Hi my son has Lupus> I suggest that you get tested because it sounds like you my have it. Sorry!!

I am 23 and can totally relate. You describe me to a T.

Lupus is hard to diagnosis and requires a lifestyle change. You seem to already be cautious in your life choices and that is a VERY good thing.

Go find a great Rheumatologist. I found one that is amazing and it has made a world of different. He then treats the symptoms as they arise. I would also recommend a good internist to help with the eating problems.

Sadly enough, it take a team of doctors to get all symptoms covered, but it will make you life so much better.

Answers are key to not only your health, but your piece of mind as well. It relieves your stress to finally have answers. Good luck and seek out the best doctors. Find one that makes you feel comfortable and not stupid or silly for any issues you may be having.

I would highly suggest yous ee a doc and demand a test for Celiac Disease. CD can cause a multitude of symtpoms, includnig those that mimic lupus, endometriosis, IBS, fibromyalgoia, etc. (Sorry for my spelling). If you have Celiac the treatment is simple, just follow the gluten free diet. No meds or anythign! Just dont eat gluten! Celiac is an autoimmune disease in which the person cannot digest gluten, a protein in wheat, rye and barley. But CD can go for YEARS undetected and lead to TONS of problems in the body. It is also highly genetic.
Please see the links fo rmore info or feel free to email me privately. I head a local chapter of a non profit celiac support group.

90-95% of lupus patients have periods of extreme fatigue and joint pain or inflammation

There is no single definitive lab test for lupus. You need to see a rheumatologist.

Lupus is known as the great imitator because it can mimic so many other conditions.

Lupus can cause recurring and lasting fevers.

You could have lingering effects of mono. It’s impossible to tell from Yahoo answers.

Not eating well can cause nutritional deficiencies. Longstanding digestion problems, stomach pain and tonsilitis could have cause you to not eat properly. Even if you did eat properly, some conditions can cause a malabsorbtion of vitamins. Think back how this all started. It didn’t start with soreness or fatigue. It started with digestive problems. Do you still have digestive problems? Not getting all your vitamins can lower your immune system and cause infection. Get your doctor to check your B12, iron and calcium levels. Because you did not eat a lot of meat, you should also make sure you are getting protein in your diet. Get him also to check you for Celiac Disease. Some multivitamins contain niacin that can cause people to flush. Look for a multivitamin with non-flushing niacin.

My wife had Lupus. When she was diagnosed in 1978, I remember being called into the Neurologist’s office, where she told me my wife had maybe 6 mos. to live! Instead, she lived to the age of 44, some 20 yrs. beyond what was then expected. (Heart attack w/complications). Childbirth was difficult due to her Lupus. An excellent book on the subject is “Lupus: The Body Against Itself.”
She exhibited many of the symptoms (and the same frustrations) you describe; fibromyalgia, etc. She was also epileptic. Over the yrs., she was diagnosed and mis-diagnosed many times. One telling answer to your question is whether or not you ever have a facial, “butterfly-shaped” rash that bridges your nose. That is where the name LUPUS comes from, the red-wolf mark. Check also for kidney functions and drug interactions. Many of the prescriptions my late wife had to take had the side effects you mentioned, and it was a tough trade-off.
Finally, be open with others about it and get their supportive understanding. Dealing with it up-front rather than hiding it from others is self-defeating. Good Luck!

It does not sound like a clean cut description Of Lupus. It does sound like Chronic Fatigue or Fibromyalagia. I do have lupus and was it took years to be diagnosed. In the end I wrote down my health history from as far back as I could remember. I included all illnesses, allergic reactions, and injuries. I also kept a journal of how I felt from day to day. I requested my records from my doctor and found a new one. I dropped it all on his desk and the testing began. I was relieved to have a diagnoses – I was not crazy after all ! If possible, see specialists who work out of a hospital. You have a better chance of them communicating with each other this way. Good doctors will also treat your symptoms to make you comfortable, not pain pills, but some thing for Migraines, inflammation, anxiety etc., what ever the case might be. So be diligent and never be intimidated by a doctor. Go get answers.