joint pain/ UTIs

[AUBGIRL]

I am not diagnosed with anything yet. My gp has only mentioned lupus because of my symptoms. He tested my blood for RA, Kidney involvement, and anemia but we did not go any further because I do not have health insurance and cannot afford all of the tests. I only see him when something comes up that I cannot fix.

I first went to see him about a year and half ago when I had my first UTI since i was a teenager (I'm now 37) I have had 2 more since then. They seem to be very hard to clear up. I cannot take bactrim because I had a bad reaction to it.(high fever, body aches, pleurisy) I am on Cipro for one now, but it does not seem to working. Do any of you find that it takes longer to get rid of these infections? What do you usually take that works better?

I also have a question about joint pain. I usually have some pain every day, but it is usually not all day long. Just in the morning and late in the evening. Then about 3 or 4 days before my period, it gets a lot worse all through the day. It eases up a couple of days after I start. About 2 or 3 times a year, I will hurt for about a month, then it goes back to the monthly cycle. Does this sound normal, or do most people hurt all the time?

I'm sorry this is long. I have so many questions, but I'm not very good at asking or writing. I can talk up a storm, but I'm not very good at expressing my feelings on paper.

Thanks for any input anyone can give

Donna

[cath]

HI Donna,

I'm sorrry to hear that you are unwell.

The most important thing you need to do for your self is find a way of getting propper health care. There are some charities in the US I believe - hopefully some of our US members know more about where to go to get covered.....

Your description of your joint pain sounds very typical of lupus arthralgia. Some people are worse affected than others, but the pain that is worse mornings and evenings, and worse pre-menstrually is very typical of lupus.

It is also significant that you are allergic to bactrim - it is a sulfur antibiotic and many people with lupus are allergic to it. In fact your reaction to it sounded more like a lupus flare than a typical allergic reaction.

When you have a UTI, has your urine been checked for blood and protein? Lupus does not cause UTI's, but it can cause nephritis. Early symptoms of nephritis are protein and or blood in the urine. It is very important that if this is a possible complication for you that you see a specialist for full investigation.

Unfortunately untreated lupus has a bad habbit of getting worse, so for your own well being, you need to make getting access to full testing and the right specialist a priority.

All the best,

X C X

[AUBGIRL]

Thanks cath.

No, he did not check for blood or protein in my urnine, but I do have a lot of foam through out the day. I think he did a renal panel, but i'm not sure. He did some blood tests last year to check for ra, anemia and something to do with my kidneys. They were all normal.

Thanks again for any help. This has been a very helpful site.

[helloos]

HI Donna.

I am sorry you feel so unwell and if you are seeing the foam in your urine now, then I think you need to call the doctor. I know you said you have a uti and maybe he ordered blood work, but if not recently then he needs to do this and now. You can also purchase the urine dip sticks at the pharmacy that some people use on here to monitor the protein in the urine, etc.

About the no health insurance, I don't know what your cirucumstances are, but it would be worth while to contact the local transitional asstance program in your area and see if you would be eligible for medical insurance through them. If you are not eligible, there are clinics that offer free health care for low income people and I am sure that the tanstitional assistance program can refer you to one. There should be one, but if there is not and you are not eligible, hospitals offer free care if you have low income. I would then advise to go the ER with all your symptoms and hopefully some smart rhemo will be on call and be able to order some bloods there and maybe get a good picture of what is going on. You just need to be very clear that you can't get the other testing does due to no money and if they can do what they can right there and then. I am sure they can do the kidney testing right there as well if the gp isn't on it.


I hope that helps and I hope that something works out for you so you can get the necessary testing.

Hope you feel better and let me know how you make out.

[Raglet]

hi Donna

Your gp doesn't know that you can test negative for RA and still have it. Most GPs don't know that only 50% of people with RA have a positive rheumatoid factor. Sounds like you really do need a referral to a rheumie to sort this out for you. Not sure how you would make that work, but it would be a good plan, as GPs, as good as they can be, just don't know enough about this stuff to interpret the test results that they do get.

Also, ask your GP about putting you on a NSAI, as they are often the first line of treatment in either lupus or RA (the treatments often overlap)

Feel better soon

raglet.