I was just diagnosed recently. I do not have a regular doctor or any insurance and found that I do not qualify for Medicaid. I went to the ER with fatigue, swelling all over my body, shortness of breath, severe headache, and fever. After their tests they let me know it is Lupus and sent me home. No medicine or anything. I am now having severe abdominal pain on top of everything else.

I was diagnosed with Lupus a year ago but have had the disease for 5 years. It is a very difficult disease to diagnose. I treated it like something that would go away for so long, I live in Spain so every summer I got sicker and sicker. I did not do anything about my illness until I knew something was seriously wrong so I went to the hospital and was hospitalized with a bad pneumonia and treated for that. I felt better after that but soon the joint pains came again and the following winter the Raynaud's Syndrome for the second winter in a row, so I went again to the hospital and then they figured out that there was something more serious happening to me. First I got diagnosed with Scleroderma, then it was changed to Lupus. I have been on many different types of medications for the past year and not have any serious flare but new symptoms arrive regularly that need medical attention.

My earliest recollection of lupus symptoms was when I was still a small child. Beginning with the onset of extreme neurosensitivities such as migraines, shingles and hyper sensitivity to cold temperatures, symptoms would also cause me to shiver erratically while my lips, feet and hands took on a bluish pigmentation. My diagnoses would not come for many more years. Then, by age 30, after having two children it seems that the lupus decided that it was high time somebody saw Him for the monster he truly was.

I have SLE, Reynaud's, Sjogren's and migraines. I have been on 2 Plaquenil a day for 7. Without this medication, I feel I would need a caregiver as I struggled to get out of bed before I started taking them.

I was diagnosed with lupus nephritis and was treated with chemo drug Cytoxin monthly for two and a half years. I have been in remission for more than seven years, thanks to Dr. Petri in Baltimore.

I am a 25 year old female and was diagnosed with lupus at 16 years of age. I have found that managing the condition is about balance. The following are the treatments that I use: 1. Plaquenil 2. Fish oil and consuming fish in my diet 3. Avoiding the sun as much as possible 4. Balancing work, social and exercise with enough rest 5. Psychology and family supports to assist me in my self-management of the condition 6. Good relationship with my GP and specialist

Plaquenil has been a life saver for me. [2 a day] I have been on it for 13 years and it has helped tremendously with joint pains. I was on prednisone once.

I had a stroke when I was 38 years old, then through the years I had rash, swollen glands, and loss of weight. Finally in 1995 with diagnosis of Reynauld's syndrome and my doctors found that I did have systemic lupus and also had liver and lung problems. Now they say I have mostly fibromyalgia, and I still am so tired, I ache, and I feel like I have a low grade fever.

Have had Lupus since I was 15 started with the joint pain and joint swelling. I have gone through the requisite barrage of anti-inflamatories. I am unfortuantely allergic to Plaquinil. I also tried imuran without much relief. Mostly I just deal with it. Recently I have started taking Lyrica. It helps with some of the more generalized pain. It tires you out and can make you a little zoned out sometimes but I have felt better on that for he last month than anything else. It also helps with my back pain.