Will you guys have me over here?

The lupus board is dead (to say the least) so can I hang out here?  I was diagnosed with lupus in 1998 (symptoms since 1995) and rediagnosed in 2007 with "unspecified connective tissue disease".  The new rheumatologist isn't convinced I have lupus but he's still treating me the same way.

Anyway, I think I'll hang out here if you guys will have me.  I'm a nice person, really

-TS

Uhnm, I for one think  you should really stay in your designated area......



LOL
Just kidding...ofcourse we will have you over here...why not? pain and discomfort is pain and discomfort right???

Thank you for not sending me back to the lupus group!  And yes, pain and discomfort are pain and discomfort.  I must admit, pain has been only a 2 or 3 recently, discomfort maybe more like a 4 or 5.  So, everything is pretty much under control right now.  But, when I'm flaring it's more like 100 on the 1 - 10 pain scale.  So, I can relate to some of your pain and discomfort.

-TS

I say welcome aboard, nice people are always welcome!

Every couple of years they test me for lupus and it comes back inconclusive..... Wonder if there is a connection somewhere. Anyway--pain is pain is pain..Welcome. Christine

I'm sure there is a connection.  Once a person has one autoimmune disease, they are more likely to be diagnosed with another.  And many of the different diagnoses overlap significantly.  2 rheumies before my current one said I had lupus and Sjogren's syndrome.  The current doc doesn't refute the Sjogren's diagnosis, but questioned the lupus diagnosis.  He likes using "unspecified connetive tissue disease" or "mixed connective tissue disease" instead.  While I have a lot of different positive tests, there is 1 positive test he's looking for (in addition to the rest) before he would use the lupus diagnosis with me.  And according to him, that could turn up positive later down the line...but for now, it isn't. 

And yes, pain is pain...and yesterday and today, I'm definitely having some of that   Makes doing laundry and concentrating on studying a bit harder today.  But despite the pain, I did walk for about 40 minutes this morning.  I'm having dog behavior troubles and had a dog behaviorist come out yesterday.  He did an evaluation and we signed up for  a 6 week program.  While he hasn't officially taught me what to do with my dogs, I watched closely yesterday.  So, I took my 2 older dogs out for individual walks today with "me" in control.  I hope this helps...

-TS

I have to agree that pain is pain.  I have lupus as well.  I didnt even know there was a lupis board!