Lupus or rheumatoid arthritis sufferers???

I am 28 years old and have been feeling "not well" for over 7 years now with no diagnosis. The docs have come as close to saying it is probably an auto immune disorder but since I dont have ALL of the symptoms JUST YET... that they cant diagnose me at this time. I was wondering for those of you who do have an auto immune disorder or disease do my symptoms sound anything like yours and what kind of things are out there to help with the discomfort and pain?

skin rash on hands
sore knees, ankles, wrists and neck
stiff joints
lower back issues
unable to loose weight
positive ANA blood work.
jaw pain

Lupus is a rheumatic disease, just like rheumatoid arthritis, best treated by adding antibiotics to your current medications.

Don't wait for the perfect diagnosis before being treated. And switch to a different doctor, preferably an orthopaedist.

Rheumatic diseases are the result of a defective gene and collagen inflammation, often from a chronic infection. Collagen is present throughout the body, from the eyes, skin and joints to the heart. Hence, the multiplicity of symptoms, depending on the location of the most affected internal organs or body parts.

I have had seronegative rheumatoid arthritis for more than 27 years. 20% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis have seronegative rheumatoid arthritis whose telling signs are the following:
- Joint pain in the feet (or cracking ankles) in the early 20's or late teens;
- Fatigue, especially after a moderate exercise like a 30 minute walk;
- Blood test showing a negative or low level of Rheumatoid Factor (RF);
- Joint deformities of the fingers, after a few years, a specific sign of rheumatoid arthritis;
- Consecutive X-Rays, over several years, showing bone erosion, a consequence of rheumatoid arthritis;
- Generalized arthritis, involving the whole body;
- Blood tests showing elevated levels of C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and Sedimentation rate (ESR).

NSAIDs like Voltaren, COX-2 inhibitors like Celebrex, acetaminophen like Tylenol, codeine, and statins like Lipitor are all used to control inflammation and relieve the pain of arthritis.

Regular exercise like walking, biking and swimming is also helpful for most patients. Make sure that you are not overweight as carrying too much weight can only increase the pain of arthritis in the supporting joints of the hips, knees, ankles and feet.

For any form of rheumatic disease, including lupus, you should consult an orthopaedist who will order blood tests, joint scans and X-Rays to better diagnose the type of rheumatic disease from which you suffer.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons at http://www.aaos.org maintains a public online directory where you can find the address and phone number of orthopaedists who belong to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Orthopaedists are listed by geographic location and family name, inside the USA and in most countries.

The membership directory of the AAOS is located at:

http://www6.aaos.org/about/public/member...

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons maintains a wealth of information online at:

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org

Lyme disease could be a possibility. Ask your doctor to test you for the bacteria causing Lyme disease.

Are there any other cases of lupus, arthritis or rheumatic diseases among your relatives? Chronic forms of lupus and rheumatic diseases are usually prevalent in families where a defective gene is passed on by parents to their children.

There are a few hundred types of arthritis and rheumatic diseases. The good news is that science is progressing rapidly in its understanding of rheumatic diseases.

Antibiotics are now used to achieve full remissions for patients with lupus. The same is true for rheumatoid arthritis where a minimum of 40%, if not 65% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis can achieve full remissions. For more info, please join the antibio group at:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/ant...

Those can be symptoms of lots of disorders, including autoimmune ones. However the positive ANA is certainly important. For a diagnosis of lupus you do not need ALL the symptoms, but keep in mind that different symptoms carry different weight in making a diagnosis. I am guessing you have been told you have undifferentiated mixed connective tissue disorder or something along those lines.

Have you consulted a rheumatologist?

A word of caution-if you go into a doctor's appointment having already made a self-diagnosis, the doc is likely to get quite annoyed and tune you out. Instead, go with this information.
-a list of your symptoms
-how long they last
-how severe they are
-how frequently you have them
-what makes them feel better
-what makes them feel worse
-how long you have had these symptoms
-bring your medical records and lab tests. The are yours, you paid for them, you have a right to them.

For discomfort and pain-warm baths and showers, exercise (yes I said exercise, it lubricates the joints, maintains flexibility, and create endorphins which lessen pain), avoid teh sun, see a dentist for the jaw pain, develop stress management skills, rest as often as possible, eat a nutritious diet that is low in processed foods and animal fat and high in fiber and includes omega 3 and omega 6 rich foods.