[ercooley]

I'm at my wits end, and really know anywhere else to turn!!!! I've been very ill, since I became pregnant with my beautiful baby girl who is now 3 1/2. The prgnancy started with severe naseau and vomiting, followed by anemia, tacicardia, high blood pressure, then the cough that sent me into labor at 5mths. It was all sopposed to go away when she was born, but it has only got worse! Nw I have idiopathic periphal nerve damage, autonomic nerve damage, migraines, anemia, joint pain and swelling, arthiritis and my L knee, ankle and neck so far! I have muscle pain spasms, red and white scaly lesions that come and go on my face, and last 6 mths was the longest one, and when they heal they scar. I get a red splotchy rash after being in the sun. My blood work shows,

Neutrophil is low
Lymphocte is high
HGB is high
RDW is Low
Potassium is Low
PO4 is low
ALB is High

I also tested positive on a Lyme immunofluoresence Assay, but not on the western blot

Could the false positive on the lyme mean something, from my understanding it is testing for foreign antigens, could it not be a lyme antigen but a sign of Lupus. I always have bladder problems, but never an infection, just protein in the urine. I have extreme fatigue, vision problems, confusion, loss of hour plus of time, and there's probably more but I can't remember, oh ya memory!!!!
I can't seem to find a doctor to listen, they want to say it PTSD or something. I'm so frustrated with doctors, I just want my life back! Any help is appreciated!!!!!

 

[Katharine]

Hello and welcome

I'm sorry to hear that you have had such a rough time over the last few years.

Have you been to see any other doctor other than your GP? The symptoms you have would certainly merit a trip to see a rheumatologist. Maybe you have already seen one. It's not always easy to find a good rheumatologist who specialises in auto-immune diseases.

Auto-immune diseases are very complex and can be very difficult to diagnose even when the doctors are listening. So many share symptoms.

It might help you to take a look at the diagnostic criteria posted at the top of the "not yet diagnosed" section here. Sometimes things we didn't even think of can be quite important to the docs and can help us along the way.

Don't hesitate to post questions and we'll try to help as much as we can,
Katharine

 

[LolaLola]

Hello, You are certainly going through it. Katharine's advice about looking up the Criteria is good. Also sun avoidance would probably help.
Keep us posted.
x Lola

 

[ercooley]

Photosensitive!

After having a cup of coffee with a girlfriend outside yesterday morning while our kids played, I started getting that red spotchy rash on my exposed skin. After getting home I became very naseau, tingly all over, fever 99.0, extreme fatigue, high blood pressure, and hr. I'm also having a very sharp stabbing pain on the left side. It's amazing it took so long to realize the red rash after the sun might be the one symptom to finally give us a better direction. Does anyone know if they're are other similar diseases that might act similar or if this is typical of Lupus.