Hello,
I am a 54 year old women with two grown children and three grandchildren.
I retired up north Michigan two years ago in my dream home. It is all woods and across the street is all state land. I have three dogs and we go walking all the time in the woods. Not so much lately.
This is my story. In 2004 I was dx with Hep C, I did the standard treatment for it. Interferon shots and Ribiviran pills daily. It is now in remission. In 2005 I had a tooth that felt as though it was going to need a root canal. When I was sent to a root canal specialist, while in his chair he asked me if I had Lupus.
I asked him why he asked me that. He said that his mother in-law had it and that she had the same butterfly rash. I went to my GP and she ran the test for Lupus and other test. It came back positive along with RA positive. I thought I had drug induced Lupus, however, after reading up on it is should go away weeks or months after you stop the meds.
She then sent me to a Rheumatologist. She ran test and said It was mild.She then put me on Plaqunil. After all the specialist she sent me to I had to change to a HMO plan. I was going broke with co-pays. I then changed Rheumatologist. The new one said he was not convinced I had Lupus. So I went off the meds.
Now I have moved Up North Michigan where the only insurance I can have is traditional BC/.BS. I have to pay 75 dollars per visit to GP.
I got sick right after new years with a bad cough, I laid in bed for four days till I figured I should go to ER. When I got there my ox gen level was 80% and they admitted me in hosp. They did a CT scan of lungs and found I had pneumoniaia.
I had a CT scan of the brain and the tooth that years later is giving me trouble. I have had two root canals and a years worth oabscesseses on and off. My GP calls the next day and tells me to take aaspirinin every day and told me I needed to see neurologistst because the saw I had a TIA.
Then she calls the next day to tell me I need to see a Ear nose and throat specialisbecauseue the scan on my tooth showed I have sinusitisis and deveated spectrum.
Also she wants me to see a Rheumatologistst and a Pulmonary specialist.
My hip has been swollen for three years now and my knee is bummed out and I have bad headaches and night sweats all the time. I have no getty up in my step.Also I have a hard time starting to urinate. Sometimes I have to turn the water on to get the flow going, it's driving me nuts. Speaking of nuts I told my Mother in law some months ago that I felt so depressed and didn't know why. The rash on my face has come back also.
It is so nice to have a place to go to look up information and talk with others that know what I am going through and not think I am crazy. It will be great to get to know everyone.
Amos
