I desperately need some advice. I am sorry this is so long. I've been pursuing a diagnosis for a longtime but haven't been given anything definite yet. I have seen a rheumatologist for the first time. He gave me several prescriptions and lab orders for blood work and x-rays and I was to return for the results in two weeks. But while at the pharmacy trying to get the prescriptions filled I found out that my insurance had dropped me. This put a hold on it all for almost 2 months while I had to get all of that straightened out. I was able to get my insurance reinstated finally. I've now had all of the tests that the doctor ordered completed and I go back June 5th to see the doctor to find out the results. But at this point I am so sick and my skin is so bad that I am scared that time may not be on my side right now. The joint pain has completely disabled me. The issues that are happening with my skin are disfiguring me. There are several issues that I think may be contributing factors. I think I may have a connective tissue auto immune disorder. But I also have a history of severe constipation. I am talking really really bad. I often get impacted. I've became really sick over this several times. I've read how the poisons that can get backed up into your system from this can cause all kinds of skin conditions. I also have a habit of compulsive skin picking. I do pick until I make sores but these sores are sorta self inflicted. The problem originates from the chemical response in my brain that stimulates my reaction to pick until I make a sore. But I've got a lot of scarring from it and I am wondering if what's going on now could be a reaction to the damage that's been done to my skin tissue from the picking. It can be common to develop calcium deposits inside of damaged scar tissue. The only other thing that I can think of that could possibly be a contributing factor is the stress I've experienced. I've went through some extremely traumatic events. I've been diagnosed with PTSD. Is it possible that this could have triggered a response from my immune system??
The mornings are the worst. It takes me about an hour and a half before I am able to function after I've woke up. My hands and feet are always swollen. I am always stiff as a board all over. In order to just be able to move it's like I have to break every single joint out of a frozen state. But this happens anytime I am sitting still for a long period of time. My neck gets really bad. Sometimes I wish I had arm slings to free my shoulder sockets from the weight of my arms. I also have had issues with my throat. By the end of the day I started losing my voice. But then my eyes started getting so dry that for the first time in my life I bought eye drops. After this started happening I went to the doctor. We didn't focus as much on how my joints were doing cause the doctor was more concerned with my throat because there was swelling. An ultrasound showed nodules on my thyroids. I had tests done where they stick a needle in the nodules and draw fluid out. The doctor wanted to eliminate cancer. It was benign. But I do have several nodules on my thyroids. This may be causing some of this because your thyroids affect so many things. But I am also aware that dry throat and eyes are symptoms of connective tissue diseases also. I have extreme fatigue. By 3pm everyday my day is over with regardless.
But out of everything it is my skin thats the worst. I have noticed that my sweat has became different. At certain times it's like I sweat a lot more and it's stickier. I've also noticed a weird smell. It smells like peroxide. That may sound crazy but it's true. But this seems to happen right before my skin goes through the phases that it does. The texture becomes different like plastic. It seems like thicker pads of skin have developed over my elbows, finger joints and knee caps. Sometimes the sores will appear exactly like little paper cuts. It literally looks like perfectly straight little cuts. At first I did pick at them until I got so overwhelmed with fear because of the whole ordeal. When I did if I squeezed them its like they opened up to little wart like sores inside. But what's so weird is that they usually appear in groups of three and develop into 3 perfect circle sores. Then they become like embedded rocks in my skin. I think it is calcium deposits. The skin gets really hard and red all around the area. It becomes really tender. I have these places all over me. When its all inflamed its the worst pain I have ever felt in my entire life. I literally feel like a raw exposed nerve that's been rolled into broken pieces of glass all over. I am wondering if it's doing this inside of me also. When I look into what kind of sores these could be everything refers to calcium. I did have kidney stones years ago really bad. The stones were sent off and came back as calcium oxalate. They ran tests on my kidneys and determined that I had a condition with calcium in my kidneys. Could all of this just be the result of how my body handles calcium? I don't know what to do. I am trying to figure out what I can do to at least prevent as much damage as possible. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.