Seen Rhuemy doc

[Wendy]

Wow, she is so great to talk to. And she is so thorough. She looks over me with a fine tooth comb. This is what she told me, she said that although the Lupus test comes back negative, I do definately have Lupus like auto-immune symptoms! Far too many. She has me seeing a dermatologist on the 18th, because of the skin lesions I keep getting. She also noted the bumps under my ears, and I can't remember the name of the glands, but they get pretty swollen, as does my face. They have something to do with the problems in my mouth, dryness, and sores etc. Then there is the I think she called them the ocular glands, to do with my eyes, since they swell and are also dry. When I move side to side they wrinkle up, meaning the whites fold. Then she talked to me about all the other skin problems that are showing up on me, and the inflamation. Also, she said that having a low grade fever might be something that I will always have, the only reason I noticed it was because my cheeks got red, and flushed. But low grade is ok, its only if it goes above 102 that you have to worry. It just shows that my body is fighting. Today, my fingers were swollen and inflamed too, as well as my feet. She looks at your finger nails and toe nails and she can tell you things. When she writes a report too, it is so thorough and detailed. The other thing she did for me today is change some meds. One in particular, causes weight gain!!! So we are trying some other meds, less side affects. I still am taking the codeine for pain, as I find that it also helps with the bowel pain, and helps lesson the runs. Basically, what we are doing is controlling the symptoms as best we can, and getting rid of the ones that cause worse side effects. Cross my fingers. What I like about her is that she takes the whole body into consideration and everything that is happening, even though she is a rhuematologist, she also is an internal medicine doctor. And she talks to you, not at you or down to you. We will also be continuing the epidural injections. And I don't know what that doctor was talking about when he told me that the injection into my spine would help my CC???? Sometimes I think that they tell you these things thinking that the phychology aspect of the suggestion is all that it takes. Anyway, now I am just babbling. Been a long day.

AND GUESS WHAT??? Amanda is actually farther along then they thought. She is 9 weeks prego now!!! The baby is expected to arrive for Mother's Day. Now what more could a mother ask for???

Gentle hugs
Wendy

[annie oakley]

Hi Wendy! A baby on Mothers day? How wonderful! I'm glad you have a good Rhuemy Doctor...I like My new one also. He sounds alot like yours. Mine spent alot of time with Mike and I explaining this Knee replacement. I hope she can do good things for you. What are the symtonms for Lupus Wendy? I am Curious. I'd really like to know. Love Oma

[barbaranoela]

Hi Wendy-----and OMA---

Wendy----my girlfriends daughter has Lupus--- she was diagnosed while in her senior year @ college----years back---

In the beginning her GP diagnosed her as having MONONUCLEOSUS===she was always tired---sleeping alot---and very rundown---and of course the remedy for this is BED rest-then she began to break out in a rash(on face) and other issues appeared so her mom took her to a specialist in Connecticut where a special blood test was done and there it was!!!
She has been very lucky----hasnt had any relapse---has been on 2 mgs. of pred. every day---is married and has 3 kids----
They were very concerned about the pregnancy due to the fact that it could activate the Lupus--

U surely have an over-filled plate---I hope U get to feeling better--

CALAMITY-----if I am right I believe that Lupus is in the cancer family but not sure of the correct Xplanation--

WENDY---am I right?? U can Xplain more to OMA--aka Calamity Jane now---


luve to U both and WENDY---much good vibes coming your daughters way--and U R right---couldnt ask for anything better than that--
luv Barbara

[Wendy]

Oma, actually Lupus is an auto immune disease, where where your body attacks itself. There are two types, some just effect the skin, mind you that is the one I don't know as much about. Right now I am too tired to remember the proper names. I really don't know how to explain it right now, but it causes pain, effects your internal organs, well basically everything. Memory, or loss of memory is one thing. I best leave it at that, but basically it can be the complications from the body attacking itself that can be the challenge. Basically, I will be doing what I have been doing all along, treating the symptoms and dealing with things as they come up.

Time to nap I think,





Wendy

[Arlene]

Hi Wendy. My girlfriend has lupus and a lot of her family does too. She lost two siblings to it. Terrible. She has a whole lot of symtoms, one of them being an enlarged heart that sometimes makes it difficult to breath. She also has diabetes too. ICK.

Lupus seems to be one of the hardest things to diagnose. Hopefully your symptoms are more mild than hers if you do have it.

Much love
Arlene

[Wendy]

I looked up the problems that go along with Lupus, and can give you a larger picture of what it is like Oma. It causess the following to happen, you might now them all, but here goes: It can be mild for years and then flare up.

1. -joint pain
2. -swelling and redness of joints ( fingers and wrists are commonly effected
3. -rashes on cheeks/nose that look like a butterfly
4. -fever
5. -poor appetite
6. -weight loss (some on weight loss)
7. -chest pain
8. -skin sensitvity
9. -sun sensitivity
10. =Reynauds syndrome (fingers and toes turn blue when cold and then cannot warm them.

Complications:

Kidneys
Central Nervous System
Heart
Kidney inflamation is mild
bloating, ankle swelling
abnormal blood and urine tests
Kidney Failure can also develop
It can involve organs such as the heart, kidneys and nervous system
Lupus is unpredictable, and lifelong conditon, effects adult woman 18 to 40, mine started at 36

The body fails to recognize 'self' and wil make anti=bodies to attack the bodies own tissue. The body may fail to clear antigens (foreign particles)
and certain white blood cells may behave abnormally

Sunlight causes systems to flare up. Other triggers include viral infections, stress and certain medications.

Hence my doctor changed some meds around.

It is in the arthritis family, or that is where you will find it mentioned. Any of the complications that I mentioned can sometimes kill you. Even with the best of medical care. MY insurance lady's mom got a flu, it turned into a viral lung infection and she died at only 59. But normally it can be controlled.

The other signs that appear are on you skin. This past summer I kept fighting to clear up a rash that started on my nose. It looked like I had, had a bad sunburn. Nothing would heal it until they gave me baktovan(sp)

You also get sores in your hair, they swell up and are very painful. Also sores in you ears, they are the most painful. They also last a long time. \
But the test for it comes back showing negative. But my doctor thinks it is a false positive because of all my syptoms. I also have problesm with my liver and gullbladder, then of cource the CC on top of it all. And I had a huge embarrassing episode at my brother's for Thanks Giving so we had to cut the visit short. All I wanted to go home and have a bath to clean up.

time to go get some zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Hope you enjoyed your weekend.

HUGS
Wendy

[MaggieRedwings]

Morning Wendy,

I am very familiar with lupus since my sister had it and a lot of other very severe ailments but the lupus took its toll on her. They never really gave a definitive cause of death because she was stricken with so many debilitating diseases. Lupus alone can be managed but it is a difficult thing to do - bright spot that it may be and there are not a lot of bright spots, is that the skin type is more manageable.

Your doctor sounds like a gem and I know in Canada with the health system you must be thrilled to have found her. Hold on to her and don't let them change her.

Take care, Maggie