muninnhuginn | (Reply)

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I think, since the symptoms are on a level where, with the current drugs, they're either almost not there or a mild nuisance, everything's being kept to a minimum. (Hell, at least one GP has listened, once. I've had bad joints and poor circulation for most of my life, but there's always before been a way to dismiss it. I loathed and resented my GP's over-protectiveness when I was pregnant, but I'm beginning to appreciate her proactive attitude in sending me off to the rheumatologist last year.) I think the Parvo virus test has been done twice, the blood factors for Lupus once (and I'm fairly sure my mother did have this and possibly a great aunt on my mother's side too. I didn't know it was fashionable). Both, like Lyme disease hard to track down. Lyme disease in this country gets coverage in in the press in relation to people engaging in water sports, canooists and such like, and therefore coming into contact with rats (the which are increasing throughout the UK). I do remember warnings when we were in Austria and Germany in 1998 (scary: if I picked it up then it was while I was pregnant; I avoided forests and concentrated on F1 cars, however!). I used to do a lot of rambling in the north of England on moorland or in pine forest, so the problem there was the midges rather than ticks. Midges love me. I will ask, however, about Lyme at the next appointment. Lyme disease scares me: I'm allergic to a whole heap of antibiotics so the cure could be worse than the symptoms.

What interests me about all these "diseases" with bundles of symptoms is the neurolgical impact. My sense of smell isn't what it was. It improved, typically, during pregnancy, but has never "calmed down" again. It's interesting rather than a nuisance. But remarking to a companion that lamp post A smelled different to lamp post B and you wonder whether different dogs had visited gets some very odd responses! And mood changes?

I'm sure at the moment, however, the non-diagnosis is both a burdon, since there's only symptomatic treatment, and a help (nowt like being a mystery!): I get referred to other people and repeat appointments. At least I'm not having things dismissed as mere small blonde woman being hysterical. I saw the damage that kind of attitude did.

The checklist is interesting. And they're always useful, especially when the brain disappears just before a hospital appointment (this time I didn't shake like a leaf!). We have our own single-item checklist at the hospital: can I play the sax as much as I want?

Anyway, all information is useful. I've read and bookmarked. Thanks again.