Greetings to all here. I'm new to the board, but from looking at other posts, you all seem like a very friendly and helpful bunch.
Let me give you a little bit of background. I'm a 26 year old female. I'm not very physically active. I've been having "problems" for many years now.
I always feel tired, regardless of how much sleep I actually get. I can get 10+ hours sometimes, and still feel tired. Same with more normal amounts like 6 or 8.
I've been an insomniac for around 8 years now. It generally takes me more than an hour to fall asleep, and I wake up several times throughout the night (usually to use the restroom), and it takes at least half an hour to go back to sleep.
Very frequent headaches since childhood, sometimes sinus, sometimes migraine.
Random joint pain for the past 8 years or so, worsening now. These pains range from dull ache, to throbbing, and occur mostly in my wrists and knees, though often also in my knuckles. I don't notice any swelling with it in my wrists, but when my knuckles are bothering me, they do look a little swollen.
Frequent urination for about 3 years now. It, too, is worsening. There is no pain involved. It's worse at night, with me having to get up every hour or so to relieve myself.
I'm very sun sensitive. If I'm out in the sun for more than 5 or so minutes, my face gets very red (not sunburnt), and I get even more fatigued and feel faint and dizzy. The symptoms go away after an hour or so out of the sun.
Previously I'd been to the doctor for the headaches and the joint pain. Diagnosed with migraines, and the doctors didn't do any more than that electrical current test (for carpal tunnel syndrome) regarding the joint pain.
The reason I'm here today is because I have had canker sores inside my mouth for about 2 weeks now, that are not healing, and more are developing. These hurt quite a bit. I did some checking into them (which is how I learned that they aren't cold sores, and whatnot), and that's where lupis was mentioned. So I started doing some research into the symptoms of lupis. Unfortunately, all the information I'm getting is generally too technical for me to understand, though what I do understand leads me to think that lupis is a possibility.
I went to a doctor yesterday. Just a general family practice type (I just moved here, so I don't have a primary). I mentioned that I thought it was possibly lupis, and gave him the whole history that I gave above. He told me since I didn't have the facial rash that he highly doubted it was lupis, but ordered a "Lupis Panel" of blood work (only two tubes). He didn't address any of the problems except the canker sores, which he prescribed "Magic Mouth Wash" for.
It was my impression that the butterfly rash, while commonly seen with lupis, is not always present.
I am here to ask for opinions from people who are knowledgeable in this, and understand that not everyone went to Med school. Do my symptoms sound potentially like lupis (or another autoimmune disease) or am I just being a hypochondriac like my doctor implied?
I appreciate your time for reading my wall of text.
Thank you,
Chae
Let me give you a little bit of background. I'm a 26 year old female. I'm not very physically active. I've been having "problems" for many years now.
I always feel tired, regardless of how much sleep I actually get. I can get 10+ hours sometimes, and still feel tired. Same with more normal amounts like 6 or 8.
I've been an insomniac for around 8 years now. It generally takes me more than an hour to fall asleep, and I wake up several times throughout the night (usually to use the restroom), and it takes at least half an hour to go back to sleep.
Very frequent headaches since childhood, sometimes sinus, sometimes migraine.
Random joint pain for the past 8 years or so, worsening now. These pains range from dull ache, to throbbing, and occur mostly in my wrists and knees, though often also in my knuckles. I don't notice any swelling with it in my wrists, but when my knuckles are bothering me, they do look a little swollen.
Frequent urination for about 3 years now. It, too, is worsening. There is no pain involved. It's worse at night, with me having to get up every hour or so to relieve myself.
I'm very sun sensitive. If I'm out in the sun for more than 5 or so minutes, my face gets very red (not sunburnt), and I get even more fatigued and feel faint and dizzy. The symptoms go away after an hour or so out of the sun.
Previously I'd been to the doctor for the headaches and the joint pain. Diagnosed with migraines, and the doctors didn't do any more than that electrical current test (for carpal tunnel syndrome) regarding the joint pain.
The reason I'm here today is because I have had canker sores inside my mouth for about 2 weeks now, that are not healing, and more are developing. These hurt quite a bit. I did some checking into them (which is how I learned that they aren't cold sores, and whatnot), and that's where lupis was mentioned. So I started doing some research into the symptoms of lupis. Unfortunately, all the information I'm getting is generally too technical for me to understand, though what I do understand leads me to think that lupis is a possibility.
I went to a doctor yesterday. Just a general family practice type (I just moved here, so I don't have a primary). I mentioned that I thought it was possibly lupis, and gave him the whole history that I gave above. He told me since I didn't have the facial rash that he highly doubted it was lupis, but ordered a "Lupis Panel" of blood work (only two tubes). He didn't address any of the problems except the canker sores, which he prescribed "Magic Mouth Wash" for.
It was my impression that the butterfly rash, while commonly seen with lupis, is not always present.
I am here to ask for opinions from people who are knowledgeable in this, and understand that not everyone went to Med school. Do my symptoms sound potentially like lupis (or another autoimmune disease) or am I just being a hypochondriac like my doctor implied?
I appreciate your time for reading my wall of text.
Thank you,
Chae
