How would I know if I have Lupus? What test should I ask my doctor about?

Question:

My sister is a nurse and she thinks that I have Lupus. Somedays I have to make myself get out of bed. It is a struggle to perform normal household chores. I have had the "butterfly" rash on my face but it wasn't that bad. I have episodes where I feel like I can do anything. When I have a flare-up I get nodules behind my ear and one in my neck. I also get a rash on my chest that itches. There is also pain in my joints when I have an episode and could sleep for days. I do not suffer from depression. I was told that it can be hard to determine if you have Lupus. If I do have it will it affect me having children in the future and could it be the cause of a previous miscarriage? Just to be clear I have been tested for EVERYTHING but Lupus.

Answers:
I am no doctor, but sounds like you have many lupus symtoms.take it from someone that was diagnosed in 1996. Some days are better than others, but if properly diagnosed they will be testing your blood for overproduction of white blood cells..my doctor (he was so aweseome because I went to 6 that misdiagnosed me!!) said that was really the only true test to tell if you have the disease or not. If you get diagnosed with lupus you will have to take care of yourself more and learn that you can't do everything you used to do! (You need more rest for sure, you will learn to take naps, etc.) Good luck with your search for a good doctor.

Other Answers:
Here's information about the symptoms of lupus:
http://health.yahoo.com/topic/lupus/symptoms/article/healthwise/hw123438;_ylt=AntDJSSSkIGui03u9zbmHQW67M8F

Here's how lupus is diagnosed:
http://health.yahoo.com/topic/lupus/symptoms/article/healthwise/hw123519

Take care of yourself,

Rachel

Lupus has the characteristics and symptoms of many similar diseases, i.e. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Anemia, just to name a few. Research on line or through the medical library in your local hospital to determine which symptom is predominate and start with a doctor who specializes in that particular field. If you get a diagnosis from a doctor and disagree with it in any way, or you are uncomfortable with that doctor, please get a second, third, fourth opinion, etc. My mother was misdiagnosed for nine years and, finally, through a rheumatologist, was correctly diagnosed. Follow any and all instructions, keep all of your appointments, and most of all, take care of yourself. God bless you. Maybe you will find out it is something totally different.

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How would I know if I have Lupus? What test should I ask my doctor about?

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