Confused and Frustrated..

[watsonmom3]

I am in some sort of flare..started w/ headaches, extreme fatigue, and got worse..and then all over body aches and pain.  I couldn't dress myself, my hub had to help.  I hurt from head to toe!  Ok well had labs done by my regular dr. so he could send to my specialist. Got results this mornin , labs look good.  These were rhemitoid (sp) labs.  Ok so its good that labs are good..but frustrating when I am still suffering w/ pain and fatigue and don't know why.  So has anyone got any suggestions of what would cause labs to look good and what should the dr. do to find out whats going on?  I was diagnosed w/ lupus at 15..i am 41.  

[panda2526]

Hi, in all the tests they did, did they test for iron status in you, particularly iron storage related to overload? I am same age and have many symptoms as you, and I found out by chance because my husband was diagnosed 6 weeks ago. It is called hemochromatosis and in iron overload the pain in joints and fatigue are early signs. This is missed so often until organ failure and full blown arthritis take hold. Heart failure and damage is also a complication with iron overload, brain fog, memory loss, drs misdiagnose it all the time and do not take the time to look at iron further to see how the body is storing it. This is not the routine CBC testing.

You need to know ferritin, transferrin saturation % and TIBC and serum iron levels.

If any of these are abnormal particularly transferrin saturation and ferritin, you could be iron loading, and it needs to be addressed.

Take care.

[casey12230]

Could be Polymyalgia Rhematica, It starts off like that, ESR and CRP could be high, night sweats, pain in shoulders, lower back and hips. I had trouble even turning over in bed. The doctor trials prednisone and if you feel 75% better in two days its pretty much a diagnosis.

[WillowsRiver]

Hey! I have very similar symptoms with no diagnosis. I have joint pain all over my body, slight fever off and on, sores in my mouth, fatigue, rashes from time to time, swollen joints, toes and fingers burn and hurt all the time now etc etc! I have been to my dr. and a rheumatologist with no answers. All tests are great which should make me happy but I just want to feel better. I hope you get answers soon! I seriously feel your pain.
Lori