ginny,
Symptoms started out with itching on my feet and the palms of my hands. (That's how my allergic reactions seem to start.) I took Benadryl. After about an hour the itching expanded to my back where I found hives on my chest and back. That's when I decided to go to the hospital. I've had allergic reactions before and I know better than to try and deal with it myself, it can be a dangerous situation if you're not careful. If you see hives on the outside of your body, you have them on the inside of your body. While I was there I looked at the soles of my feet and it had progressed to welts. They gave me a shot for the allergic reaction and sent me on my way after telling me don't take the plaquenil anymore and call the doctor on Monday.
I had a wonderful doctor where I use to live. At that point I had the symptoms but no labs and he felt I had lupus and was treating me like I had lupus. Four years later, I'm living in the south where I've been through 5 doctors before I found this one who diagnosed me with lupus and seemed like he was concerned about me. I was thrilled to finally have a decent doctor. My PCP has been great and he knows a little about lupus because he has a sister who has it but he's told me that he needs me to see a specialist because my numbers are so high.
I could see the nurse not calling back yesterday, but when I called again today and left another message she didn't call me back. It's been since Monday now and no phone calls after I explained I didn't want to go on that drug. I know to some this might be trivial but I don't feel good. I haven't felt good in months and month, my labs are up, I sleep because I don't feel good, I sleep to get away, I sleep because I can avoid trying to move around. I have a wonderful husband but he's gone a lot, he's running his business plus gone back to school to become a radioligical tech, so I'm home alone a lot. Family support is nil ... one niece who has tried killing herself twice and won't even talk to me because I'm the one who called 911, and even moved out of state to get away from me. My sister doesn't talk to me anymore because she thinks I'm making more out of my condition than there really is, my other niece is going through a divorce because her husband was arrested for dealing cocaine out of there garage (she had NO idea!) and also found out that her husband is having an affair with her brother's wife. I have no children, my parents are gone and here I sit, sick and need a doctor. Sounds like a soap opera. I'm just so tired of problems, being alone and now having to deal with dr issues again.
Thanks for the advice, I'll give it another couple of days before I give up on the doctor.