Wednesday, September 15, 2004
Follow-up appointment results....
Saw the neurologist for the first time since the end of July. Told her how the prednisone helped the Sjogren's symptoms and how the symptoms came back as soon as I went off of it. My neurological problems aren't as constant as they were mid-summer, but they are definitely not gone.
The doc is a bit mystified by my atypical symptoms such as the hesitancy and occasional stutter in my speech and my slow, awkward gait. She noted that I do not seem to have any anxiety or depressive episodes associated with them as sometimes happens with chronic illness. She wants to look further into my cognitive functioning, so I agreed to do a neuropsyche test.
It will take a while to get insurance approval and get set up for this. This may seem odd, but I'm actually glad I'm having this done....I've been complaining of impaired thinking since 1998 and have never had it checked out before. Until recently, no one was taking it seriously.
Also mentioned that I would be going to a Sjogren's specialist in October, and the neuro was very interested in finding out what he thought of my case. I'm having her records sent to him as well as my primary care doc's, my ENT's, and my gastroenterologist's. I never dreamed my health could get so complicated.
Tomorrow, I'm having a pulmonary function test done as I am still experiencing mild shortness of breath and heaviness in my chest. Basically, they're making sure I don't have any lung damage from the Sjogren's. I have no idea what this entails, but I doubt it could be any worse than the gastro tests I had last year.
Pain level: 7
Fatigue level: 8
The doc is a bit mystified by my atypical symptoms such as the hesitancy and occasional stutter in my speech and my slow, awkward gait. She noted that I do not seem to have any anxiety or depressive episodes associated with them as sometimes happens with chronic illness. She wants to look further into my cognitive functioning, so I agreed to do a neuropsyche test.
It will take a while to get insurance approval and get set up for this. This may seem odd, but I'm actually glad I'm having this done....I've been complaining of impaired thinking since 1998 and have never had it checked out before. Until recently, no one was taking it seriously.
Also mentioned that I would be going to a Sjogren's specialist in October, and the neuro was very interested in finding out what he thought of my case. I'm having her records sent to him as well as my primary care doc's, my ENT's, and my gastroenterologist's. I never dreamed my health could get so complicated.
Tomorrow, I'm having a pulmonary function test done as I am still experiencing mild shortness of breath and heaviness in my chest. Basically, they're making sure I don't have any lung damage from the Sjogren's. I have no idea what this entails, but I doubt it could be any worse than the gastro tests I had last year.
Pain level: 7
Fatigue level: 8
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