Lupus vs. Reactive Arthritis
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I apologize for the length of this post, but I have been vigilant in keeping my symptoms recorded, so I could take them to my first Rheumatology appointment. That was today, and he says he thinks I have REACTIVE ARTHRITIS. I am not male, I do not have any symptoms of that illness, and all my Lupus-like symptoms seem to have been ignored, or disregarded (even if just preliminary dx).
I am posting my symptoms journal in hopes that one of you, who has gone through this, or who may still be going through this, can offer me help and/or support. Even just a kind word.
I am feeling desperate, ignored, unimportant...as I am sure many of you do (or have during diagnosis).
Here goes...
January 13 - Both elbows hurt for the duration of the day.
January 18 - Woke up pre-dawn with diarrhea, back pain, and leg pain.
January 19 - Symptoms from previous day persisted; back pain ceased; leg pain became more intense (level 10/10). Stayed home from work.
January 20 - Fatigued and legs are weak and sore, but no longer aching.
January 21 - Felt 100% better.
January 31 - Went out to dinner. Had a glass of wine, and a couple of bourbon drinks at the bar afterwards.
February 1 - Awoke pre-dawn, after much interrupted sleep. Intense pain in both knees began in the early morning, and worsened throughout the day (level 9/10).
February 2 - After midnight, my knee pain became much worse; elbows, wrists, hands, and ankles began to hurt at this time as well. The pain was very intense in all areas, and I was awake much of the night (level 10/10). I took Ibuprofen and went to work. My ankle pain subsided, but my knees, elbows, and hands were still very painful (level 8/10). I called my primary care physician to schedule an appointment for the next day.
February 3 - Still no foot or ankle pain at all; knee pain was less (level 6/10); elbows, wrists, and hands hurt worst that day (level 8/10), which was worsened by driving to the doctor and then to work. Primary doc prescribed Celebrex, and I began taking it immediately.
February 4 - Knees began to hurt worse than the day before; stiff and had difficulty walking (level 9/10). Elbows, wrists, and hands remained painful (level 8/10). I stayed home from work.
February 5 - Back to work, but knees and hands still painful (level 6/10); elbow pain subsided. That evening, knee pain phases out, but hands begin to hurt, and this persists throughout the night. I woke up approximately 3 to 5 times throughout the night in pain (10/10). I took 2 Tylenol PM before bedtime to help with pain and interrupted sleep. No help.
February 6 - Knee pain gone; stiffness remains. Hands hurt badly throughout the day (level 7/10). Saw Dr. Winegardner again. Received a B12 shot, along with prescriptions for Celebrex and Ultram; I begin taking Ultram immediately; had been on Celebrex since February 3. That night, hands were worse (level 9/10). Also got a B12 shot, as I have been found to be B12 deficient. Primary says I will need to continue this monthly.
February 7 - Handsâ pain level 5/10
February 8 - Handsâ pain level 5/10; very interrupted sleep (3 to 5 times awake).
February 9 - Handsâ pain level 3/10; mostly stiff and tired.
February 10 - Essentially pain-free. Hands hurt intermittently (level 2/10). Developed a painful blister all along the outside rim of my nose (left side).
February 13 - Knee pain returned (level 7/10).
February 14 - Knee pain persisted (level 7/10); late evening knee pain began to subside (level 3/10 by bedtime).
February 15 - Knee pain gone; hands level 4/10.
February 16 - Hands level 4/10.
February 17 - Hands level 3/10; night sweats.
February 18 - Hands level 6/10; elbows level 5/10.
February 19 - Flew to Arizona; ankles swollen badly upon arrival; hands and elbows 4/10; woke up 2 times during night with hand and arm pain (level 6/10).
February 20 - Fatigued; swollen knees and ankles; hands level 5/10.
February 21 - Very fatigued; swollen still; hands, arms level 10/10 by bedtime; knees level 6/10. Hardly any sleep; lots of pain; night sweats.
February 22 - Extremely fatigued; still swollen; terrible, âburningâ headache in center of forehead; hands, elbows, knees all level 8/10 for the entire day.
February 23 - Flew back home from Arizona. Still swollen about 80%; hands, elbows, and knees level 10/10 in flight; level 7/10 by bedtime.
February 24 - Fatigued; knees, elbows, hands 7/10 all day; slept on the way home from work (I carpool); napped when I got home.
February 25 - Exactly same as February 24.
February 26 - Fatigued; stayed home from work to rest; hard to walk; legs weak and painful (level 8/10); elbows and hands 6/10. Rested most of the day, with my legs elevated slightly. Walked very little; knees burn and feel swollen. Swelling in ankles subsided up to 90%.
February 27 - Legs weak and still somewhat painful (level 4/10); elbows level 4/10; hands level 5/10. Moderate headache in forehead in early morning to mid-morning.
February 28 - Overall pain level subsided; virtually pain-free the entire day. Elbows hurt (level 5/10) for about 10 minutes in the middle of the day.
March 1 - Awoke with hand, wrist, elbow, ankle, and knee pain. Level 6/10 early, but became level 8/10 by bedtime. Night sweats, very interrupted sleep, pain level consistently 8-9/10 throughout the night.
March 2 - Awake at 4:00 am due to pain and sleeplessness. Pain level 9/10 in hands, elbows, and knees, and becoming 7/10 within about 4 to 5 hours. Took 2 Ultram (approx. 4 hours apart). Also had a headache in my forehead when I woke up, but it completely subsided in approximately 2 hours.
Other Various Possibly Related or Non-related Symptoms:
Rash behind both ears since October 2008.
Heavy rash on chest since October 2008.
Extreme hyper pigmentation inside my bottom lip (have had for nearly 3 years, and keeps growing, even without sun or UV exposure)
Fatigue, lethargy for at least 2 years
Sleeplessness and night sweats for at least 3 years
PMDD (irregular, super-painful periods)
Long periods (3 weeks); early periods (every 2 weeks); skipped periods (one month only)
Health History:
Osgood Schlatterâs Disease age 7 - still have knee pain into adulthood. I was told I would âoutgrowâ this.
Non-bacterial ulcer age 20; healed by age 21 via use of Prevacid and Prilosec. Have continued to take over-the-counter meds to help with heartburn and indigestion. Recent endoscopy showed healthy stomach, esophagus, and small intestine.
Benign heart arrhythmia at age 20
Bilateral elbow pain as many as 10 years ago (1999); three to five events in a yearâs time. I received no treatment.
SEVERE Hyperhydrosis at age 25; treated since age 28. Was originally prescribed Hyoscyamine, but it was discontinued a year ago. This medication was replaced with Oxybutynin. Some days, I still have breakthrough sweating; I mean PUDDLES under my feet when I wear sandals. Crazy...
Current Meds:
Oxybutynin 5mg once daily since May 2008 (for hyperhydrosis)
Solodyn 90mg once daily since November 2008 (for acne)
Brevoxyl face wash twice daily since May 2008 (for acne)
Tazorac cream at bedtime since May 2008 (as needed for acne)
Duac gel spot treatment since May 2008 (as needed for acne spot treatment)
YAZ for PMDD since November 2008
Celebrex 200mg once daily (as of Feb. 3 for joint inflammation)
Ultram 200mg once daily (as of Feb. 6 for joint pain)
Family Health History:
Rheumatoid Arthritis (maternal grandmother has it; her brother had it; paternal great aunt had it)
Fibromyalgia (first cousin has it)
Osteoarthritis (mother has it; paternal grandmother has it)
Recent Blood Tests:
All blood tests "fairly normal" results. Positive ANA (do not know titre, but have requested a copy from my primary); negative Rheumatoid factor. These tests were performed twice by my primary. She said, "your Lupus panel is positive," and referred me to a Rheumatologist
Today, the Rheumatologist REPEATED all blood tests after my physical evaluation, and âinterviewâ process. He recommended I get a hand and pelvic x-ray; and a bone scan. He prescribed 10mg daily of Prednisone for one week, as he suspects I could have REACTIVE ARTHRITIS. Even though in my interview I told him I have no bloody stool; no vaginal sores or irritation; no mouth sores; etc. I just didnât know why he was asking about these things till I got back to work and read about Reactive Arthritis - which occurs mostly in MEN, ages 20-40 (which I am not), and because of a Venereal Disease, which I DO NOT HAVE.
My symptoms SOUND like Lupus-related occurrences, and I have been reading about each symptom as it occursâ¦it all comes back to Lupus With a "positive Lupus panel". With all these symptoms, what would lead my Rheumatologist to think I have Reactive Arthritis. Please help! I am frustrated and confused.
You are a saint for reading all of this.
I am posting my symptoms journal in hopes that one of you, who has gone through this, or who may still be going through this, can offer me help and/or support. Even just a kind word.
I am feeling desperate, ignored, unimportant...as I am sure many of you do (or have during diagnosis).
Here goes...
January 13 - Both elbows hurt for the duration of the day.
January 18 - Woke up pre-dawn with diarrhea, back pain, and leg pain.
January 19 - Symptoms from previous day persisted; back pain ceased; leg pain became more intense (level 10/10). Stayed home from work.
January 20 - Fatigued and legs are weak and sore, but no longer aching.
January 21 - Felt 100% better.
January 31 - Went out to dinner. Had a glass of wine, and a couple of bourbon drinks at the bar afterwards.
February 1 - Awoke pre-dawn, after much interrupted sleep. Intense pain in both knees began in the early morning, and worsened throughout the day (level 9/10).
February 2 - After midnight, my knee pain became much worse; elbows, wrists, hands, and ankles began to hurt at this time as well. The pain was very intense in all areas, and I was awake much of the night (level 10/10). I took Ibuprofen and went to work. My ankle pain subsided, but my knees, elbows, and hands were still very painful (level 8/10). I called my primary care physician to schedule an appointment for the next day.
February 3 - Still no foot or ankle pain at all; knee pain was less (level 6/10); elbows, wrists, and hands hurt worst that day (level 8/10), which was worsened by driving to the doctor and then to work. Primary doc prescribed Celebrex, and I began taking it immediately.
February 4 - Knees began to hurt worse than the day before; stiff and had difficulty walking (level 9/10). Elbows, wrists, and hands remained painful (level 8/10). I stayed home from work.
February 5 - Back to work, but knees and hands still painful (level 6/10); elbow pain subsided. That evening, knee pain phases out, but hands begin to hurt, and this persists throughout the night. I woke up approximately 3 to 5 times throughout the night in pain (10/10). I took 2 Tylenol PM before bedtime to help with pain and interrupted sleep. No help.
February 6 - Knee pain gone; stiffness remains. Hands hurt badly throughout the day (level 7/10). Saw Dr. Winegardner again. Received a B12 shot, along with prescriptions for Celebrex and Ultram; I begin taking Ultram immediately; had been on Celebrex since February 3. That night, hands were worse (level 9/10). Also got a B12 shot, as I have been found to be B12 deficient. Primary says I will need to continue this monthly.
February 7 - Handsâ pain level 5/10
February 8 - Handsâ pain level 5/10; very interrupted sleep (3 to 5 times awake).
February 9 - Handsâ pain level 3/10; mostly stiff and tired.
February 10 - Essentially pain-free. Hands hurt intermittently (level 2/10). Developed a painful blister all along the outside rim of my nose (left side).
February 13 - Knee pain returned (level 7/10).
February 14 - Knee pain persisted (level 7/10); late evening knee pain began to subside (level 3/10 by bedtime).
February 15 - Knee pain gone; hands level 4/10.
February 16 - Hands level 4/10.
February 17 - Hands level 3/10; night sweats.
February 18 - Hands level 6/10; elbows level 5/10.
February 19 - Flew to Arizona; ankles swollen badly upon arrival; hands and elbows 4/10; woke up 2 times during night with hand and arm pain (level 6/10).
February 20 - Fatigued; swollen knees and ankles; hands level 5/10.
February 21 - Very fatigued; swollen still; hands, arms level 10/10 by bedtime; knees level 6/10. Hardly any sleep; lots of pain; night sweats.
February 22 - Extremely fatigued; still swollen; terrible, âburningâ headache in center of forehead; hands, elbows, knees all level 8/10 for the entire day.
February 23 - Flew back home from Arizona. Still swollen about 80%; hands, elbows, and knees level 10/10 in flight; level 7/10 by bedtime.
February 24 - Fatigued; knees, elbows, hands 7/10 all day; slept on the way home from work (I carpool); napped when I got home.
February 25 - Exactly same as February 24.
February 26 - Fatigued; stayed home from work to rest; hard to walk; legs weak and painful (level 8/10); elbows and hands 6/10. Rested most of the day, with my legs elevated slightly. Walked very little; knees burn and feel swollen. Swelling in ankles subsided up to 90%.
February 27 - Legs weak and still somewhat painful (level 4/10); elbows level 4/10; hands level 5/10. Moderate headache in forehead in early morning to mid-morning.
February 28 - Overall pain level subsided; virtually pain-free the entire day. Elbows hurt (level 5/10) for about 10 minutes in the middle of the day.
March 1 - Awoke with hand, wrist, elbow, ankle, and knee pain. Level 6/10 early, but became level 8/10 by bedtime. Night sweats, very interrupted sleep, pain level consistently 8-9/10 throughout the night.
March 2 - Awake at 4:00 am due to pain and sleeplessness. Pain level 9/10 in hands, elbows, and knees, and becoming 7/10 within about 4 to 5 hours. Took 2 Ultram (approx. 4 hours apart). Also had a headache in my forehead when I woke up, but it completely subsided in approximately 2 hours.
Other Various Possibly Related or Non-related Symptoms:
Rash behind both ears since October 2008.
Heavy rash on chest since October 2008.
Extreme hyper pigmentation inside my bottom lip (have had for nearly 3 years, and keeps growing, even without sun or UV exposure)
Fatigue, lethargy for at least 2 years
Sleeplessness and night sweats for at least 3 years
PMDD (irregular, super-painful periods)
Long periods (3 weeks); early periods (every 2 weeks); skipped periods (one month only)
Health History:
Osgood Schlatterâs Disease age 7 - still have knee pain into adulthood. I was told I would âoutgrowâ this.
Non-bacterial ulcer age 20; healed by age 21 via use of Prevacid and Prilosec. Have continued to take over-the-counter meds to help with heartburn and indigestion. Recent endoscopy showed healthy stomach, esophagus, and small intestine.
Benign heart arrhythmia at age 20
Bilateral elbow pain as many as 10 years ago (1999); three to five events in a yearâs time. I received no treatment.
SEVERE Hyperhydrosis at age 25; treated since age 28. Was originally prescribed Hyoscyamine, but it was discontinued a year ago. This medication was replaced with Oxybutynin. Some days, I still have breakthrough sweating; I mean PUDDLES under my feet when I wear sandals. Crazy...
Current Meds:
Oxybutynin 5mg once daily since May 2008 (for hyperhydrosis)
Solodyn 90mg once daily since November 2008 (for acne)
Brevoxyl face wash twice daily since May 2008 (for acne)
Tazorac cream at bedtime since May 2008 (as needed for acne)
Duac gel spot treatment since May 2008 (as needed for acne spot treatment)
YAZ for PMDD since November 2008
Celebrex 200mg once daily (as of Feb. 3 for joint inflammation)
Ultram 200mg once daily (as of Feb. 6 for joint pain)
Family Health History:
Rheumatoid Arthritis (maternal grandmother has it; her brother had it; paternal great aunt had it)
Fibromyalgia (first cousin has it)
Osteoarthritis (mother has it; paternal grandmother has it)
Recent Blood Tests:
All blood tests "fairly normal" results. Positive ANA (do not know titre, but have requested a copy from my primary); negative Rheumatoid factor. These tests were performed twice by my primary. She said, "your Lupus panel is positive," and referred me to a Rheumatologist
Today, the Rheumatologist REPEATED all blood tests after my physical evaluation, and âinterviewâ process. He recommended I get a hand and pelvic x-ray; and a bone scan. He prescribed 10mg daily of Prednisone for one week, as he suspects I could have REACTIVE ARTHRITIS. Even though in my interview I told him I have no bloody stool; no vaginal sores or irritation; no mouth sores; etc. I just didnât know why he was asking about these things till I got back to work and read about Reactive Arthritis - which occurs mostly in MEN, ages 20-40 (which I am not), and because of a Venereal Disease, which I DO NOT HAVE.
My symptoms SOUND like Lupus-related occurrences, and I have been reading about each symptom as it occursâ¦it all comes back to Lupus With a "positive Lupus panel". With all these symptoms, what would lead my Rheumatologist to think I have Reactive Arthritis. Please help! I am frustrated and confused.
You are a saint for reading all of this.
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This page was last updated on May 25, 2013.
© 2010 eHealthForum.com