roh-ZAY-sha) is a common disorder of the facial skin. The cause of rosacea is unknown and there is no cure. There is medical help available that can help control the signs and symptoms.

• Redness on the cheeks, nose, chin or forehead.
• Small visible blood vessels on the face.
• Bumps or pimples on the face.
• Watery or irritated eyes.

I also get some unusual red bumps and blotches on my nose which are not pimples that come and go periodically. The Doctor believes it is rosacea. For severe outbreaks I have been prescribed, MetroGel and it has worked in a few days.

UPDATE: Clinique has come out with a new product for rosacea (NEW Redness Solutions Redness Regimen). I saw improvement in about 2 1/2 weeks after starting to use this product. I have been using it for over a month now and I my face is not breaking out and is not as red.  My skin feels better and I look better.  I have tried a lot of things so I share this information with you because it has worked for me. At first glance it may seem a little pricey, but I only use a little bit.  I am pleased with the results at this time and will keep updating the information about this product monthly. We are all different so you may not get the same results as I have. I am not affliliated with Clinique in anyway.

Great Links:

• Rosacea
• Skin Care Physicians information
• International Rosacea Foundation
• Rosacea support group
• From your doctor, Akron Dermatology

Wow, did you know that the spinal column is made up 24 spinal bones, called vertebrae? Vertebrae are stacked one on top of the other to form the spinal column.

After a set of X-rays of my lumbar spine area, I have been diagnosed with Sponyloarthritis, ('Spondylo' means affecting the spine and 'arthritis' means joint disease) with lumbar myelopathy ('Myelopathy' means that something is wrong with the spinal cord itself). Spondylopathy: is any disease of the vertebrae or spinal column.

Spondyloarthritis Spondylitis.org Rheumatology.org Arthritisvic.org.au Juvenile spondyloarthritis

 

The human hand has 27 bones; 8 are accounted for in the wrist or carpus, the palm or the metacarpus has 5 and the remaining 14 are digital bones. My last set of right hand X-rays shows osteoarthritis, mostly in the distal joints (the joint nearest the finger nails). Find information: Wikipedia, Kidzworld, Trivia

Osteoarthritis results from aging, it is considered the "Wear and tear arthritis". It may cause pain, stiffness, swelling, and it may be the cause of the sound of cracking or grinding when you move an affected joint.

Arthritis links: The Arthritis Foundation Medicine Net