Two weeks ago my girlfreind who is 28 began having joint pain in all her joints but most affected were her hands and feet. They became very stiff and painful to move within a couple days. She also had swollen glands in her neck. We went to the doc to get her checked out and they prescribed her prednisone and took blood/urine. The prednisone worked immediately and the doctor sent the blood to the lab for some type of lupus specific tests. I am not sure what all was done, but I know the ANA test was very high and there may have been some other lupus blood tests that helps diagnose, but I am not sure exactly what was done.
All I know is that after the blood test the doctor diagnosed my girlfreind as having lupus and referred her to what you all call a "rhuemy" 
After doing some searching I've found that to be diagnosed you must have 4 of the symptoms from the list of traditional symptoms. She doesn't have a rash, no fatigue, no sensitivity to sunlight... only joint pain and swollen glands. I'm wondering how accurate a diagnosis can be made with blood work and these symptoms.. ??
A couple days ago she finished the prescription of prednisone and the joint pain has started to come back slowly, and the earliest appointment she could get with a rhuemy is A MONTH away... Seems like something ought to be happening faster than this! Is it just me wanting answers to quickly? I have so many questions and the answers I find only lead to more questions. I'm a man.. and I need to be able to fix things, and I just keep going in circles trying to figure out whats going on here..
Also, can delaying treatment/diagnosis by a rhuemy cause permanent joint damage? A month seems like an eternity before we can get on a treatment plan.
Any responses with advice, similar experiences, or info would be greatly appreciated!
Thankyou
Nick