What could cause these symtoms?

[3and3]

I have a DR appt next week and would like to know what you all think. So I can make sure to ask the right questions and get the right blood tests done. KWIM:glare:

 

I do not go to the DR that often and would rather not make 5 trips to figure out what is going on with me. So here is my symtoms tell me what you think.

 

Muscle spasms, pain in joints, mild depression, mood swings(really bad), insomnia at least 3 days a month, trouble concentrating, fatigue, painful ovulation, and my periods are not as regular, and very painful.

 

A little background, I have been pregnant 7 times, and have had 8 babies(youngest twins 2.5yo). I am 36yo and am married. My life is a little stressful 5 dc at home and we are poor. Also, I have a fibriod tumor and had a major car accident that broke my femur and foot 21 yrs ago.

I do take womans vitamins and BONEhealth (eggshell calcium w/Magnesium and vitD3) most days.

 

TIA

Jenny

[3and3]

:bigear:

[Michelle in AL]

It sounds like hormonal imbalance or depression. Depression can cause pain, fatigue, forgetfullness, and insomnia along with the expected symptoms.

 

A hormone imbalance can cause this as well. So could thyroid. I would ask for a thyroid panel along with testing of your hormones.

 

If it could truly be depression, I would consider treatment for this. My husband just went to the doctor for long standing untreated depression. He is miserable. I think it might have been much easier to treat if he hadn't let it go on for so long.

[asta]

Actually, depression can cause almost all of that.

 

It seems odd, I know, but I thought you might like to hear it ahead of time. Sometimes when a doctor says it, it sounds as if they are being dismissive of your very real physical discomforts. Not to sound like a cheesy Cymbalta commercial, but depression does physically hurt. It can hurt deep in your bones, make you too tired to wake up, or too tired to sleep (if that makes sense). It can wipe out concentration, the taste of food - you name it.

 

Most of what you have written is normal action and consequence kind of stuff: Seven pregnancies can be a great burden on a woman's reproductive system (I say "can" because some women never seem to have any problems, and some can only ever carry one). It is reasonable to assume that eight babies have caused some wear and tear (menstrual irregularities, etc.). Again, I say that because someone will probably say something similar to you, and I don't want you to feel as if they are dismissing you as some kook for having a large family; more babies simply equals more opportunities for body changes. Your doc definitely needs to refer you to a GYN to investigate why your ovulations have become so painful and to have the fibroid looked at/dealt with. I realize that money is tight, but there are docs out there who will work pro bono (believe it or not) to help a woman in need.

 

Since you broke your femur and foot, it is possible that you damaged a nerve at the same time and/or gave yourself a slight limp. That, combined with the stress of multiple pregnancies and carrying around babies, etc. (we're always carrying something, aren't we?) probably tweaked your back a bit. Whenever that happens, muscle spasms are the likely result. Heck, carrying heavy groceries and babes on our hips long enough will pull a neck muscle enough to cause a decent spasm! Your doc can do a short, basic neurological exam right in his office to make sure everything is on the up and up, but will more than likely offer you some good physical therapy stretching exercises to do (they really do work).

 

The hardest thing is to remember not to slap him if/when he suggests you "just need to relax". If relaxing were all you needed, you wouldn't be hauling your fanny to his office. Remind him of that if need be. Sometimes they forget.

 

Hang in there mom.

 

 

a

[jplain]

In the interest of avoiding several appointments, I'd ask for CBC, thyroid workup (not just TSH, but free T3 and free T4 as well), B12, vitamin D, and possibly a Lyme screen.

 

Even if you're taking vitamin D, you may still be deficient, and it can cause most of the symptoms you've noticed. Even if you're not a vegetarian, B12 can be low for no apparent reason. Low B12 can cause pretty much everything on your list. Lyme disease can definitely cause muscle and joint aches, as well as depression, fatigue, etc.

 

But I also agree with everything asta wrote.

 

Hang in there! :grouphug:

[kalanamak]

Iron deficiency?

 

The fibroid can cause painful periods.

 

It is not abnormal to have insomnia 3 nights a month.

 

Many women of many have told me their "mood swings" got magically better when the youngest was about 10. I know my mother's did.

 

:grouphug:

[AuntieM]

I get many of those symptoms when my iron is low. But it is good to have things checked out. I'd have him check vitamin D levels, too, in addition to what others have mentioned.

 

The past few times I've had a physical or appointment that I thought might require a blood draw, I did not eat anything after midnight, so if a fasting blood draw was required, I was ready for it. Not too hard if it's a morning appointment. It has saved me a return visit for labwork a couple of times.

[mhg]

I have a DR appt next week and would like to know what you all think. So I can make sure to ask the right questions and get the right blood tests done. KWIM:glare:

 

I do not go to the DR that often and would rather not make 5 trips to figure out what is going on with me. So here is my symtoms tell me what you think.

 

Muscle spasms, pain in joints, mild depression, mood swings(really bad), insomnia at least 3 days a month, trouble concentrating, fatigue, painful ovulation, and my periods are not as regular, and very painful.

 

A little background, I have been pregnant 7 times, and have had 8 babies(youngest twins 2.5yo). I am 36yo and am married. My life is a little stressful 5 dc at home and we are poor. Also, I have a fibriod tumor and had a major car accident that broke my femur and foot 21 yrs ago.

I do take womans vitamins and BONEhealth (eggshell calcium w/Magnesium and vitD3) most days.

 

TIA

Jenny

 

Several of those symptoms can be from Calcium excess (muscle spasms, pain in joints, and insomnia). Calcium, if not countered with enough Magnesium, can cause these symptoms (as can Potassium issues). If you get enough calcium from your diet, then you may not necessarily need a calcium supplement. If you don't consume excess protein (which leaches bone), then you can get away with less calcium.

So...only you know your diet to know if you get enough calcium? But, can you correlate these 3 symptoms with taking the supplement(s) (keep in mind the multi has calcium also). (never take calcium/drink dairy after about 4 pm anyway as can mess your sleep up) (this is why kids with bedwetting/night terrors/restlessness also benefit from the same limitation of calcium within hours of bedtime....i digress)....

 

But, the depression could be related to stress. Are you able to exercise daily to get those serotonin levels up in your brain? This might help.

 

The mood swings could be related to hormonal fluctuations (with your female/reproductive hormones), and you say your periods have changed.

 

Finally, you know you have an established fibroid so this would cause irregular bleeding on its own.

 

Are you a big meat eater? (I ask b/c you have a fibroid so young)

 

 

Right questions:

1. status of the fibroid and what to do about it

2. check an iron/serum ferritin level (if you're having heavier bleeds secondary to the fibroid). Definitely GET A ferritin (not just an iron level).

3. do a general blood panel that checks the major systems (a cheaper route than ordering them seperately) (liver panel, thyroid, renal panel, CBC, etc.)

4. I would request an estradiol and FSH and LH

5. this general panel (in number 3) will most likely include an electrolyte panel (magnesium, calcium, potassium, etc.)....and, they'll most likely return normal, but this doesn't mean that you aren't getting too much of one or the other in supplements. The body HAS TO maintain serum/blood levels within a small range (or we'd die) and it has a remarkable ABILITY to do this, so rarely are these numbers abnormal. All this to say, that you may still need to go for a season without supplements to see how you respond and gradually add one/all back as you see whether or not they're contributing.

6. Consider sleep apnea (esp if you snore).....it's VERY common, rarely considered and can cause ALL you describe (including hypertension).

If you snore ask Dr. about it.

7. painful ovulation? perhaps cysts (if they do ultrasound of your fibroids they'll look at this too).

[3and3]

All of your comments are great. I never thought of my thyroid, but I should have my brother and gmother both have problems with them. And after speaking with my mom she said my df and db have been on anti depression meds for several yrs now. :001_huh:

 

Jenny