Wow.. how strange that I happened to stumble into this board. I am currently having my ANA retested also to see if it's elevated. In October, my doc checked and said it was "negative" for lupus. I'm not sure what you ladies mean by "flares" exactly, but let me explain mine. Well first, lol I have been told that I have chronic urtacaria .. which means hives for life. I went to a RA doc and they said it had nothing to do with them and they billed me $400 and sent me packing.. The derm said it was simply hives. Now, my personal opinion from trying to research this all on my own after seeing countless ER, Urgent Care and family doctors is of course some sort of auto-immune something or other. Hives are automatically auto-immune. However, I'm trying to understand this part.. I get hives.. yes all over.. I understand that part. Although, there are days when say in the afternnon.. my arm will start to get sore and then more sore and then so sore I have to actually hold it up with the other arm, because just letting it hang HURTS. Next thing you know within a few hours.. my entire upper or lower arm.. wherever it tends to happen is HUGE. Red, inflammed and hot, hot. When I say huge.. I mean the skin is being pulled so tightly it turns shiny. The derm says.. yeah just another type of hives.. I say.. uhm.. no? The pain and swolleness will last that whole day and part of the next and then be gone. I have journaled my food and cut things out that may have given me certain reactions and nothing works. I tend to get it mostly in my arms, hands, feet and knees. The hives often apear all over.. except oddly.. my lower legs. Also, if one knee is swollen, 9 times out of 10, the other is too. Same with forearms.. if one has a "swellie" as I like to call it.. likely the other arm will have one too. Or it will come the next day. They are usually gone within 24 hours and just pop up somewhere else the next day. I more or less have what feels like a moving disease on my body. It many time stops me from working which is frustrating. I have a very phsyical job and it's all unairconditioned ( hotness brings out the hives ) so if my hand, arm, feet. knees are all swollen and hurting or itchy.. chances are.. I won't make it to work. I just want an answer.. They can't figure anything out.. And I get this goofy chest pain that they keep telling me is heartburn.. And I continue to tell them, it's almost impossible with the surgery and the fact I avoid fatty heartburn causing foods anyway.. they won't listen.. Any input would be appreciated.

Hi, I'd really like to talk with you about this - or email for more info. I work with a Hepatitis C group as a counselor, and our office is in the process of offering HAV and HBV vaccines for our Hep c clients. I'd like to know when you got your shots, and from what company were the shots from? GSK is offering the Twinrx, but you don't suggest that you've taken that series. Can you supply a little more info? Tayah

I just had my 4 yr post op anniversary on 7/16. I had ulcer before surgery and I have had them after. I have recently been diagnosed w/Lupus and b12 deficient (which I am at risk for paralysis currently). I had severaly problems w/nausea about 6 months post op and was temporarily put on Reaglan (something they give diabetes patients to help with food disolving). I had to take it 30 min before meals and it seemed to help. The only time I have problems now is if I eat something I know I shouldn't (like mexican or fried foods)...but sometimes you just need a bite. i hope that you get to feeling better and also, be sure to have your b12 checked.

Thanks for the advice! I will make sure it's the EC!

Hello, I have lupus and was just diagnosed with Ms as well. I did well with the lapband but now with MS I was adviced to get it unfilled. It will be decided whether or not I will need to have it removed in 6 months. so far so good and I am still losing weight. Just make sure that you are not flaring when it is put in. Madame Yess