Hi Fellow Sufferers............Like many of you I have a long vent needing to come out, but I posted that one on the FM side..... :D So what it boils down to is I was diagnosed with Lupus in 2005 by a biopsi on my foot..... for a rash I had.. Positive was the result...... All this weird stuff with my bloods went on, and made no sense to me at all. and still doesnt....... I can't retain what I am told due to fog..... I can't read much either......... all in the too hard basket....Anyway... Can anyone explain to me how I can tell the difference between what Auto Immune disease is causing what symptom? They seem so similar to me, how do they even know I have both? Could it not all be the same one? Rheumy after 1 yr told me he could do nothing for me, as I had no swelling in any joint ever!! Only terrible pain...... shifting randomly all over my body.... Then in 2008/9 I was diagnosed by a Gastroenterologist to having Fibromyalgia......... I asked what Lupus I had, some of my Dr's didn't know, others said SLE...... What are the long term downs of haviing SLE...... I was on all sorts of meds, but took myself off them........ I was about to explode...... I have a huge problem as I am unable to stomach Codein..... and most strong pain killers contain some level of Codein...... Anyone know what strong pain killer there is out there, that will work???????? My Dr keeps giving me Paracetamol for Osteo Arthritis, I may just aswell go get a bag of smarties for the effect they have...... Also no can sleep, some days 2 dys no sleep...... DR says nothing he can do , because all sleep pills are habit forming..... So I get given Endep for depression, and supposed to help with sleep....... but they dont........ just more smarties to me..... Sry guys to be so down on the subject.... having a bad time at the mo....... Have a terrible bad chest with a dry dry cough.... I feel my eyes are going to pop out of ma head, or I will choke from lack of being able to inhale air due to coughing........ Last time my airways cut off, and was rushed to the hospital........ Is that Lupus... Fibromyalgia or just a bad bloomin cold/flu.. ? Enough for this session, I feel I am getting myself upset and worked out...... So time for a cuppa and watch some more tv,m and detract my mind...... I will check in again tomoz....... :D