from the lips to the hips?!
Good morning, everyone!
I really hate to even mention what is going on with me, especially after reading what so many of you have been going through - but I've always been so lucky to enjoy good health, so now when 3 different things begin at the same time, well, I have to wonder if they may all be connected in some way.
I've had digestive issues for years, since 1987, I'm 49 now, so it's been going on intermittently since I was 28 - wow that's 21 years! There are periods of time that it's worse, for weeks, months at a time, and other times it's not so bad. Diet doesn't seem to make much differenct, although any kind of stress at all certainly does - for the worse. For lack of a better word, I'll use the word "flare" for the times that I am actually afraid to stray too far from my house - and wouldn't even consider going out to eat. During a flare, anything I eat - must come right out. i can feel it coming on - shooting pains in my abdomen, sometimes accompanied by nausea, but definitely pains. During flares, it could be 3, 4, 5, sometimes even 6 times a day I have to make a beeline for the restroom - a quick beeline! Other times - not flare - most foods still upset my stomach, but not to the same degree. Fried foods are DEFINITELY the worst. French fries, and pizza! Only to be eaten at home!
Recently, though, within the last 3 weeks, 2 new symptoms have appeared with this current flare - I have open sore-like areas on my bottom lip. They burn, sting, and are just painful to have. They're not cold, or canker, sores. I've had them a few times over the years, but usually only 1 area. There are more this time, and my lips are very dry. The other symptom is very painful joints in my hands. The middle joint, and the pain varies by finger. They seem warm, and even a little swollen. I have had this before, a few times. But these 3 symptoms have now come together all at the same time - could they possibly be related??
I had a colonoscopy about 9 years, for same stomach issues - they determined ibs. I elected to not take any medication, but try to control it on my own - I'm not very good about taking any kind of medicine, so unless absolutely necessary, I'll try to wait it out - whatever it is. So, if it was negative for any kind of ibd at that time, could that change, at some point?
Just as an aside, my mother has RA, Sjogren's, and lupus. I rarely get a cold.
Any advice, information, please share!
Thank you.
obxgirl
Good morning, everyone!
I really hate to even mention what is going on with me, especially after reading what so many of you have been going through - but I've always been so lucky to enjoy good health, so now when 3 different things begin at the same time, well, I have to wonder if they may all be connected in some way.
I've had digestive issues for years, since 1987, I'm 49 now, so it's been going on intermittently since I was 28 - wow that's 21 years! There are periods of time that it's worse, for weeks, months at a time, and other times it's not so bad. Diet doesn't seem to make much differenct, although any kind of stress at all certainly does - for the worse. For lack of a better word, I'll use the word "flare" for the times that I am actually afraid to stray too far from my house - and wouldn't even consider going out to eat. During a flare, anything I eat - must come right out. i can feel it coming on - shooting pains in my abdomen, sometimes accompanied by nausea, but definitely pains. During flares, it could be 3, 4, 5, sometimes even 6 times a day I have to make a beeline for the restroom - a quick beeline! Other times - not flare - most foods still upset my stomach, but not to the same degree. Fried foods are DEFINITELY the worst. French fries, and pizza! Only to be eaten at home!
Recently, though, within the last 3 weeks, 2 new symptoms have appeared with this current flare - I have open sore-like areas on my bottom lip. They burn, sting, and are just painful to have. They're not cold, or canker, sores. I've had them a few times over the years, but usually only 1 area. There are more this time, and my lips are very dry. The other symptom is very painful joints in my hands. The middle joint, and the pain varies by finger. They seem warm, and even a little swollen. I have had this before, a few times. But these 3 symptoms have now come together all at the same time - could they possibly be related??
I had a colonoscopy about 9 years, for same stomach issues - they determined ibs. I elected to not take any medication, but try to control it on my own - I'm not very good about taking any kind of medicine, so unless absolutely necessary, I'll try to wait it out - whatever it is. So, if it was negative for any kind of ibd at that time, could that change, at some point?
Just as an aside, my mother has RA, Sjogren's, and lupus. I rarely get a cold.
Any advice, information, please share!
Thank you.
obxgirl