Sometimes illnesses have a funny way of telling us that they are there. And sometimes they do a good job of hiding. Sarcoidosis can be a subtle trickster.

Sarcoidosis is a chronic, granulomatous, autoimmune system that no known origin or cure. A response is triggered by the body’s immune system when an organ or bodily system is no longer recognizable and it attacked like bacteria or viruses that don’t belong there. It can be a very uncomfortable existence, to say the least.

Sometimes when only the lungs are affected, it is possible that very few or no signs or symptoms show up. Of all people with sarcoidosis as many as half won’t exhibit any signs or symptoms. So as a result a patient might be diagnosed by accident, usually during an examination for other reasons. One common way is through a blood test that involves getting an A.C.E level.

You sitting there at your computer, thinking, ”how does a person have an illness and not know? What kind of illness would have no symptoms? That’s crazy.” Twelve years ago, I might have thought the same thing. Then I was diagnosed with sarcoidosis. I had signs and symptoms but between talking to others and having to do a certain amount of research on my own, with sarcoidosis, it is possible. And let me tell you, it has been an education and an experience.

The signs and symptoms that I had experienced prior to finding out that it was sarcoidosis also were similar to those of the common cold, flu, bronchitis, and asthma. Believe me, that list could probably go on for miles. It was almost 2 years before being diagnosed and I heard diagnosis’ of everything I just mentioned and then some. I was getting this feeling that something was wrong. But because of what I was being told was wrong I was getting frustrated and feeling extremely crazy.

My experience probably isn’t unusual since the signs and symptoms can be minimal. And like me, someone else could feel the way I did-like booking a padded room at the local mental health facility.

Some of the signs and symptoms may include:

1. vague feeling of discomfort and fatigue,

2. fever,

3. weight loss,

4. shortness of breath,

5. cough, which can be chronic,

6. and raised skin eruptions.

In 80 to 90% of people with sarcoidosis, the lungs are affected.

These small inflammatory nodules, called granulomas, form in the affected tissue or system because the body’s immune system has identified it as not belonging there as if it were a bacteria or virus. So it tries to get rid of it.

Sometimes it can take awhile to show up. When it does, it can be devastating. It can be hard to diagnose. It can also take a long time to get to that diagnosis with the whole process of elimination and then the actual testing for it. Sarcoidosis doesn’t seem to be the first conclusion that anyone comes to, certainly not to those of us laypersons who hadn’t heard of it before and just said “HUH?”

My humble suggestions are whether you’re healthy or sick:

1. See a doctor for regular check-ups, like once every year.

2. Don’t be afraid of asking questions or even asking for a second opinion if you think it is needed.

3. If your doctor is rushing through your examination, free feel to tell your doctor to slow down, that you have questions or concerns. If the doctor can not do this for you, go over his or her head. Switch doctors if nothing else works.

4. Make sure you understand what is being done with your care. After all it is your body and you have the right to know. Medical professionals and personnel get busy.

5. In summary honest communication is important

It is your body and your health. Take care of it. Healthy or not, it will go far.

Tags: inflammatory nodules, sarcoidosis, symptoms

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 25th, 2010 at 5:45 pm and is filed under Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.