Sometimes these things really take very long to manifest fully one.
Can share with you my wife's story.
Back then in early 2010s, we went to Beijing for holiday and were enjoying ourselves. That time still not yet 2013 indon haze or 2015 heavy indon haze episodes, and the 1997 heavy haze long past liao so not much recollection.
Was during winter, enjoying the snow and building snowman etc. So one fine day suddenly "heavy fog", pretty heavy until could only see 200-300m in front of us. We thought winter weather lah...... so continued to be outside. Went back hotel that night and suddenly early morning my wife vomitted multiple times and headache.
^^^^
edit - when i returned to SG, i went to the USA Embassy and digged the AQI air quality index archive that the USA Embassy in Beijing would sample. That particular day in Beijing, the AQI spiked to over AQI 400.
So told the tour guide and the SG guide took us to Chaoyang hosp while the china tour guide took the rest of the group. At Chaoyang, did CT scan and blood test, but nothing came out, other than elevated platelet count in the 500s (i think upper limit is some 280 or something). The A&E physician told us return back to SG better check, this might be no joke. Took more painkillers and cured the headache, thought nothing of it.
Back in SG, went to SGH to see blood specialist and did tests, did some specific Anti CCP and ANA test, One was negative and the other indeterminate.
"Anti-CCP" refers to anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies, which are autoantibodies that can be detected in the blood to help diagnose rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
An anti-nucleic acid test most commonly refers to the
Antinuclear Antibody (ANA) test, a blood test that detects proteins (autoantibodies) your immune system mistakenly produces to attack your own cells' nuclei.
Indeterminate still a bit concerning coz platelet up down a bit between 500s and 600s. So i think that time he a bit suspect got RA, so recommended to go SGH ARC (Autoimmunity And Rheumatology Centre ARC). RA side nothing, no confirmed RA diagnosis. So after like 9 months of follow up with both specs, platelet count same same, we stopped. Simply coz walk in status, so treated as private. We stopped coz too expensive, no insurance coverage coz no hospitalization. Subclinical, no sypmptoms, just monitor.
Then covid started and late 2020/early 2021 pain liao. The private $170 body checkup also indicated RF / rheumatoid factor went up, over the threshold value, i think hs-CRP also elevated. The GP in charge recommended that we see Polyclinic so that we can get referred to specialists, which then would be public rate. Same Anti CCP and ANA tests, finally confirmed positive diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis coz satisfied multiple positives, including ultrasound and X-rays of several joints including hip, knees, scapula, elbow, wrists/fingers etc. Platelet count still same at 500-600s, sometimes 700.
So same thing, saw SGH ARC spec and took the typical RA meds.
After 1 year, changed to private coz worsening blood work. Private RA spec confirmed left elbow joint chronic and somewhat high level inflammation a bit spoil liao, my wife lost 15 deg of flexion, ie cannot straighten elbow. Took very specific monoclonal antibody IV meds and JAK inhibitors orally. Heng is insurance got cover coz private spec admitted my wife so can claim pre and post hospitalisation medical treatment. We also a bit stupid, shd have went private spec straightaway, even though the initial few consultations might not be covered, but we never thought the pte spec can cover by admitting her into hospital so that pre and post treatment visits at the clinic (basically just blood tests + collect the very expensive drugs) also covered.
Now i scared they pattern pattern, coz like the recent Great Eastern buay song Mount Elizabeth orchard and Mt E Novena. My wife used to be using Mt E Novena (coz the spec got clinic at novena) but now changed to Farrer park coz the claim process is terok. Farrer park is auto process for claims.
So 2011/12 "accidental" detection via blood platelet, but all other areas normal. God knows how many years before 2011 already got issue with the platelet liao.
So these things did not start with just 1 to even 3-5 years, not so fast one.
Is many many many years of ill-treatment of our bodies via our lifestyles and diet in one way or another.
In fact, even oral health and gut health, many people do not think anything about that.
And we still have not managed to find out what is the trigger. Is it oral bacteria going into bloodstream? (my wife already plugged out like 8 teeth, that time gingival infections and cavities quite terok).
Is it gut health? (leaky gut, gut issues like gluten sensitivity, celiac etc?)
Is it coz obsese? But now my wife slimmed down liao, the inflammation still going strong and never go down.
What the heck is causing the body to buay song and create the autoimmunuty?
Maybe body spoil already, once started and it would never stop. Is only a matter of slowing down the self-destruction of organs and body systems so that you can get X more years of quality living.
That is why, prevention is always better than cure. As there is a chance that one can never be cured even with the best of diet and exercise, and body weight getting back to normal . Cracked means cracked liao, can only manage the cracked symptoms with patching and reinforcements, so as to slow down the eventual building collapse.
