Follow Up On My Post About Lupus.

[frenchiemama]

So, I'm just sitting here trying to convince myself that I couldn't possibly have something like Lupus. I mean come on, I don't want that.

I have a doctors appointment on Friday, but I guess I'm just feeling nervous and need to comiserate with others who possibly have similar symptoms.

Here is my list:

- swollen glands

- random fevers

- occasional dizziness and lack of coordination

- spells of fatigue that last a few days at a time

- transient aches in any joint, but mostly my neck

- "tight" feeling muscles, like a pulling sensation, all over and all the time

- slight swelling in my left ankle for about a week now (doc said it could be from the heat, but who knows)

- the skin on my face and chest breaks out into tons of tiny little bumps in the sun, prevented by sunscreen (could be related to my DH, but it doesn't itch at all and doesn't look the same either)

Can anyone relate?

[kabowman]

I have had all these symptoms for several years now, I finally started talking to the docs when the fatigue hit...all tests continue to come back negative for lupus (different kinds), rhumatoid arthritis, lyme disease, thyroid, etc.

I finally saw a dermatologist due to the rashes and all his tests came back negative too, however, he is treating me for a tick-borne disease, just in case and almost all of they symptoms are gone.

Now, I am not saying this is what you should do or what is wrong, I am saying, keep trying to find a doc that is willing to help you. My PCP refused to send me to a rhumatoidologist since my symptoms actually went away sometimes and I would feel closer to normal occasionally. HOWEVER, now that I am in the third month of drugs, I realize that I haven't felt good for longer than I thought.

My family has celiac disease, RA on the maternal side and Lupus on both sides so I was pretty scared for a while. I hope all the symptoms stay away. The one thing that hasn't is all the tendonitis, which is an initial symptom of RA but I feel so much better, I will keep hoping that I am "cured."

[mytummyhurts]

My PCP refused to send me to a rhumatoidologist since my symptoms actually went away sometimes and I would feel closer to normal occasionally.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is ridiculous as Lupus and other diseases like this have periods of remission and then flare-ups. Aarrgh!

My symptoms (while I'm in a flare-up, otherwise I'm basically normal) are swelling of almost all my joints. Hands and feet are really bad. My hands swelled so bad the first time that I looked like the Pillsbury Dough Boy! Pain in the joints, especially bad after heat and laying or sitting down. Fever, accompanied by periods of chills and overheating. Raynauds. Sore throat. Extreme fatigue.

But, I don't know for sure if I have Lupus or something else. I too hope I (or you) do not have Lupus. Right now my two flare-ups were 6 months apart. If it stays like that it won't be too bad. But I could not imagine feeling like that all the time. It's terrible. Good luck at your doctor!