Question by Katie Hall: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome? Or something different?
I was randomly browsing sites online a week or so ago, and I came across a story where a woman, as a secondary result of another medical problem (excess skin after her pregnancy), was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. I was intrigued, and researched it and was slightly worried….
My symptoms that match the descriptions I read – firstly:
1) I have a very high, narrow, arched palate and had a crowded mouth until I had dental intervention. My palate is still arched, although braces did help.
2) I’m flexible. I can do the splits. I can (almost) get my leg behind my leg; I think if I was slimmer, I’d be able to. My fingers bend the complete opposite way at the middle joint…. I don’t even have to manually pull my finger forwards. My knees also do this. I can turn my foot so that it faces the opposite direction to the other. I can pick up things (whether it be large or tiny) with my toes, and bring my foot up to chest level to retrieve it.
3) My skin scars terribly. I’m COVERED in lurid, purple/pink scars that are rough looking but feel relatively smooth. I’m covered in bruises at the moment and I’ve not been partaking in anything rough. I can pull my skin far away from my body at my ankles, armpits, upper legs and neck.
4) Terrible pins and needles! Peripheral neuropathy, is that what it’s called? My limbs randomly go dead, or stricken with pins and needles. Diabetes test proved negative.
5) Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
6) I suffered with crippling, dehabilitating migranes as a young child. I was hospitablised with them, but a root cause was never determined. I still, rarely, suffer with them, but not as bad as when I was growing my fastest.
7) I’m 6 foot tall and still growing.
Extreme cold intolerance in my hands and feet.
9) Joint problems!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My knees have always been known to randomly give way, I’ve sprained my ankes and wrists at least three times each, my ribs are very sore and I can’t sleep on my side or front AND even stranger: I start the day at 6 foot. Throughout the day, if active, I shrink to 5 foot 8 inches, and get AWFUL backache. Is this possibly a symptom?
However, I do wonder – are sufferers of this mainly very thin? Because I’m classed as overweight. Or could that just be because I also suffer from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome?
My main question is, should I pursue this with my doctor? Or are these symptoms something less worrying…. or even strange little quirks of mine? Serious, informed answers only please.
Best answer:
Answer by Talwyn
>My main question is, should I pursue this with my doctor?
Yes, yes you should.
Whenever you have serious concerns–and it seems so based on the fact that you can list these things easily–you should always go to the doctor. Perhaps you’ll be told it’s nothing, but perhaps you won’t. Is it worth the hour’s convenience of skipping making an appointment really worth all the time you’ll spend worrying over it?
Having concerns about your health and not going to see the doctor is like gambling with your health. You’ve only got one body; is it worth it to ignore it when something is going wrong? You don’t get a replacement if the one you’ve got wears out. Please, go see your doctor and get a professional answer. Don’t wait.
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