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(Edit: Ack! sorry, I didn't see there was a separate board for undiagnosed cases. Feel free to move this topic)
Hi everyone...this may be a bit long, but I would appreciate anyone's input!
Basically I have come back with a positive ANA, but it might be a few days or weeks before I can see a rheumy and I wanted some other opinions while I wait.
A bit of background--I'm a 19 year old female who has been taking Minocin for acne for the almost two years now. It's worked great as a treatment and I have never had any side effects before now, and the only other drug I am taking is insulin for my diabetes. My family has no history, other than my mom's distant cousin with RA.
Then about 3 weeks ago, I woke up in more pain than I have ever been in my life. The pain has been consistent since. It's very symmetric, and it's everywhere at once! My ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, wrists, fingers, and toes all have arthritic pain, the bottoms of my feet often hurt to walk on, my shoulderblades and neck in particular are killing me! The muscles as well--I feel like I've been punched in both arms and legs. Morning pain is the worst, it takes ages to get out of bed and I cry the whole time doing it. If I sit still for any amount of time, I stiffen up almost instantly.
When I went to my family doctor last week, and when they took my temp I had a low fever of 99. He also told me I had some "honking lymph nodes" which I assume is the reason it hurts so bad to swallow! (the sore throat began before even the arthritic pain, and usually feels like I'm swallowing rocks).
I might notice a new symptom every few days, but the majority of them came very abruptly. I went to bed one night perfectly healthy and happy, and woke up the next morning hardly able to walk. Is this very common among Lupus/RA cases, or do they usually come on more gradually? I went from no symptoms to severe, dibilitating ones in a day's time. I could hardly walk, I couldn't lift my arms to tie up my ponytail, I couldn't even get the foil top off my yogurt without pain.
Then I went to the minocycline website, and discovered it can cause lupus-like symptoms, as well as lymphadenopahty. I did some more research and discovered that most of the cases were like mine--young girls, taking the medicine daily for acne for a prolonged time, sudden and abrupt onset of symptoms. I haven't had the chance to see my doctor again, but I stopped taking the medicine last night.
Whats your opinion on this? The conditions seem to match on many levels, but I'm trying not to get my hopes up that I'm one of the rareties, as it could just as easily be a true autoimmune disease and not just a phantom of one. At the moment I'm taking naproxan for the pain (doesn't seem to do too much), and I'm on an indefinite leave from work until I can function better.
One last thing - I have read that there is an area in the throat that Lupus or RA can effect which can cause hoarseness. I'm not hoarse, but for the past few months I've sounded like a boy going through puberty! My voice randomly squeaks and disappears all the time and it's gotten embarrassing, its so often. Could it be related, or am I just strange?!
If anyone reads all this and replies, thank you so much...I want so badly to know what this is.
Hi everyone...this may be a bit long, but I would appreciate anyone's input!
Basically I have come back with a positive ANA, but it might be a few days or weeks before I can see a rheumy and I wanted some other opinions while I wait.
A bit of background--I'm a 19 year old female who has been taking Minocin for acne for the almost two years now. It's worked great as a treatment and I have never had any side effects before now, and the only other drug I am taking is insulin for my diabetes. My family has no history, other than my mom's distant cousin with RA.
Then about 3 weeks ago, I woke up in more pain than I have ever been in my life. The pain has been consistent since. It's very symmetric, and it's everywhere at once! My ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, wrists, fingers, and toes all have arthritic pain, the bottoms of my feet often hurt to walk on, my shoulderblades and neck in particular are killing me! The muscles as well--I feel like I've been punched in both arms and legs. Morning pain is the worst, it takes ages to get out of bed and I cry the whole time doing it. If I sit still for any amount of time, I stiffen up almost instantly.
When I went to my family doctor last week, and when they took my temp I had a low fever of 99. He also told me I had some "honking lymph nodes" which I assume is the reason it hurts so bad to swallow! (the sore throat began before even the arthritic pain, and usually feels like I'm swallowing rocks).
I might notice a new symptom every few days, but the majority of them came very abruptly. I went to bed one night perfectly healthy and happy, and woke up the next morning hardly able to walk. Is this very common among Lupus/RA cases, or do they usually come on more gradually? I went from no symptoms to severe, dibilitating ones in a day's time. I could hardly walk, I couldn't lift my arms to tie up my ponytail, I couldn't even get the foil top off my yogurt without pain.
Then I went to the minocycline website, and discovered it can cause lupus-like symptoms, as well as lymphadenopahty. I did some more research and discovered that most of the cases were like mine--young girls, taking the medicine daily for acne for a prolonged time, sudden and abrupt onset of symptoms. I haven't had the chance to see my doctor again, but I stopped taking the medicine last night.
Whats your opinion on this? The conditions seem to match on many levels, but I'm trying not to get my hopes up that I'm one of the rareties, as it could just as easily be a true autoimmune disease and not just a phantom of one. At the moment I'm taking naproxan for the pain (doesn't seem to do too much), and I'm on an indefinite leave from work until I can function better.
One last thing - I have read that there is an area in the throat that Lupus or RA can effect which can cause hoarseness. I'm not hoarse, but for the past few months I've sounded like a boy going through puberty! My voice randomly squeaks and disappears all the time and it's gotten embarrassing, its so often. Could it be related, or am I just strange?!
If anyone reads all this and replies, thank you so much...I want so badly to know what this is.