Showing posts with label Lupus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lupus. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Lab Order Arrived

Got my lab order!

NMO IgG, Copper level, Anti-Ro, Anti-La, Anticardiolipin antibody, ANA w/ reflex, Beta-2-glycoprotein, Lupus anticoagulant assay w/ reflex

So he is checking NMO and copper as he said, as well as Sjogren's and Lupus. Well, I would be surprised if I have Sjogren's, as I do not have the classic symptoms of dry mucous membranes. And I would be surprised if I have Lupus as I have no skin symptoms and my symptom profile is quite neurological. It would be an atypical presentation, but I suppose it is possible.

However, the ICD9 code he put on the order was 340, which I looked up... Multiple Sclerosis.

So I will get my blood drawn tomorrow and hopefully get back all negative results. While I do not want to have MS (I was thinking about starting the clinical trial and almost cried), I am pretty sure I want these other disorders even less.

I never did hear back about my Vitamin D levels, blood calcium, and urine calcium. I am going to call and bug them tomorrow. I am also going to bug them AGAIN about the as-yet-unreceived MRI order.

OH, I think I forgot to mention that I spoke with Dr. Rick's secretary yesterday, and she is working on scheduling a screening visit for me on November 30 for the daclizumab study. Unless something happens with the bloodwork and it turns out I do not have MS after all.

Sensory:
-Pins and needles: 2
-Tingles: 0
-Paresthesias (burning): 1
-Paresthesias (other): 0
-Numbness: 4, no change in the permanently numb areas, still losing feeling when I sit. Most of the time. I should pay attention to times I sit and do not lose feeling--maybe chair height? Softness? Angle?
-Vision: 2.. getting better?
-Nerve pain: 3

Motor:
-Gait: 2
-Sore muscles: 4, and even worse this morning. I am stiff and sore most mornings, then it gets better as I move around, and then it gets worse in the late evening again.
-Fine motor: 2, I am typing much better today!
-Weak muscles: 5, I do not feel safe going down stairs lately. And I sometimes feel like my legs might buckle when I am standing. Standing is harder than walking for some reason. Maybe it is in my head?
-Spasticity: 3

Cognitive:
-Language processing: 2
-Memory: 2
-Attention: 0
-Confusion: 2

General:
-Fatigue: 4
-Balance: 1
-Sleep: 3, close to eight hours but broken up a little
-Bladder: 1