[Mary Ann 47]

I have been diagnosed with lupus and fibromyalgia about seven months ago. I have had Reynaud's since 1997. I had back surgery and my orthopedic dr. said it was from the hardware near my sciatic nerve. NOT!! Eleven years later, I find out it's an autoimmune disease, to go along with the other two.. Therefore, who knows how long I've had lupus and fibro. I am on Plaquenil twice a day. I would like to know if anyone else is experiencing these things: My hair in the front is getting very thin in the last couple of years. I forget things, constantly. I've had a skullcap headache for a few months. My neck from c3 to c7 is bulging and compressing nerves. The facet joints are hypertrophic. I have never injured my neck. This just happened..Is it from lupus? I also have gerds. Not to mention, I just ache. I feel so different from everyone around me. Please, if there is anyone out there with all or some of this, throw me a lifeline.

 

[KarolH]

Hi Mary Ann,

Nice to meet you. I have a girlfriend that lives in Louiseianna just outside of Texas in a town called Annacoco. You have found a great place to come for support and knowledge from a great group of people.

Your not alone in what you are experiencing. A lot of us deal with the very same issues everyday. There is a great book I would recommend you buy from Dr. Daniel Wallace called, "The Lupus Book". It explains so much in lay mans terms and is just a great source of knowledge, especially for those of us newly diagnosed and trying to understand what Lupus is and how it can effect us.

My hair in the front, by my temples is thinning rapidly. I take 400mg Plaquenil daily and I am hoping that this helps stop the hair loss. I have pain everyday and just like you I am different from those who are around me daily. My husband is 10 years older then me and can run circles around me.

I also have bulging discs in my spine with nerve root compression in the lumbar area which has caused neuropathy in my legs and a drop foot with my right foot.

I am relatively new to Lupus myself and others with more knowledge will be along to welcome you. Read all you can. Knowledge is power and come here for support. It has helped me tremendously and hopefully you can join us in the chat room sometime.

Hope to get to know you better.:wink2:

 

[Mary Ann 47]

Thanks for the welcome Karol. I will get that book tomorrow. I am so happy to have found this site. I just need to identify with others who understand what we go through.

 

[onetay]

Hi Mary Ann,
I would like to welcome you and say that I myself have only been here since October but have already found some good friends and helpful advise from all at the site.

You are not alone here and though we all don't share the same type of discomforts or problems we all do share knowledge and understanding all the time. People I have never met or talked with, will openly chat with me and ask how I am doing.

I do have some of the same things going on as you and with me the memory (especially short term) has been missing in action lol. I have the thinning hair and joint pain, I hope that you have spoken with your doctor about your concerns as that is one of the first places to go. There are a number of things they can do to help you and then there is us. I would love to chat with you sometime in the chat room and there are a lot of other people on this site that are really good to chat with that will lift your spirits.

I hope you the best in feeling better and hope you take me up on the chat room soon.
Tammy

 

[Mary Ann 47]

Thanks Tammy, I look forward to chatting with you.

 

[maryr]

Hi Mary Ann,
I too am experiencing the same type of hair loss problems as you are. I am on Plaquenil, methotrexate and neurontin. I have found this website to be a life saver. I always log on and find "my people" here who really understand how I feel. Those normal folks out there just do not have a clue!!!! I have mentioned to those who have been critical of me, I just wish they could live one day in my body!!! Just hang in there, keep one foot forward and take it a day at a time. By the way, I too am from the same city you live in!!!!
Take care, Mary

 

[Mary Ann 47]

Mary r,

I am learning so much about my conditions here. So many people, with lots of knowledge. I have had this headache for over 3 months. I had an mri of my brain, that showed nothing. The mri of my neck showed disc damages in c3 .through c7. I have terrible memory loss, I forget how to spell when I am typing. I wonder if this is a lupus headache I am stuck with for good. Do you have a constant headache? I am losing my hair in the front, too. You live in Slidell? Where about?

 

[DebraDB]

Hi
I have had fibromyalgia for 17 years and now I have positive anti RNP and ANA

Chronic IBS, marked fatty liver shown by CT scan, aches and chills often, recently cold hands, one or both, sore tendons all over body, sciatic pain, also nerve pains in hands and feet, shoulder tendons worse of all lately. I have severe episodes of pain in tendons all over body and just felt it was the fibromyalgia moving around. Now I wonder.
I have not seen a specialist yet.

 

[Mary Ann 47]

Your symptoms sound to me like you could have lupus as well as fibro. It is quite common for a lupus patient to have fibro and other connective tissue diseases. I hope you were referred to a rheumatologist with those positive results. I know that Plaquinel has helped me tremendously. I bet it could help you too. Please keep in touch and let me know how things go.
Good Luck,
Mary Ann