Sarcoidosis

As I stated in my Hub "13 Years To Diagnosis", the symptoms of sarcoidosis are different in different people. This autoimmune disease is a strange manifestation. Some lucky people develop the disease but never even know it. Others suffer daily. If you have been recently been diagnosed, my suggestion is to join an online support group. We no longer suffer in silence, we voice our opinion and compare how we are feeling. Even doctors are not all savvy on this illness. Many people have different doctors with different methods of treating this illness. Here is your chance to compare notes with real people and see for yourself. Remember we are the only ones who know our body and exactly how we feel. Keep a journal of symptoms and how you are feeling. If you neglect to do this, you will surely forget and when you go to the doctor, it is important to relay ALL you are experiencing. Keep track of your medications and exact dosage and length of time you take them as some drugs do nothing while others help tremendously. Get a copy of blood tests, scans and any other outside medical testing you receive. Your doctor could retire or move and you will be required to have your records sent to your new physician because of privacy regulations.

Remember sarcoidosis manifests itself in many parts of your body. It is a group of cells It can cause asthma-like symptoms due to lung adenopathy or a cough that has no explanation. It can cause ugly discoloration and scar-like marks on any part of your skin. It can affect your eyes or appear on any internal organ. It can affect your bones and joints or it can just make life in general miserable by cycling in several different directions by affecting your lungs one time and next time your skin. I seem to have cycles of good and bad; one time my joints will swell making everyday routines much of a drudge, it may affect my lungs making breathing labored and requiring me to use my inhaler or nebulizer several times a day or making my skin so itchy that I want to scratch it off or the lymph nodes and glands under my ear swell and hurt my ear, face and neck. The bad cycles always last a lot longer than the good ones, but staying positive and having a doctor that I trust makes it so much easier to deal with.   It was a little over a year ago that beloved comedian Bernie Mac died of complications from sarcoidosis.  As I said before, you are the boss of your own body and must take charge. Here is to your continued good health and a cure for this miserable malady.  You must be proactive - take care of yourself and make sure to get your flu and pneumonia shots and if you do feel that you are getting sick, stay home from work and get to a doctor.  Too many people wait until they are at death's door before going to a doctor.  You will be glad you did.