Well, I can answer yes to more than just 3 of those. I've been told I have degenerative arthritis by my General Practioner... yet he has never taken an xray or done anything other than feel my joints (supposively I have it in my hands, fingers, hips, knees and ankles)... sometimes it seems as if I will lose the function of my right hand completely. I have been told that I'm just the type of person who gets swelling in my hands, fingers and ankles. Sometimes so bad I can't wear shoes for weeks. Once I got sores on my feet (toes) for no apparent reason. I was told it was and treated for strepe. I've been told I have "drug induced parkinson's" (drugs from treating Bipolar) and am taking medication for parkinsons now. I've been told that I "just" have blood and/or protien in my urine. I've been told I'm just allergic to the sun. And on and on, there is much more... and of course that I am Bipolar. All this combined has landed me in the land of disability.
Would you like to guess my age? I'm 39. All this started 6 years ago. I know people in their 80's that get around better than I do. I thought then and still think that I am much too young to have these problems that they say I have.
Going to disabled status was and is really hard for me, as I have always been very ambitious. And I loved what I did. It was scary, and still is... I mean... will I be able to live on the money I get for disability? Any how, that's an entirely different story in itself.
Take care,
Donna
Crinums
Donna,
One guy I knew with lupus was diagnosed as schizophrenic and was hospitalized for psychotic episodes. After two years they finally figured out he had lupus. Once his lupus was treated and brought under control, his mental problems all but disappeared. He still gets a little manic at times, but nothing like the psychotic episodes he had prior to treatment.
Most people with lupus go years, being bounced from doctor to doctor, before being diagnosed...I started having symptoms when I was about 12. I was diagnosed when I was in my early 30s. I've been on disability since I was in my mid 30s due to an orthopedic problem caused by my lupus. It is hard. The worst part is never knowing from one day to the next if I am going to be bedridden or spunky the next day. I can't plan anything.
I don't wish lupus on anyone (well, with a few exceptions!)...but I do hope you get an answer that makes sense and that can get you treated. I don't know whether you have lupus or not...but I suspect that you have some sort of autoimmune problem that causes the skin sensitivity, blood and protein in your urine, arthralgias, and bipolar symptoms. You do need to find a good rheumatologist to talk to about this...not just any old rheumatologist. I've had 8 of the eleven criteria at one time or another (diagnosis requires 4)...and my ANA titre has been as high as 1:1280....yet I've seen some bad rheumies who questioned my lupus diagnosis because my ANA titre dropped to 1:80, which is considered to be low positive by most doctors and negative by others. It is important to find one who understands that with lupus, labs do not always tell the whole story. Be sure to see if you can find a copy of that book. Here is info on it through Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0195132815/sr=1-2/qid=1153728411/ref=pd_bbs_2/103-7754268-6419041?ie=UTF8&s=books
We really should take this discussion off the board...if you want to Dmail, feel free...