A little scared...

[HopefullyHealthy1]

I am a twenty-one year old Caucasian male, who is in moderate shape. Over these past three weeks, I have been experiencing migratory joint and muscle pain in my knees, arms, back, hips, stomach muscles, shoulder, neck, wrists and fingers. No inflammation. Within one week of having pain in my elbow, the pain started making the rounds on my entire body. The funny thing is, these pains move around from joint to joint at almost a twenty minute pace. First it's my knee and then, ten or twenty minutes later, my wrist. Once the pain leaves a specific area, that area no longer hurts. The joints also crack more than they used to. I've tested negative on an ANA test and was told by my doctor that it is quite rare for a young Caucasian male to exhibit Lupus. Does this sound like the sort of joint pains common of Lupus?

[TrudieC]

I have the same issues.  It can take a while for your bloodwork to show all its glory.  My rheumatologist feels that I have Lupus and/or RA and by August we will choose which way to go for next round of treatment (currently am on ibuprofen, Tylenol 3's for pain and Plaquenil).  I do feel it is Lupus since I have little joint issues and mostly in the connective tissues.  Keep going back for more tests and I would suggest being rather active and out in the sun in the day or two before your next test so that more shows up in the blood.  Good luck with everything.