| multiple autoimmune nightmare
Hello, I'm a 53yo woman from Long Island NY. I was wondering if anyone has had a similar experience as me. I was diagnosed with Lupus right after my daughter was born 18 years ago. It seemed to go into remission after about 2 years, then I was diagnosed with Graves' disease, and had the RAI treatment, and since then I have been on synthroid for hypothyroidism. I would get occasional flares after that of Lupus over the next several years, gradually getting worse, and finally went to a new rheumatologist and was tested and diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis
.Since then I have been in nearly non-stop pain, especially in my feet, knees, hips, and shoulders. my doctor told me i had moderate to severe ra, and also fibromyalgia. Nothing has helped the pain much, and I am now on disability. I keep getting infections in the sinuses and throat. I don't sleep much. My legs have swollen with fluid since last summer, and I started getting lesions on them, so now i have to wear compression wraps on them.
I've been through Plaquenil, steroids, methotrexate, Enbrel injections, and now I keep trying to stay on Actemra infusions, but i keep getting infections so I have to stop them often. At this point I can barely walk with a walker, I'm short of breath, and in constant pain. I feel like I am slowly dying.
With all the steroids for so long, and with my decreasing ability to move, I have put on over 100 lbs. I eat less and less and cannot lose any weight. I am at my wits end. Does anyone have any advice? should I try another rheumotologist?
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