I've been around for awhile, actually, reading some of the topics and have posted a few times. Guess it's time to stop lurking so much and say hi. 
My symptoms started more than a decade ago when my platelets dropped really low and I ran fever every day for months at a time. But at that time, my ANA was negative, and everything else was normal except platelets. Over the years, I've developed aches and pains and didn't think much of them until they became more widespread and started interfering with daily life. I suspected fibromyalgia but never sought a diagnosis because I didn't think there was really any treatment for it anyway.
Then one day at a regular exam, I mentioned the aches and pains and extreme fatigue, and the doctor ordered tests. This time my ANA was 1:1280, and I was referred to a rheumatologist. After months of tests and evaluations and additional symptoms popping up, the rheum. doc diagnosed SLE, but only verbally...in the chart, the dx is UCTD and will hopefully stay that way unless things get worse.
I've been on Plaquenil for about 10 months and am somewhat better but still have some symptoms (I guess you always do??). So far, I've not had to take oral steroids, just injections a couple of times, which made me feel almost like a new person for 2-3 weeks.
Guess that's it in a nutshell. Hope this intro is not too much to read! I have questions about symptoms but will save them for another post.
My symptoms started more than a decade ago when my platelets dropped really low and I ran fever every day for months at a time. But at that time, my ANA was negative, and everything else was normal except platelets. Over the years, I've developed aches and pains and didn't think much of them until they became more widespread and started interfering with daily life. I suspected fibromyalgia but never sought a diagnosis because I didn't think there was really any treatment for it anyway.
Then one day at a regular exam, I mentioned the aches and pains and extreme fatigue, and the doctor ordered tests. This time my ANA was 1:1280, and I was referred to a rheumatologist. After months of tests and evaluations and additional symptoms popping up, the rheum. doc diagnosed SLE, but only verbally...in the chart, the dx is UCTD and will hopefully stay that way unless things get worse.
I've been on Plaquenil for about 10 months and am somewhat better but still have some symptoms (I guess you always do??). So far, I've not had to take oral steroids, just injections a couple of times, which made me feel almost like a new person for 2-3 weeks.
Guess that's it in a nutshell. Hope this intro is not too much to read! I have questions about symptoms but will save them for another post.
