A few years ago I was extremely healthy, being a skier, hiker, bicycler, etc. I would regularly do the Incline in Colorado Springs.
In 2004 I developed a slight cough that got really bad. Nothing could curb it. Only massive steroids. I went to Jewish in Denver, where I was "an interesting patient". Eventually I was put on Sporanox (an antifungal) after 5 months I started losing weight. I lost 25 pounds in a month. My blood pressure went from 110 to 160. I developed glaucoma. I was taken off Sporanox, and one week later I massively clotted up (all 5 lobes of my lungs). I have (or more likely developed) Anticardiolipin antibodies.
I worked at being as active as possible, including resuming all activities. The clots dissipated. In early 2006 I noticed that my right quad felt slightly weaker in doing the incline. I told doctors, but they could find no cause. I also developed peripheral neuropathy.
During the last two+ years I have been a patient at UCH in Denver (now Aurora), Washington University in St. Louis, the University of North Carolina, plus Mayo Clinic (Scottsdale and Rochester, MN). I have no definite answer to what is going on with me, other than that a nonspecific autoimmune condition is probably at work. Most doctors just shake their heads in frustration, except for the ones that "know" the answer – such as "you have Lyme's disease" or you "you have heavy metal poisoning". Often it's hard to separate what is a real finding versus what is a doctor's almost religious belief.
My right leg is now atrophied to the point where I can hardly walk. Actually walking is the wrong word. Going a short distance while upright is a better description. And I'm afraid that I probably won't be doing this much longer. It is very painful. I have no course of treatment to pursue, other than to keep trying. Although the options are diminishing.
So that is my saga.
