The Aword

Hi Doc,

The past few weeks I have been having some problems, I don't know if they are associated with Arach. Today I had horrible pain and I had to come home from work. The joints (saccryl) have been causing me alot of pain. I cannot move around, bend over, or anything.
Which it has made me sick to my stomach all day. Is this normal?
My neck has been burning really bad. Muscles have been aching like I have been working out, but we know I haven't LOL. It is mostly my buttocks and leg muscles.
Does this disease affect your periods? The past few months I have been having them every 2 weeks. I just don't understand all of this. I have enough pain and problems without these.
I have been really swollen, even early in the morning when I wake up. I have had more frequency urinating, and doing #2 every time I have to pee. I have had alot of gas also.
I know all of this sounds gross. I hate asking you, but you are a Dr. and it is nothing to you. I just hope no one else reads this postl LOL
Hope you are feeling ok,
Hugs,
Becky

Hi Becky,

chronic pain in conditions such as AA can cause a wide variety of symptoms as it winds up the whole nervous system and has it set on 'red alert' plus this affects hormones via the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. So this could explain a number of your symptoms. There again, any new persistent symptom should not necessarily be put down to AA and should be checked out by your doc.

Hope this helps,

Regards


DocSarah

Hi DocSarah,

My sister also has similiar problems as Becky, in that she goes months without a period then it comes and lasts months. If her AA affects the hypothalamic-pituitary axis as you mentioned does it mean that she is at an advanced stage? Can this dyfunction be treated?
Thank you so much for your assistance as always, Ang

Hi,

I'm not an endocrinologist, so am unsure of what options may be available to treat this problem. I do think an overall holistic approach to reducing pain, improving sleep and mood, getting as much exercise as possible (without causing a flare-up) : i.e. good food, fresh air, enough rest and recreation, plus maybe some nutritional supplements, can be the best way to combat the various different 'constitutional' problems we get with AA.

Regards,

DocSarah

Hi DocSarah,
It is nice to have you back. It is interesting that you mentioned nutritional supplements, it has been mentioned to me recently by other victims of AA that a product (comparable to oral vitamin) that contains an aloe vera product has been effective in their lives. In your vast knowlege of this disease, in your opinion would it make any difference or just false hope.
Or by supplements do you mean the vitamins mentioned in your articles. Thank you so much for helping me thru this maze.
Regards, Ang

Hi Ang,

What kind of aloe vera supplement are u talking about? How is your sis doing?
Becky