ears

[Guest guest]

ok i am so glad you all posted these, i actually tore my bed apart looking for

something

that was causing the " roaring heartbeat " not at all like hearing your own pulse.

while on

vacation a couple of weeks ago the cartilage on my right ear kept me awake for 3

nights

and hurt so bad i couldn't open my mouth. our family practice friend thought my

2 year

old must have hit me in a way that damaged the cartilage but now i have to

wonder! the

roaring has dissapeared for now but....

>

> Lynda,

> Odd you should post this about your ears.

> I have questions.

> Lately my husband is questioning whether my hearing is decreasing. I have also

noticed

that I have to have people repeat things so much.

> Also, I've noticed that my OUTER ear cartilages are stiff and sore. Have you

experienced

this?

> I'm so sorry that you are going through all this. You are so right, people

just don't get it

about arthritis. I urge everyone to join the Arthritis Foundation and take part

in your local

walk. I don't know if the AF is in the UK, but if there is such an organization,

its good to

get involved and get the word out about this devastating disease!

> , 48, adult onset RA, mom to Rob, 19, juvenile ankylosing spondylitis

>

>

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: kenneth194542 <lynda.parton@...>

> Date: Tuesday, February 10, 2009 19:59

> Subject: what a mess I am in !!

> Rheumatoid Arthritis

>

> >

> >

> > Hello -

> >

> > I have not posted anything for quite a while as I have been

> > having a

> > very difficult time during the last 6 months.

> >

> > I suffer from RA and have been taking methotrexate for 2 years

> > now

> > and my symptoms have improved. I still get flares and

> > quite a few

> > side effects but I am so much better than I was 3 years ago.

> >

> > I have just received quite astonishing news though. I have

> > become

> > quite deaf in one ear (going deaf in other ear as well now) and

> > have

> > been suffering from very severe tinnitus as well. My ENT

> > consultant

> > arranged several brain scans for me and lo and behold the

> > results

> > have shown that I have a condition called auto-immune ear.

> > There is

> > no cure for this save for being given anti-TNF drugs and it

> > seems

> > that my deafness will worsen over the years. I am also

> > going to have

> > worsening deafness in the other ear, and I am now the very proud

> > owner of a wonderful digital hearing aid which is absolutely

> > fantastic. I have also been given tinnitus masking aid

> > which helps

> > to try and take my mind off this dreadful tinnitus by putting

> > another

> > type of noise into my ear as distraction therapy.

> >

> > The most shocking thing though is that when I had my brain scans

> > the

> > consultant found that my pituitary gland was shrunken to about

> > one

> > sixth of the size it should be !! He has made a

> > guess that my

> > immune system has attacked my pituitary and now I have to see an

> > Endocrinologist regarding my amazing problems !! it seems I am

> > very

> > rare. what a laugh. Seems that rheumatoid arthritis

> > is eating me

> > away, it's so fantastic you can hardly believe it.

> >

> > Then last week, after having had problems with my digestive

> > system

> > all winter and having been referred to gastro-enterology, guess

> > what

> > has been found - a cyst on my pancreas. I cannot believe

> > what is

> > happening to me. I am waiting for further tests but it

> > seems that

> > there is major trouble ahead for me. Could be surgery and

> > combination of chemo and radiotherapy, goodness knows how I

> > shall

> > cope with my RA and all.

> >

> > I turned 60 last July and it has been downhill all the way

> > regarding

> > my health and looks like I have a bit of a battle ahead.

> > During all

> > this I have been astounded that so few people outside of the

> > medical

> > profession understand that RA can have such devestating effects

> > on

> > your body - they seem to think it's just a few aches and pains

> > and

> > hey - pull yourself together. This has certainly been a

> > shock to

> > them, but I still don't think they fully understand whats

> > happening

> > and what we have to put up with.

> >

> > I shall let you know what happens - needless to say I am seeing

> > so

> > many medical people at the moment and having many tests etc.

> > I live in the UK and we do have a problem with waiting lists

> > etc.,

> > but thank goodness treatment and drugs are free here.

> >

> > best wishes - Lynda

> >

> >

>