Thank you for the responses everybody. Interesting about lyme disease, but I was rarely in the areas where the risk is high, although I'm sure it's still possible I got it.
I do have a ton of hard to explain symptoms that have been dogging me for about 20 years that nobody understands. Sicca syndrome with very dry eyes and mouth (but not with the RA of sjogren's), disc disease, skin gets palid, hair thins at times (thyroid tests always shows ok). The most obvious symptom to me is one that's hard to explain. I used to be really attractive and healthy looking and for the past 15-20 years I look chronically sick or unhealthy. My eyes aren't white anymore and my skin looks kind of inflamed - sometimes photo-sensitive.
I did have a nasty big tick in Colorado a good 15 or 20 years ago - was in my thigh a couple of days before I noticed. I had to have some tissue removed years later since it was always itching and swollen and the area still itches at times. I will get checked for Lyme, but I'm sure my Dr. would use the cheap standard test. He's sure I'm a hypochondriac anyway. I had to force him to prescribe a bone density test - said I was fine and being silly -and of course I have ostepenia.
Harrison, just a normal GP now. I've wasted a lot of money over the years on internists, allergists (allergic to about everything), cardiologists, orthopedics, opthomologists, etc - hundreds of tests of everykind imaginable and nothing concrete, just sicca and degerative joints (spine and any other cartlidge), an occassional irregular heartbeat , very easily injured, failure to thrive stuff. They all just end up scratching their head and not knowing. These are things far more common in post-menopausal women.
JM
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