Any advice please?

Hi there,

I could really do with some advice.

A month ago I had what i thought was a virus- sore throat, mild fever, swollen glands, fatigue, conjuntivitis, dermatitis on my hands and I was breaking out in hives. Then I started getting pain in the joints of my fingers, hands and wrists. The other symptoms dissipated after about a week but the pain in my hands continued and I now have pain in fingers, hands, wrists, shoulders, knees and feet. I have also been getting very itchy skin and occassionally breaking out in an itchy lumpy rash on my legs.

My family doctor put me on diclofenac and prednisolone and ran blood tests. The tests came back with an ANA of 1:640, the other tests were clear, negative for other indicators such as rheumatoid factor. I see a rheumatologist tomorrow.


What do you think? and what should I be asking the doctor?

Many thanks.
Chris

Post Edited (mangooost) : 8/30/2010 8:24:59 PM (GMT-6)

I have had lupus for about 5 yrs now and iit's has been quite a journey. For the past year and half i have been battling the skin issues. I have been broke out in what looks like hives for this time along with other issues. I have been given imuran, plaquinel, mobic, and vonos cream. the only one i'm not currently on is the imuran because it made the places on my upper arms develop sores. That cleared shortly after i stopped the imuran, but i still have the rash all over. literally it pretty much covers my whole body. I am going on my 3 wk of this round of prednisone i've seen some improvement but not much. I too,run a fever and have has sore throat and fatigue along with pain in my joints. I think the problems other than my rash comes from the systemic lupus. I wish i had a definate answer for you but so far in my dealings with lupus it seems like there isn't a definative answer on how to make it better. I think sometimes the dr.s struggle with the treatment the same as we do. I told my sister that sometimes it just feels like it's hit or miss with the treatment. I can say that since being on the plaquinel, mobic and ultram my joints and fatigue are much better. Please update us on how your appt. goes with your rhumy.