Dr. Lupus!!!

Doctors obviously shouldn't make a diagnosis on the basis of one symptom. The lupus rash may not be the lupus rash after all, it may actually be rosacea as both rashes can present in a butterfly like pattern on the face. However, rosacea does not come with the painful joints and what not. I have heard of lupus. My aunt actually had lupus and lived with it for 20+ years. She took medication for it every day and had doctor visits quite often to make sure it stayed controlled.

I feel like Arnold Swarzenegger...It's not a tumor! I went to see my regular doctor telling him what the quack orthopedic surgeon said and he took one look at my face and wrote me a prescription for my ROSACEA. I can't wait for this doctors report saying that there is nothing wrong with me and that I can return to work.. I'm going to have my attorney respond that I can't work with the lupus. I read up on the disease too and I feel bad for anyone that does truly have it. But something inside of me just wants to reach out and smack that orthopedic surgeon upside the head.

Hi bellaofchaos, Yes I have heard of lupus. I have a friend who lives in New Zealand who is affliclted by this condition. It i s not an easy medical condition to handle. People afflicted by lupus get tired so easily. If I am not mistaken a correct diagnosis can be made through blood tests and not by a physical examination. I think that the doctor should have acted more professionallly as a single cloud does not make a thunderstorm.

I was first diagnosed with lupus in November of 1989 so I've had it a number of years to know something about it. There are several types of lupus however, mine is called Discoid, meaning skin however, it does affect more than just my skin. I get tired very easily, I can't be near heat vents or anything with heat, I can't be under any type of stress, some of my joints hurt and my skin can't be exposed to any ultra violet rays such as bright lights or the sun or I'll break out with all these ugly lesions which scar my skin. I've had to take steroids quite a few times because of my outbreaks being so bad. Also I use steroid creams to put on my lesions. I hate the ointment type and always ask for the cream so I can wear make up over it and on top of sun screen which is spf 45 or higher. I hate having to wear sunscreen on my face because my hair gets stuck in it and clings to my face.... UGH!! BUT it works great with make up powder alone and no foundation because foundation makes it all the more wet so just the powder works just fine. What I do is, I put on sunscreen then the make up and then the steriod cream and just rub it in as best as I can. To hell if it shows! Who's going to look at me anyways?! lol No really, it doesn't show that much if at all and I don't care if it does or not anyway. When I was first diagnosed with lupus, it got to be so bad that it was considered severe but it did go into remission about 5 years later but during this time, I wore long sleeves all year round. I hated it but I did what I had to do to protect my skin. Once it went into remission, I was able to do a lot of the things that I did before I had lupus but then a few years later it came back with a vengence and I've had it ever since. I don't go near anything dark or bright or shiny because it attracts the suns rays and bounces off of the "car" and onto me. Even water, I won't go near water with the sun still shining on it because the rays bounce off the water and onto me so it's like getting a double dose of the suns rays. Once the sun has passed over the water and isn't shining on it, that's when I can be near it otherwise, I stay far far away and in the shade. Now I do get this stuff to wash into my clothes, it's called Rit Guard which is sunscreen for clothes which really does work! I love it!! Another thing, lupus is a lot like aids except it's not contagious. Here's a link where you can really learn a lot about lupus. http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_aboutintroduction.aspx?articleid=71&zoneid=9s