My Diagnosis Story

What symptoms led up to your diagnosis?

I start to experience all the painful symptoms of Lupus, such as the rashes (discoid), the "butterfly rash" on my face, pain my joints and "bone pain" as well as trouble breathing, throwing up, urinating all the time, or feeling like I have to but not being able to go, etc.  I also have the constant fatigue of CFS/ME and the "nerve pain" of Fibromyalgia.  I also experience the "foggy" memory issues and I have a tremor that is yet explained.

What tests did your doctor do, and what was this experience like?

I have had every blood test, MRI, CT Scan, PET scan, Skin scrape, Urine test, Ultrasound and any other kind of scan that exists out there.  The only way I knew I had Lupus was that I had ONE positive ANA test. The rest of them were only that my white blood cell count goes way beyond high.

Upon learning about your diagnosis- what happened next?

I was put on all kinds of medications.  I saw all kind of doctors.  It's been 20 years and I have now gone mostly natural with my treatments.  I see a naturopath instead of just a regular MD and specialists.  I do still see specialists, as well as have a counselor to help me deal with all of the mental and psychological aspects of my illnesses, but I am doing much better using herbs rather than just drugs, although there are a few medications that I don't think I can live without either.