Posted 7/5/2018 7:26 AM (GMT 0)
Hi All,
I am new to all of this and not very knowledgeable about diseases. I have a bit of fear of doctors since I was little and that plays a part.
I have had numerous small separate or what I thought were separate little health related issues over the past few years. In the summer of 2017 I had a tooth infection and had to take antibiotics and have the tooth pulled. At the same time I started taking my 3 year old at the time to an area on the river nearby where we spent a lot of time in the sun. Pretty much daily.
Since then I have had growing pains in my knee and now knees sometimes making it difficult to walk for days at a time, pain in the middle of my knuckles and along the sides of my middle fingers. While searching on this Ii found results showing different symptoms of lupus.
I am now realizing the separate issues I have may all be signs of Lupus. Occasional chest pain that will increase when I breath deeper (this I have had since I was a about 12 and saw a doctor for it who diagnosed it as "growing pains" it rarely happens now). A rash has shown up that runs across my nose and cheeks. Memory loss. Daily fatigue. Wrist pain. Depression. Small brighter red spots show up randomly on my legs. A large dark red spot on my left leg. Gastrointestinal pain followed by a fever. The pain in my Knuckles and more so in my left knee as well as wrists and sometimes a burning pain in my elbow if I lean on it wrong. I get a lot of headaches. I’m sure there’s more but i have a hard time focusing some days and remembering simple things.
How do I approach my doctor about this? I’m sure they see all kinds of hypochondriacs that’s think they have something. I searched many healthcare websites like Mayo Clinic (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lupus/symptoms-causes/syc-20365789), EverydayHealth (https://www.everydayhealth.com/lupus/), WebMD (https://www.webmd.com/lupus/guide/lupus-diagnosis-tests) until I find a result that tells me I am fine and then try and forget about it until the next time it shows up again. Finding the different articles on the signs of lupus was like a smack in the face though, it’s kind of pulls everything together.
Thank you
Jane