Hi - Just a quick reply as I should be in bed lol I won't comment on your mother's choice of not taking meds, as that is a personal decision that I don't agree with. As for the "heartburn" - there are 2 things that come to mind.  1 is an inflamation around the sack of the heart that is common in lupus, but I don't think tums helps that at all.  2 is atypical Gall Bladder disease symptoms.  I had a few years of chest pain off and on, and it's VERY atypical for Gall bladder problems, but I've never been one to do things "by the book" when it comes to my diseases. See if she experiences the pain most after eating fatty food.   Other than that, I'm at a loss. As for diet soda - I know of folks having problems with Aspartame and lupus, as well with hypoglycemia.  I drink diet soda, but have damaged joints from lupus.. so I think it's the lupus. lol  Never tried not drinking diet soda. Good luck and I apologize for being so disorganized in my thoughts.

Hiya, Since you're posting here, I hope I can assume that you have lupus. You wrote "While in Hawaii, I was out walking everyday, and totally enjoying being in the sun. "  Many folks with lupus can go into "flares" from sun exposure.  I sometimes do, then sometimes not.  I often get mouth sores (again, from lupus), and the forgetfulness and some mild confusion from the "brain fog" from pain, over-doing it, and too much sun.  I also sometimes get more shakey, and an exaggerated startle reflex when my lupus and fibromyalgia acts up. I have bipolar disorder and Seasonal affective disorder for which I take anti-depressants and an anti-convulsive medication approved for bipolar.  I also have chronice insomnia and trouble getting into stage 4 sleep (common with fibro patients) and thus need a sleep medication.  I was taking Trazodone until recently when it stopped working.  My psychiatrist put me on Lunesta and I got REALLY nervous and I felt like every muscle in my body was twitching.  There is only sporatic external shakiness that I've developed over the years, but I weaned myself off the lunesta and the extreme nervousness and much of the shaking has gone away.  I still get external tremmors which I will discuss with my doc this coming week. My point of mentioning the lunesta is that it *might* be a side effect of switching meds.  Without knowing the names I couldn't look it up -- but it is easily done. If you're not seeing a rheumatologist for your lupus, I hope there is one in your area that you can see.  It is important to be seen by a rheumy, or an immunologist for lupus.  In the mean time, try and stretch your muscles daily in case you've developed Fibromyalgia. I'd go more into that, but this, I'm sure, is not the place. Please remember that with lupus any stress (from surgery, or even an extreme change in climate - from Alaska to Hawaii and back) can aggrivate lupus and put you into a flare.  Last January I had my Gall Bladder removed laproscopically and I'm STILL feeling my flare because of it.   I hope this helps a bit.  PS - ask your psychologist/psychiatrist about Seasonal Affective Disorder.  You may not have noticed it until you went to a much sunnier climate, and then returned home. I have to up my anti-depressants in the winter.

I havent been on the pain patch but have been on methotrexate and plaquinol for about 3  years with no bad side affects as far as im concerned it was a wonder drug after i had tried everything else. good luck!

Thanks MissVic!  I have read in several places that it IS a chemo drug. Is that true?  Thanks Lindy

the patch for pain (was told it was common with Lupus & RA patients) and a med that protects your organs from Lupus. I was told it is actually an anti-rejection med for organ transplant patients.  Anyone on either of these? Thanks in Advance, Lindy