Unidentified Autoimmune Disease

You are not alone.

If you're reading this post, you probably are an autoimmune victim. Sit back, relax and listen to what I got to say. I have written this in my own perspective as a patient. 

As you know autoimmune can mean many things. An autoimmune disease happens when, by accident, the immune system of the body assaults and kills healthy body tissue. About 80 forms of autoimmune disorders occur.

If you have similar symptoms as I have this might get interesting as I now have adjusted to live with it. The symptoms I have are as follows: 

1. Muscle Pain (Chest, back, shoulder, biceps, leg etc).

2. Lack of breath. (Breathing doesn't feel complete).

3. Severe rib area muscle pain when waking up. 

4. GERD (Gastro Esophageal Reglux Disease/Gastritis). 

5. Lack of concentration.

6. Urticaria (Skin irritations, if i scratch the skin gets lumpy, and itchy).

You know how desperate you are if you have the same, because as you know, there will be no one listening to all what you experience on day to day basis. Talking to someone about this makes the other party think if you're having depression. 

Even most of the doctors will not listen to you. If you have these symptoms tell your doctor you need to do a ANF test (Anti Nuclear Factor). And if you have Autoimmune make sure to meet a Rheumatologist. This specific doctor will tell you to do more tests like the ANA Panel to check what is the exact autoimmune disease you have. 

The treatments are going to be steroids, basically once I started with a high dose of Prednisolone, I started feeling like the good old days. This feeling gives you the best motivation to be focused on living again. But then when the doctor start telling you about the side effects of Prednisolone, or when you find out by your self the nightmare begins. It's like if you want to get better you need to go ahead with Prednisolone, but your sacrificing a lot to feel better. 

Prednisolone mimics the effects of the hormones in your adrenal glands that your body naturally releases. Steroids such as prednisolone reduces inflammation when prescribed in concentrations greater than the normal amounts in the body. This can also damp your immune system by reducing the symptoms of inflammatory conditions.

When taking Prednisolone on longer term, you may experience the following: 

1. Elevated pressure in the eyes (glaucoma).

2. Clouding of the lens in one or both eyes (cataracts).

3. A round face (moon face).

4. High blood sugar, which can trigger or worsen diabetes.

5. Increased risk of infections, especially with common bacterial, viral and fungal microorganisms.

6. Thinning bones (osteoporosis) and fractures.

7. Suppressed adrenal gland hormone production that may result in a variety of signs and symptoms, including severe fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and muscle weakness.

8. Thin skin, bruising and slower wound healing.

I recommend you not to depend on Prednisolone but to try out my way of handling things. 

Being a father of three I never wanted to give up on my life as I am so greedy to live a little longer to see my kids grow better and stronger. I still remembers how helpless I felt when the sudden body changes occurs. Once I started going to a gym after not doing workouts for nearly an year. Then the muscles are not recovering. The arms couldn't reach the face for 5 straight days after 1st workout. But should you stop doing workouts? Never. Do a step up workout along with cardio exercises. Drink a lot of water. I mean like 6/7 liter per day. Doctors will not tell you to do those things. For some of them you're just another customer. And then try to reduce the intake of Prednisolone by a step down therapy within a month after starting workouts. 

Furthermore one you have stopped steroids, check if the symptoms gets back, if it does, take a single dose and see. Take Prednisolone only if you feel the body is being hunted buy your own immune system. Do this, never give up and get depressed. No need to talk to anyone about it because unless you find someone who has Autoimmune you are taking to a tree.