palmar eurythmia, SLE and AIH.. need help

[anyonelikeme]

Hi.  I am a 34 year old female.  Since the age of 12, I have had low platelets and a history of taking prednisone through adolescent years.  At age 21, I was found to have antiphospholipid and anticardiolipin antibodies, and eventually other symptoms that have lead to the diagnosis of Lupus.  Now, at age 34, I was recently found to have Auto-immune hepatitis, after elevated liver enzymes and liver biopsy found liver to be enlarged and have lab findings.  My hands and feet are orange, and severely dry looking, and hurt.  I have psoriasis, with patchy rashes on my middle chest, head and left ear.  Today, I was found to have problems with my right optic nerve, and have had difficulty seeing lately.  I am not taking any medication at all, I am opposed to taking prednisone, especially for long-term, because I have had such a bad history with it in my younger years, extreme weight gain, etc.. What is an alternative? and isn't it odd that the majority of my problems are auto-immune related, but literature says they are unrelated (SLE & AIH).  I really need the most help with finding out how to make my hands less painful, I can't write for very long, they are so dry and the skin hurts to be touched.  I usually run cold water on them to ease the discomfort.  this has been a problem for the last 4 years now.  At age 24, I had a gammo-globuling infusion treatment for a week to increase my low platelets, and now that I read that AIH is related to an increase on gammo levels in the blood, could that possibly have caused this disease in me?  UGH! I am tired all the time, but have the mental drive to try to stay normal.  I am in grad school, and do child abuse investigations, am a single mother of 3, and scared that with my numerous problems that I won't live past 40.  Where should I start?  I have 4 drs- my primary care dr, 0a specialist for my liver, as well as a rheumatologist and dermatologist, but they all contradict each other at times, and seem to be so segregated, that I don't know how serious my AIH is.  My liver Dr. said that he didn't think I needed prednisone at this stage b/c my aih is chronic, mild, but my lupus dr. said he thinks I do.  Again, are there any alternatives to prednisone that will help?  Thanks...