Question
Hello Karen,

I would like to begin by giving you a little history of my condition.  I am a 36 yo male.  One year ago I was having symptoms of a cold along with pains in my stomach.  The pains were different than any other I had experienced in my life.  Went to Dr. on Monday, was put on Z-Pac for cold and Nexium for stomach.  Dr. said sinus drainage was causing stomach pains.  On Wednesday of that week I noticed the top of my right foot was red and very tender to the touch.  By Friday my cold and stomach symptoms were not any better, so I went back to Dr.  Dr. set up appointment for me to be tested for gall bladder and said if I got any worse over the weekend to go to ER and to also keep my foot elevated.  Woke up that Saturday morning at 6:00 am and, having problems walking and stomach much worse, had my wife take me to ER.  They went ahead and did test for my gall bladder and decided to admit me.  This was the beginning of a week full of horror.

At this point the only 損ain?was in my foot and I was given Demerol immediately.  The first night wasn't so bad.  Was seen Sunday by my family doctor.  He advised me that he was going to have an internal medicine doctor see me and ordered a few tests.  By Sunday night I began having pains in my knees, thighs, elbows, wrists and fingers.  The Demerol was being administered every four hours and was wearing off after an hour and a half.

By Monday morning I was barely able to get out of the bed and go to the bathroom.  My left elbow was the size of a softball, my fingers were swollen, my right wrist was swollen, my legs and feet were hot to the touch, red, and swollen.  Doctor decided to get infectious disease doctor involved as well as rheumatologist.  Another battery of tests awaited.  Doctor changed from Demerol to Morphine every four hours.  However, it was the same.  After hour and a half it would wear off.  Now, let me explain something.  There was not one single doctor or nurse who understood the amount of pain I was in.  I couldn't even raise my left arm at this point because of the pain.  Monday night my blood pressure got dangerously high and I began running a fever of 104.

Tuesday I had to have a nurse help me get out of bed.  I was in so much pain I could no longer support my own weight.  More tests.  The stuff they make you drink for these tests is torture in itself.  Couldn't even get myself from the bed to the test table without nurses using the sheet to transfer me.  Tuesday night was same as Monday night.  Blood pressure skyrocketed and fever shot up.  The pain was still elevating still, I wanted so badly for a morphine drip so the level in my system would stay constant.  Doc said no.  I was beginning to feel as though they thought I was faking the level of pain I was saying I was in.

Early Wednesday it was decided I should be in Transitional Care.  I was taken there immediately after another test.  Wednesday evening the Rheumatologist came in and gave me some Naproxen.  I was having an ultrasound done on my heart at that time.  An hour after taking the Naproxen I was able to get up on my own.  It was crazy.  The majority of the pain was gone in about two hours.  No more morphine was needed.  I asked the Rheumatologist what his diagnosis was and he said 揥eber-Christian Disease?(idiopathic lobular panniculitis).  I asked him what that was and he said generically 揜heumatoid Arthritis.?br>
I was able to leave the hospital that Saturday.  The result of this disease is that I pull muscles very easily and do have some 搄oint?pains at times.  Have you ever heard of this disease?  My family doctor had not.  I found a few web sites that address it and have attached one here for your review.  The number of tests I had to go through to rule out everything else was overwhelming.  Thanks for your time.

http://www.medicinenet.com/weber-christian_disease/article.htm

Todd


Answer
Dear Todd,  I have heard of Weber-Christian Disease and it is NOT a pretty disease...  You were lucky that you did not have the oozing of pussy stuff through your skin and hopefully lucky that no organ damage was done because all of these things can happen....

You need to watch yourself closely and make sure that the medication your doctor is giving you it taken correctly and I would also make sure that you have periodic check ups by the Rheumatologist that made the PROPER diagnosis especially since your family doctor has no idea of what this is or even how to treat and monitor this disease...  You may have problems with this the rest of your life, or it could go into remission stage and not crop up again for years...  Now that you know what it is, it is you responsibility to make sure you watch it carefully and get the proper medical help....  As for the tests that you had to go through, this is common when unusual medical problems like you were having are NOT due to common disorders....  Just be glad you had a smart Rheumatologist who knew what to check for....

This is NOT "generically Rheumatoid Arthritis" since this really effects the skin and often the organs where as RA effects joints more than skin and organs...  There are literally thousands of web sites about this disease and here is one that is straight to the point..

www.med.miami.edu/glossary/art.asp?articlekey=1973

Thank you,   karen