I was under so much stress in 2007 when my grandmother passed away. After she passed, I started having sores and skin blemishes. I was 38 years old, and I knew it wasn't acne. I went to my dermatologist, and as I was walking through the doctor's door it was like once again God was warning me. I could hear him say you have lupus. Blood work was taken and a biopsy done in my ear. A few days later there it was–I was diagnosed with lupus.
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After months of being in and out of the hospital, and extensive testing, they diagnosed me with SLE with central nervous system involvement. It was such a relief to finally know what was wrong. I was tired and at the end of my rope, but was not done fighting. I began treatment for SLE. I worked 8 hours a day to be able to afford the doctors visits and medications. I wanted to give up so many times, but one look at my son and…
I was airlifted to Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News, Virginia. The doctors did various lab works to figure out what exactly was going on with me. I was first diagnosed with "mononucleosis (AKA mono)," then an hour later another doctor came in and told my mom I have discoid lupus. When I was initially diagnosed, I didn't feel any different, but once I got to the age of 19, I started feeling differently. My life changed drastically. Hearing the diagnosis wasn't the hardest…
My name is Patrice, and I was diagnosed with lupus in 1993. I remember all of a sudden I felt like something was wrapped around my feet and my feet started cramping up whenever I was in a cold environment, and my fingers started hurting and turning colors. I went to the doctor and was told I had lupus, but other people said it was gout, but it was lupus. There are days where some things are harder to accomplish and I think living with…
I spent several years feeling very sick and horrible. I thought I was falling apart. After numerous doctors telling me that I was fine, I finally decided to go to a new doctor. I met with a new doctor in a new state and told the physician everything I was going through and how I felt. The physician ordered testing and after various tests – I received some answers, some good news, and some bad news. The bad news told me I tested positive for…
I began experiencing terrible headaches, fatigue, and muscle/joint pain about 13 years ago, but I didn’t take the symptoms seriously. As my symptoms became stronger, and with a family history of lupus, I knew it was time to see a doctor. I made my first appointment with my rheumatologist in the middle of 2006, who suspected lupus right from the get go. After that visit, however, I put my health issues on the backburner because my brother-in-law was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. I made Michael…
It was a really, really long process. There were lots of doctors thinking I was "just depressed." I was told several times I was healthy, or that I had chronic fatigue syndrome. Blood markers started showing up, though, when doctors actually started taking some of my symptoms more seriously. At first I was diagnosed with undifferentiated connective tissue disorder, then lupus SLE after a big flare. I have had to make a lot of changes, mostly that I need more sleep and that I mostly…
I was feeling tired all the time, and my hands started to hurt so bad I couldn’t sleep at night because of the pain. For the most part I have to stay active, moving around and exercising really helps a lot with my lupus. I also have to keep my diet in check. There are a lot of foods that I cannot eat without having a flare-up. My husband has been there for me from day one. When I get off track sometimes, he's the…
I was diagnosed with lupus shortly after a very difficult pregnancy with my second son. Having been pregnant five times in total (pre-SLE diagnosis), I finally had a doctor who listened and identified exactly what I had been dealing with all along without even knowing it. All the signs and symptoms along the way were never collectively considered by anyone, including myself. From extreme fatigue and sun sensitivity to dangerously low vitamin D levels and unexplained miscarriages, nothing ever added up. That is, until I…
I started having issues with swollen joints, losing weight, fatigue, nausea and fingers turning blue. My primary care physician ordered lab tests, and then referred me to a rheumatologist based on results and I was diagnosed with Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disorder. Three years later, enough symptoms surfaced for a second diagnosis as Lupus SLE. Chronic fatigue, high blood pressure, nausea, chest pains, sun sensitivity, Raynaud, joint and muscle pain, and kidney issues are the main complications of my diagnosis.
My symptoms hit the weekend before my first week of law school. After going a few days with a stiff neck, stiff shoulders and stiff fingers, my doctor ordered lab work, which showed that my blood platelet count was 18,000/mcL. After further tests, we established it wasn't leukemia, hepatitis, rocky mountain spotted fever, or anything else we could think of. I saw general physicians, hematologists, infectious disease specialists, neurologists, and more. During this time, I was also on zero medication. Extra Strength Tylenol was the…
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