meflynn

I can relate to these posts... I am 42 and a Medical Social Worker, licensed Therapist and and PHD Psych. student. I have similiar symptoms to yours and after years of trying to get a diagnosis, have the diagnosis of UCTD - Unspecified Connective Tissue Disorder. I am under the care of a very sympathetic Rheumatologist from Emory (Atlanta).He suspects I have ANA negative Lupus - and says eventually, my ANA tests will be positive...I have a tiny lyphocyte count and some blood in my urine at every test - and all during my pregnancy. I had toxemia during my pregnancy - which I now suspect as being Lupus related. Anyway, my Doctor noticed my red face at our first appointment and saw my mouth full of odd sores. I am fatigued on and off - but can go many months with loads of energy. Wellbutrin SR 100 mgs. per day has helped me with energy and focus this past year. I have some vague nervous system symptoms on and off and have had episodic "opthalmic migraines" - where I get flashes of lights in my vision and experience transient loss of vision in one eye. These visual disturbances happened to me as a teen - and then didn't happen again until after the birth of my first son - when I was 34. I went over twenty years with no visual problems and then had several of these "attacks" in my mid 30's. I saw an Optho-Neurologist who tested me for MS and other things and all of the tests came back fine. At the time of these visual problems, I also had some numbness in my left hand and leg tingling on and off for a few weeks. This luckily has all disappeared again and has not come back for many years. I think these episodes must be related to Lupus and the peripheral nervous system. I may have been having small strokes at the time - I kept telling all of the Doctors my hand was numb and my leg was tingling - they wanted me to see a Psychiatrist at that time. It was very scary and scary to this day to think about standing and holding my baby in my arms in a room of of Doctors and Nurses and telling them my hand was numb and my leg was tingling and they never tested me for a stroke or Lupus or anything. They just told me I was a stressed out and tired new mother. Finally, I snuck my way into a referral with this great Rheumatologist from Emory who listened to me rattle off every symptom I've ever had...and he said from day one, I know you have a connective tissue disorder and I think it's Lupus. When I get symptoms - which for me now are fatigue, red rashes and odd aches, he treats me with a steroid dose pack and Celebrex. I can get a one days notice appointment with this Doctor and feel well cared for. I currently have mouth/teeth/gum burning and pain and saw a Dentist. He said my teeth/gums were fine. he said I might have Facial Neuralgia - which is a flaring of the primary facial nerve. It's been very painful - but the one week of steroids has gotten me through. Do I sound like a patient who would benefit from Plaquenal? Thanks for reading my rattling and any response you might have.