Looking for expert advice.

To ALL,
    Can anyone out there tell me how I can post this to the medical experts on this site for their expert opinions on my symptoms outside of my Fibromyalgia/Degenerative Disc Disease/Unknown Type of Arthritis/Osteoarthritis  and Osteoporosis ???  Others tell me it appears as if it might indeed be Lupus Related.



I'm not really sure how to go about this so I am just going to post my symptoms and see if anyone out there can help with info, suggestions or whatever. I am a 45 year old female. I have had these particular symptoms for about 6 or more years. I have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia but I have other symptoms that involve my vision(eyes), face, mouth and scalp. I have what I can only describe as flares because the symptoms come and go. I have little blisters that come up on my scalp and my face. My mouth gets these slits in the corners of my mouth and get scabby kinda like a cold sore on ones lips but not one. Just slits in the corners. My mouth stays dry ALL the time and I have to have a container of water or something with me at all times. I have been to a Rhumetoid Dr. but all he seem to want to do was address the fibro symptoms so I quit going to him. I have also been to a dermato;ogist who says she thinks what I have could be something called a sub-cutaneous connective tissue disorder and that she couldnt help unless I came to her when the blisters first form That's hard to do because when they come up it bothers me and I scratch the blister, then they become scabby/scally sores. When I pick at them sometimes little sandy type beads come out of them. My mouth, in addition to the slits in the corners, or my tongue I should say, burns sometimes. I have been told by so many others that these symptoms sound akin to the Lupus family and that the problems with my mouth and eyes sound like Sojrens syndrome. I think I spelled that right, not sure. Can someone PLEASE help guide me in the right direction with all this ?. Maybe someone out there is experienceing the same things. Either way, PLEASE HELP !

[karajo]

There are 11 criteria for a lupus dx.  You must have at least 4 of the 11 to recieve a dx.

They are:
1. malar rash over cheeks (butterfly rash)
2. discoid rash, red raised patches
3. photosensitivity - reaction to sunlight, resulting in skin rash
4. oral and nose ulcers
5. arthritis
6. serositis - inflamation (inflammation) of the lining of the lung or heart
7. reanl disorder - excessive protein in urine and/or cellular casts
8. neurologic disorder - seizures, or psychosis
9. anemia or low white blood countor lymphopenia or low platelet count
10. positive ANA
11. positive anti-DNA or anti-Sm, or antiphospholipid antibody or false pos. syphilis test

Other symptoms are:
fever
abdominal pain
chest pain
shortness of breath
blood in urine
hair falling out
fatigue
muscle pain and weakness
dizziness
poor memory
headaches
poor circulation in fingers and toes
tingling in extremities
diarrhea
bloating
nausea
weight loss
abdominal pain
blurred vision
depression
palpitations
raynauds (where fingers turn white when cold)
intollerance to cold
sore throat
...to name a few

Keep in mind that fibromyalgia, CFS, MS and lymes disease also have similar symptoms.  

Does any of this sound familar?