New here with a question or two

Hello! I am so glad to have found this forum. I am a 42 year old mother of 3 boys and a reading teacher at an elementary school. I have had several health issues in the past 5 months, and I wanted to get the opinions of you all here. I had some routine bloodwork done in December and was found to be very anemic (hemoglobin 8.9). I have been to one doctor after another since then. I have had stomach issues and was found to have chronic stomach inflamation and a small hiatal hernia. I have also been experiencing a lot of pain in the balls of my feet and elbows. I have had Raynauds for several years, and have a history of RA in my family (mom and a couple of great aunts on her side). So, I asked my pcp about RA. She did a ton of blood tests, and while my sed rates were negative, but my ANA came back positive. I am seeing a rheumatologist on the 23rd. I have looked at the symptoms of lupus, since my doc mentioned that also as a possibility. I have had some of the symptoms- joint pain, fatigue, and I often feel like I have a fever, but I don't know if that is the case. (My husband is sick of me saying, "Is my forehead hot? Do I have a fever?") I'm not sure about the sun exposure issues, because I had melanoma 18 months ago and am very careful about my sun exposure. The joint under the big toe on my left foot is swollen and mis-shapen, and my right foot is heading that way.

I am writing today because my joint pain in my feet, knees, and elbows was so bad that I could cry if I let myself. And, I am so tired of being tired. I'm tired of going to doctors, but I got into trouble with that by trying to be tough last fall and ignoring symptoms, and I ended up very sick. Do you all have any thoughts about what I might be facing? Does any of it sound familiar? I am so sorry to whine. I am usually a very optimistic, upbeat person. I am just tired of dealing with all this, and at times I feel like I am going crazy.

I appreciate any thoughts you might have. Thank you.

HEY Sunshine :) Welcome! I too am sorry about what you are going through! I started having joint pain in my knees and elbows then my hips. Then it moved to the balls of my feet and when I woke up in the morning, it felt like I had decided to sleep standing up for days. Eventually it moved to every little spot that could move. Very painful. (had to wait for my work insurance to kick in) I also was pretty anemic. 3 of my grandparents have RA so I walked into a rhuemy's office and said I have RA, I need treatment fast. Welp, long story short, did blood work and he said that I had some of the highest test edicating sle than he had seen in a while!

 I was also in tears because it got to the point when I was leaving from work, I could hardly walk out the door from the pain. This was in 07, now I am happy to report that we are now in control of my Lupus and I can lead a normal life! So yes, your story sounds almost mirror to mine in the beginning. HW is a wonderful family, to be honest, when I was in my roughest time, i don't know what I would have done without their support. Let us know what you find out!

Hi! Alli,

We are glad you found us, too. Your story sounds so similar to mine. It's ok to whine, too. My swollen and mis-shapen rt. toe gives us a matching pair. We could go shoe shopping together and admire them! Lupus is tough even on a good day. When I limp on my foot, my opposite hip hurts like.... (*$(*&&%, and I have found using a cane with a wrist support really helps. Stay in touch, I have found this forum such a blessing. No one in my world seemed to understand how sick I felt, (but you don't LOOK sick!!!!!) and you certainly could be having recurrent fevers.  And remember you are NOT losing your mind.

Keep us posted,

hugs,

sue