Hi! My name is Lisa and I am 39 years old. I have been married for almost 20 years and have two wonderful sons. 16/13 I have been lurking about in here for a few days and decided it was time to join. So many of your stories sound so familiar to me.
I started noticing symptoms about 3 years ago. First it was the rash across the back of my scalp. This has continued for the whole time with sometimes it getting worse than other times. I have had a redness across my face for as long as I can remember. It goes across the bridge of my nose and on my cheeks.
Then about a year and a half ago I noticed that when I got up in the morning I felt very stiff and sore. I at first thought it had alot to do with me getting older.:lol:As time went on, this discomfort would last throughout the day. Sometimes my pain even seemed very severe. I was popping ibuprofen like it was candy.
I finally went to see my GP and he ran some test. One was checking pressure points which I was positive for 12 of them. On top of the pain and discomfort, I also have alot of fatigue. I have absolutely no energy most days. My GP ran blood work checking for arthritis etc. All the test for arthritis came back negative. One test that he did was an ANA. It came back positive. He then wanted to send me to a Rheum. He wanted me to be checked for Lupus and Fibro. The first Rheum. he set me up with couldn't see me for 5 months. He found another one that could see me in 2 months.
I went to the Rheum that could see me the soonest and the oddest visit I have ever experienced. He examined me and said that he was positive I didn't have arthritis. He then said he was going to treat me for Fibro. and do test to rule out lupus. He sent me home after blood work with a prescription for Lyrica 75 MG - 2 x a day. (Which makes me very loopy!) The nurse called me a couple of days later to tell me that my Vitamin D was very low and that I needed to start taking some. I asked how my other test turned out and she said that was all that he had run. :worried:
So a month goes by and I go see my GP due to a pain I am having in my side. He runs more blood test and orders a CT. Talk about FUN! 450 ml of fruity fun to drink.:lol: He called me the next day to tell me that I had a cyst on my kidney but that he didn't think that was causing the pain. He did tell me that he was a little concerned that my ESR was elevated. He told me to make sure I mentioned it to the Rheum when I saw him this same week for a follow up that I was scheduled for.
Okay..the follow up appointment didn't go so well. He read to me the letter he sent to my GP. It stated that I had Fibro but that he had ruled out Lupus. I point blank asked him how he ruled out Lupus. (from everything I have read, there are many test that have to be done to do this) The Reum tells me that he has been doing this long enough that he can tell when a patient has lupus or fibro. Talking about annoyed. I was. He also told me that the rash on my scalp was just a severe case of dandruff.:worried: I told him about the elevated ESR and he didn't seem concerned. He asked me how I was doing and I told him that I was still in alot of pain and my energy level had dropped. He doubles my medication and says he wants to check my vitamin D level. While I am having blood drawn, I asked the tech what test they are running. She says that he has ordered a Vitamin D level and an ANA. I found that very interesting. ANA is not a test you do for Fibro. I should also say that both my appointments with the Rheum. last no longer than 15 to 20 minutes including taking blood.
Needless to say, I kept my appointment with the other Rheum on the 24th of November and I plan on going to him to get a second opinion. I am sorry if this was long. but this is the first time I have been able to talk to anyone who is going through what I am. Any thoughts on all this. I welcome anything.
Thank you for listening!
Lisa
I started noticing symptoms about 3 years ago. First it was the rash across the back of my scalp. This has continued for the whole time with sometimes it getting worse than other times. I have had a redness across my face for as long as I can remember. It goes across the bridge of my nose and on my cheeks.
Then about a year and a half ago I noticed that when I got up in the morning I felt very stiff and sore. I at first thought it had alot to do with me getting older.:lol:As time went on, this discomfort would last throughout the day. Sometimes my pain even seemed very severe. I was popping ibuprofen like it was candy.
I finally went to see my GP and he ran some test. One was checking pressure points which I was positive for 12 of them. On top of the pain and discomfort, I also have alot of fatigue. I have absolutely no energy most days. My GP ran blood work checking for arthritis etc. All the test for arthritis came back negative. One test that he did was an ANA. It came back positive. He then wanted to send me to a Rheum. He wanted me to be checked for Lupus and Fibro. The first Rheum. he set me up with couldn't see me for 5 months. He found another one that could see me in 2 months.
I went to the Rheum that could see me the soonest and the oddest visit I have ever experienced. He examined me and said that he was positive I didn't have arthritis. He then said he was going to treat me for Fibro. and do test to rule out lupus. He sent me home after blood work with a prescription for Lyrica 75 MG - 2 x a day. (Which makes me very loopy!) The nurse called me a couple of days later to tell me that my Vitamin D was very low and that I needed to start taking some. I asked how my other test turned out and she said that was all that he had run. :worried:
So a month goes by and I go see my GP due to a pain I am having in my side. He runs more blood test and orders a CT. Talk about FUN! 450 ml of fruity fun to drink.:lol: He called me the next day to tell me that I had a cyst on my kidney but that he didn't think that was causing the pain. He did tell me that he was a little concerned that my ESR was elevated. He told me to make sure I mentioned it to the Rheum when I saw him this same week for a follow up that I was scheduled for.
Okay..the follow up appointment didn't go so well. He read to me the letter he sent to my GP. It stated that I had Fibro but that he had ruled out Lupus. I point blank asked him how he ruled out Lupus. (from everything I have read, there are many test that have to be done to do this) The Reum tells me that he has been doing this long enough that he can tell when a patient has lupus or fibro. Talking about annoyed. I was. He also told me that the rash on my scalp was just a severe case of dandruff.:worried: I told him about the elevated ESR and he didn't seem concerned. He asked me how I was doing and I told him that I was still in alot of pain and my energy level had dropped. He doubles my medication and says he wants to check my vitamin D level. While I am having blood drawn, I asked the tech what test they are running. She says that he has ordered a Vitamin D level and an ANA. I found that very interesting. ANA is not a test you do for Fibro. I should also say that both my appointments with the Rheum. last no longer than 15 to 20 minutes including taking blood.Needless to say, I kept my appointment with the other Rheum on the 24th of November and I plan on going to him to get a second opinion. I am sorry if this was long.
but this is the first time I have been able to talk to anyone who is going through what I am. Any thoughts on all this. I welcome anything.Thank you for listening!
Lisa
