[rhonda41]

Hello,

I haven't posted here in quite some time, but I have had some very strange symptoms pop up within the last couple of weeks and I am wondering what could be going on and IF it may have anything to do with Lupus.

I have been waking up every morning for the past week-and-a-half feeling like I have been beaten up. My neck, back, legs, and arms ache badly and I feel numbness in my feet, arms, and hands. My joints in my fingers feel very stiff and fat (for lack of a better word). I have to get up and walk around to alleviate the pain and this can take a while. It doesn't go away immediately.

I am also retaining fluids. My ankles are swollen and my hands feel swollen too. My wedding ring is very tight. I have had swollen ankles before, but in the past a good nights rest was all I needed to make it go away. This is not the case anymore. My ankles and hands have been swollen for days now with no relief. I have been drinking a lot of water to try and get the fluid out of my system, but so far it hasn't worked. The soles of my feet and palms of my hands have been itching like mad too.

Last week I had a rash that covered both of my arms and legs (thighs). It looked like a heat rash, but I know it wasn't. It lasted 4 to 5 days and then went away. I took a picture of it so that I could show my doctor. I have had the rash on my thighs before, but never on my arms without sun exposure.

I woke up with a headache today and it has lasted all day long, even after taking Advil.

In short, I feel like I'm falling apart. This came on very suddenly and I'm starting to get worried about it. I am going to see a doctor on Monday.

Does any of this sound Lupus related?

Thank you for your time and attention. I know this is a very good place to get answers.

Rhonda

 

[rhonda41]

Thanks for responding Lola. I woke up this morning feeling less beaten up. I hope it continues to decrease over time.

 

[rhonda41]

Thanks Katharine. I know exactly what your talking about. I have told my husband that I feel like I've been in a car accident or that someone just beat the stuffing out of me while I slept. I was glad not to feel so bad this morning although the aches and pains were still there. I don't really know how to feel about what's happening to me because I've seen a rheumatologist a couple of times this past year, but he didn't think that I have Lupus. So, I pretty much filed away the possibility of it at the back of my mind and just decided not to give it much thought. But since I last saw him I have had bouts of increased joint pain in my fingers and wrists and I've had a rash come and go on my legs, which looks like hives. I've made mental notes of these things but haven't worried about it too much because the doctor wasn't worried about it and all of my bloodwork except for the ANA came back negative. Plus, I have felt pretty good until now. My symptoms the past 2 weeks have rekindled my concerns about this disease. I am wondering if I am in a flare because this came on so suddenly and I am experiencing a lot of the symptoms listed on this site.

At any rate, I do appreciate your response to my thread. I will see a doctor (GP) on Monday and hopefully get some answers. This may have absolutely nothing to do with Lupus. I don't know. I just know I feel like garbage and I want to get better.

Take care.

Rhonda

 

[rhonda41]

Thanks for the well wishes Cassie and Halfpintfl. I saw the GP today and she ordered more bloodwork for me. She is going to look for arthritis and rheumatic fever. She's also going to check my blood sugar and thyroid. She didn't mention anything about Lupus, but I told her that I was still suspicious that I may have it. I didn't push the issue though. I will just wait and see what this new round of bloodwork reveals (if anything). If everything comes back negative I will ask for a Lupus panel.

So, that's where I'm at right now. I'm feeling a little better in the mornings, but I still feel really under the weather and I'm finding myself getting VERY tired in the middle of the day. I literally have to stop what I'm doing and go to bed. This just started the last couple of days. I also had a fever when I went to the doctor today. I was running a fever a couple of weeks ago (at the onset of these symptoms) and I think I've had a low grade temp since then. Boy! The list of complaints keeps getting longer as time goes on. The poor nurse had so much to write down on my chart before I saw the doctor. I felt the need to apologize for making her spend so much time on me. Thankfully, they weren't very busy at the time.

Well, I hope that whatever is going on can be diagnosed quickly and treated so that I can get back to being myself and feeling healthy again. I have so much to do (remodeling and painting my house) and I really need my strength to get it all done.

Thanks again for your support and take care.

Rhonda