Muscle Weakness
At my worst, I was so weak that there were certain clothes I couldn't wear because they were too heavy. I had to invest in a very small handbag. Anything larger was too much for me to tote. Simple things like getting into and out of a vehicle and pushing a grocery cart became a burdensome thing. Walking for any distance was very difficult. I'm certainly thankful to have those days behind me.
I discovered in 2016 that the muscle weakness is a symptom of polymyositis. I have been unsuccessful to find a rheumatologist who will give me a diagnosis of polymyositis. The last rheumatologist said, “You would be very weak if you had polymyositis.” It is very frustrating. I guess you have to be confined to a wheel chair before they are willing to pronounce such a diagnosis. I realize it is a rare condition, but my thinking is that there are far more people who have the disease than are diagnosed. The testing for such diseases as polymyositis and Sjogren’s are not very conclusive in my opinion. I only received a diagnosis of Sjogren’s because of the noticeable dryness in the mouth and eyes, not because I tested positive.
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