Too many ailments, sleeping constantly.

[mlow67]

Anyone got any advice? I have R/A, Crumbling spine (waiting for operation), scoliosis, restless leg syndrome, under active thyroid, M,E...CFS and I think I am going through the change, I have started HRT a few weeks ago, I am on morphine patches 75mg they tried to up them to 125mg but for 1 year I had nausea everyday or was sick. I also take pregabalin, motifene, ropinirole and oramorph when needed. For the last 4 months I have been taking 200mg of sertraline as I am now seriously depressed, I stay in bed all day everyday. If I do anything I end up in agony within 5 minutes so whats the point. I can't remember my blood results but I know whatever is the lowest numbers where it is okay, I am 0.01 point above that, I know it can go upto is it 4. something I think they could higher my dose without there being any problems or am I wrong?

I was diagnosed with M,E/CFS about 8 years ago and nothing has changed if anything my energy levels are even lower. I get disability allowance but I get the lowest part on both and thinking I should be getting a higher rate but it has all changed now to this new PIP. I don't know what to do, I have to rely on my family & friends to do everything for me. If food wasn't put in front of me I would never eat. I am only 47 but feel like I am 97, then again I have seen people in their 90's that can move better than me.

[humanbean]

Has anyone tested your minerals and vitamins recently? It would be worth getting your vitamin B12, vitamin D, folate, ferritin and iron tested. Get the results, including the reference ranges, then post them here.

I used to get restless legs. Fixing my iron-deficiency anaemia helped most of all. Magnesium supplements also help enormously.

If your spine is crumbling I would be interested in your vitamin D and calcium levels.

Are you taking thyroid meds? Can you let us know, please. And it would be good to know your latest thyroid function tests for TSH, FT4, FT3 and antibodies, with reference ranges.

Being at the extreme end of reference ranges, or outside the range, for anything that gets measured, is often not a good sign. But we need the results and the ranges to be sure.

It may not be possible to fix everything. But I would be surprised if there was no scope at all to improve how you feel.

[mlow67 in reply to humanbean]

Hi, Thank you for your help, yes I take 100mg thyroxine daily.

[humanbean in reply to mlow67]

You may be under-medicated. It is very common these days. Another possibility is that your conversion from T4 to T3 is not working well, in which case you may do better with T3 added to your levo prescription, or may do better with NDT (but may have to self-medicate if this interests you) or may want to try T3 only (again, self-medication may be your only choice). But before anyone can say anything, we need your results and reference ranges.

[mlow67 in reply to humanbean]

Thank you, I will post results asap.

[mlow67 in reply to humanbean]

I will get them all tested next week and I will post the results.

[humanbean in reply to mlow67]

Great! I hope your doctor is agreeable. Some of them can be very awkward about testing.

[mlow67 in reply to humanbean]

No he is the best doctor ever, I haven't had any blood test done for a while now it is about 1 year since I had any done.

[mlow67]

I forgot to add that I have recently started waking up with a swollen left hand and foot, and they are both like ice my left leg up to my knee and my left arm up to my shoulder. Does anyone have any idea what this is?

[Karen942 in reply to mlow67]

I agree about getting your b12 levels checked when you next have bloods done. Some of your symptoms are familiar to me and it was all down to B12 I now inject myself every couple of weeks makes a huge difference to my life ...