Dear kgbbsc, Welcome. Unfortunately there is no known prevention or cure for lupus. On the other hand, sun avoidance (as cookingmom just said) and medication can do much to control, in many people, the aberrant immune system that's in overdrive.
Also, many cases are mild---and there are different "degrees" of lupus. The "sticky posts" at the top of this Board have info on SLE = systemic lupus. Others include: DLE (discoid, considered the mildest but with cosmetic scarring issues); SCLE (subacute cutaneous, considered the intermediate kind; this can range the whole gamut but tends to be less severe in many people); and SLE (systemic, the one we think of when we think of lupus). Also there are neo-natal & drug-induced. Plus there are a lot of variants even within these 5 groups. Not a simple subject!
Do you know what bloodwork was done? Some rheumies just go for broke & order many tests, instead of waiting for ANA to turn positive before ordering more specific tests. This actually makes MORE SENSE, as some people with the lesser "subsets" (DLE & SCLE) *never* have a positive ANA. Also, a few people with full-blown SLE remain ANA-negative. There's some great info on this in the site noted in the "sticky post" about TEST RESULTS (see top of Board). If you navigate there, you'll find a lot of info, on tests, skin, major organs, etc.
Where was your rash? Just curious... I had many years of annular (circular) nonscarring torso rashes, but no facial rashes. I finally went to a Manhattan rheumie & dermatopathologist and was Dx'ed with SCLE, based on anti-Ro, some systemic problems (anemia for one), and skin biopsy results. I never had a positive ANA, which can happen about 30% of the time in the SCLE subset. I am horribly photosensitive.
We'd love to hear more! Chances are good that someone here overlaps with at least some of your issues. The range is SO WIDE in lupus, but we have quite a collection of characters here.
Take good care. Bye for now, from Vee
