Muscle involvement?? Elaine or anyone?

September 22, 2003

Hi everyone:

Have had something strange happening the last week or so. I don't know if

it's Graves related or not but it is sure a problem for someone who makes their

living on their feet (head trainer and server/bartender in a restaurant with

regular 12 hour shifts).

Last Wednesday during work, my right leg starting hurting from the middle of

my buttocks straight down the back of the leg. Within an hour or so, I

literally couldn't walk without wanting to scream out. I've never had

discomfort

like that before. I've never called in sick to work in over 5 years, not even

when I went every morning 1 1/2 hours away for orbital radiation. So NOT

working because of discomfort is not like me at all. In fact, I pride myself on

being stronger and more durable than all the young'uns I work with:-)

I had to leave in the middle of my shift. I saw the doctor and he said my

muscles had gone into spasm and were squeezing on the sciatic nerve causing the

pain. He told me I needed complete bed rest (NOT LIKELY since I live alone

and pay my own bills). He gave me vioxx and flexeril. He did not think it was

Graves related, but my sed rate and antibody rates are still very high.

I did have yesterday and today off and stayed off my feet for the most part,

but today I can tell if I walk around much the same thing is going to happen

again. My doc is also testing me for RA, but those results aren't back yet.

Can the antibodies go after other tissues besides the eye tissues?? He also

did an ANA test and another sed rate test. He thinks I might have something

else autoimmune going on beside Graves. Is that common? I didn't have any of

these problems when I was first diagnosed with Graves in 1979. And then none

of them during these 20-odd years of remission.

To be perfectly honest, I'm a little sick of being sick:-)

BTW, Elaine, has your GO book come out yet?

Terri

Graves disease 1979; treated with RAI; exothalmia 1982, treated with IV

steroids; since then on one or another form of replacement hormone. New flare

up

of TED with severe double vision, swelling in intraocular muscles and

inflammation in August of 2002. Currently hypoactive. Treated TED with

prednisone.

It worked while on prednisone, but TED came back worse after. Underwent

Orbital radiation June-July 2003. No change yet.

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