A diagnosis!
Wanted to share this with everyone. I got a letter from the new rheumatologist this afternoon about the bloodwork she ran on me last week. Apparently I am severely vitamin-D deficient, which she said causes weak muscles, whole-body pain, and joint damage. Hi, there's a bunch of my symptoms! I'm to take prescription strength vitamin-D supplements once a week for the next two months, and then they will test how well my body is absorbing it. I can't believe in two years no doctor even thought to test for it! I know most people get their vitamin-D from sunlight (which I rarely see) and enriched milk (which I don't drink). Although I will be seeing more daylight come next week and after as gardening season starts. :)
But I'm so glad to have an actual, verifiable diagnosis! Something that can actually be treated, instead of the "well, it's sorta fibromyalgia, and there's no treatment for that..." Of course, it could well be that I'm vitamin-D deficient *and* I have fibromyalgia, but I'll take any improvement over the limited, reclusive life I lead nowadays.
But I'm so glad to have an actual, verifiable diagnosis! Something that can actually be treated, instead of the "well, it's sorta fibromyalgia, and there's no treatment for that..." Of course, it could well be that I'm vitamin-D deficient *and* I have fibromyalgia, but I'll take any improvement over the limited, reclusive life I lead nowadays.