How do you deal with the reality ..

[Ress]

I've been on this forum before about taking hyrdros for pain and abusing them as well and wanting to get off of them. The pain I've been experiencing often has been linked to Lupus and Osteoarthritis according to all the doctors I've been seeing as they told me this Monday. I'm trying to keep strong but i'm battling depression as well from all this medical ********. Please excuse my language but my mind is running wild - I don't know how I'm suppose to take all this at the age of 25 and the chance of having Lupus with my criteria is 1 in .05 of the population and the problems have just started about a year ago. I was angry and mad and seeked second opinions and I was given the same answer. I was told the disease is manageable with heavy steroids and pain medication. So what do I do now become an overweight drug addict ? Like I said before, I don't have anyone else really to talk to about how I feel. The few that I do have to talk to and the few friends that I have that are real I tell them its no problem but it is in my mind - I haven't accepted the fact yet - All of this **** lingers in the back of my mind all day long. While working  I can feel it even if i'm not thinking about it the pain  but its there - I try to ignore it and succeed at work but when I get home its a different story. I don't know what to do - some help please - or some kind of information, something

Mark - GA

[helpjen]

I was tenatively diagnosed with lupus too, great pain in my legs and occasional overwhelming confusion and weakness in my lower extremeites and the burning leg pain. I was taking vicodin (Lortabs) before ths started happening for chronic lower back pain, and my use of the vicodin has spiraled out of control.  Do not let yourself overuse. It sneaks up on you, breaks the pain up so you can be productive and stop complaining about pain.  Give you a little lift.  and soon you are using them to lift your spirits and give you more energy.  Now I'm going to have to face withdrawals.  Carefully consider the vicodin use.  I certainly understand your want to be out of pain.

[Ress]

the pain and the swelling is in my back and my legs/knees along with heat through my body - all I was told is that its manageable through steroids and pain meds - i'm use to working 16 hours days and 9 hour days have becomes so hard to manage recently - Im not sure how to deal with this - They just started me on heavy prednisone and Lortab - I don't want to take the Lortab but I feel like I need to make the pain go away - or is that just my addiction - its continuous is what I was told - flares etc. Blood,joints,muscles
I want to be normal

[cathy5841]

hi mark, sorry things are not good for you.  25 is young tohave lupus and osteoarthritis.  what kind of help are you looking for???  you will find plenty of support here if you are looking to get off the meds.  there is also a pain management forum for those with pain and taking meds...you can get support there also.  good luck and i hope you get relief soon.

[worried878]

Lupus is a strange disease and my sister was diagnosed with it years ago while pregnant..there is no definitive diagnosis..just a group of synmptoms they label lupus...an autoimmune disease...some have no trouble from it at all///others have alot..hers flared for the pregnancy and has never re-ocurred..she runs 7 miles everyday and u would never know she had lupus...if she actually does?  but autoimmune diseases run in my family so she probably does...then i have seen a patient with a bad case but in most cases it is very manageable and by no means the end of the world..what symptoms r u having?  also i have seen them given steroids but as a rule pain meds/narcotics are not a treatment of choice for lupus