How fast did your Lupus develop?

When I first tested ANA positive in July last year, I had few symptoms other than fatigue and a couple of numb fingers. I now have numb hands, pins and needles in my neck, pins and needles and pain in my feet, flares in my skin that make my skin bright red especially my cheeks, occasional hives, asthma, sore and stiff muscles if I sit still too long, anemia. I am awaiting results of follow up tests and am without diagnosis at present.

It sems like mine has come on suddenly and is progressively getting worse.  It started for me in 2004 with hives, I thought they were flea bites until they got as big as my thigh with pain that went all the way to the bone.  Then in 2006, just agter the first positive ANA/RF came back I got pregnant with my second son.  It was during my pregnancy that the joint pains started in my hands.  After my son was born in July of 2007 I've gone down hill at an alarming rate.  I used to be very active and now I only leave the house about once a week.  I can't take anti-inflammatories because thay aggravate the hives which cleared up after four months on plaquenil.  The joint pain is now in my hands, wrists, hips and the ball of my left foot.  I have trouble walking in the morning until the pain meds kick in.  I really didn't have time to wish for a slow progression, by the time I got over my denial it had hit me so hard.  I am luck in that so far I have no major organ involvement as yet and hopefully will never see that aspect.  I must agree with what the others said, that this disease is different for everyone.  NSAIDs would work great on my pain if only they didn't cause such a severe skin reation.  Plaquenil has helped alot with the skin problems and the fatigue, but keep in mind that it takes 4-6 months to start working, so if your doc puts you on it, be sure to really give it a chance.  Be sure to check out the Lupus resources page in this forum, especially the diagnosis criteria.  I wish you the best of luck and truly pray that it is just a virus.  Hope you're feeling better soon.

I think I may have had lupus since I was a teenager but nothing really added up until I was in my 30's. I started having joint pain mainly in my hands (maybe around 2002) and other things which I thought was from using the computer at work and stress. I noticed I broke out in a rash when at the beach, it had happened numerous times since since I was a teenager. Then in 2004 I started experiencing extreme fatigue, increased joint pain, etc and I was dx with lupus in 2005. It has slowly gotten worse since then, joint pain has spread to other joints and meds don't seem to be controlling things very well.

Everyone is different, no two people have the same symptoms. There are mild cases of lupus and there are severe cases. I hope you get some answers soon.

I started out with Rhematoid Athritis 20 years ago and just was told about this MCTD almost two months ago now. It seems to have progressed quite about since I lost my son back in October. A rash, aching joints, pain to my bones, oral ulcers, hair falling out, massive swelling, etc, etc, etc. I was bedrested last week Wednesday- Sunday. Monday I started to fell better, then my period came and I felt worst. Today my hands really hurt, my left knee area and my right hand is swollen with red patches from my finger to past my wrist. Rheumy not in today.....