How were you diagnosed?

A Lupus diagnosis is made by a rheumatologist, they are the experts when it comes to Lupus and several other auto-immune diseases.

Typically, four or more of the following criteria must be present to make a diagnosis of systemic lupus.

The “Eleven Diagnostic Criteria”

1. Malar rash: butterfly-shaped rash across cheeks and nose
2. Discoid (skin) rash: raised red patches
3. Photosensitivity: skin rash as result of unusual reaction to sunlight
4. Mouth or nose ulcers: usually painless
5. Arthritis (nonerosive) in two or more joints, along with tenderness, swelling, or effusion. With nonerosive arthritis, the bones around joints don’t get destroyed.
6. Cardio-pulmonary involvement: inflammation of the lining around the heart (pericarditis) and/or lungs (pleuritis)
7. Neurologic disorder: seizures and/or psychosis
8. Renal (kidney) disorder: excessive protein in the urine, or cellular casts in the urine
9. Hematologic (blood) disorder: hemolytic anemia, low white blood cell count, or low platelet count
10. Immunologic disorder: antibodies to double stranded DNA, antibodies to Sm, or antibodies to cardiolipin
11. Antinuclear antibodies (ANA): a positive test in the absence of drugs known to induce it.

You may have something as simple as heat rash -- there are several slightly different rashes that can result from sun and heat.

Best wishes,

I don't know what to think. Lupus???or other disorder
My 8 year daughter has been complaining of aches and pains, legs, arms, " her heart hurts" even that " she feels that she can't take enough air into her body". I kept telling myself that it was nothing. I took her to her PCP, he referred her to sports medicine DR who took x-ray of her knees. Outcome was , she needs physical therapy to strengthen her muscles. I've been doing exercises with her at home. She still complains of pains, now headaches, found out her vision got worse when I took her to get her yearly vision screen. My daughter is 48 inches and weighs 45lbs. She has little appetite and complains of always being tired. I took her back to her pcp, I insisted that she needed a complete physical and bloodwork. He orders CMP, CBC, UA, Ferritin ( her dad dx of hemochromatosis), RF, CRP, and ANA.
Blood work was good and negative except for the ANA was positive, Pattern was Homogenous and Titer was >1:80.
Does this indicate that she has lupus or another autoimmune disorder???
She was referred to a pediatric Rheumy which I was told that appointment can take a couple of weeks to be seen. For now I'm just about going crazy wondering. ( PS. My mother has RF since she was 30 years old, she is now 64 and bed confined)

Not yet, I found a pediatric rhematologist in Corpus Christi that will take her next week. All I read and search points to lupus :/

Thank you for your comforting words. I will wait for appointment and hope all is well with her.

yvoedd said...
Not yet, I found a pediatric rhematologist in Corpus Christi that will take her next week. All I read and search points to lupus :/

Wow, small world. I'm from CC and my Rhumy is Dr. XX YY. She's been a life saver, literally. Hopefully you won't need a rheumatologist but if you do I highly recommend her.

Edited to remove Dr details for liability reasons.

Post Edited By Moderator (Lynnwood) : 5/29/2017 7:30:33 PM (GMT-6)