There are several tests for lupus, the most common and reliable is the Anti-Nuclear Antibodies (ANA) test. The titer represents how likely it is that you have lupus or another autoimmune disease. The titer will fluctuate based on how active the disease is and other factors like what medications you are taking, what other conditions are present, etc. There are a lot of factors that make this test only 97% accurate in people who have lupus. Most people with lupus spend years doing just what you're doing, going from doctor to doctor and getting test after test before getting the actual diagnosis. Get your test results from the doctor and ask them to go through them line by line and explain what everything means. If the doctor is not experienced in treating autoimmune diseases, they probably will not be able to do this and you should see a doctor who is experienced. For help in interpreting test results yourself, go to www.lupus.org/education/b...abtests.html

If you have sufficient symptomatic evidence, they can treat you for lupus without a definitive lab test. The most important thing you can do is take care of yourself. Listen to your body and do what it tells you. If your body is telling you to rest, DO IT! See my post about herbal and homeopathic remedies that can support you while you're looking for answers. I'm almost in complete remission using this regimen. Find what works for you and LIVE, LIVE, LIVE your life!!

Namaste,
Raven

Celiac disease, Chron's (if I spelled that correctly) and Diabetes also run in my family and I thought I'd escaped those yucky things. But then, I've never been a very big fan of wheat products and immediately preferred brown rice pasta, even, once I'd tried it, but have been unable to find it in Costa Rica so far. I did bring some back with me from a recent trip to the U.S.

I have also had strong cravings in recent years for coconut and ginger--two things I absolutely love and have gotten to be some of my favorite things to consume and, oddly enough, I guess they've been helping to keep my symptoms at bay. Ginger, especially, is something I consume in one form or another just about every day, especially in tea.

I also take MSM with glucosamine and chondroiton, which I'd tried separately, together and without the MSM but that's the magic combination for me and my arthritis is infinitely better than it was--in fact, I rarely have TMJ flares anymore and the carpal tunnel syndrome I was diagnosed with is completely gone. Seems to be, anyhow.

However...lately I've been having more pain in my bones, especially of my right forearm and if I just rest it on a table pains shoot through it, so I don't know WHAT the hell that's about.

Shoot, don't have time to post more now but it's been such a relief finding out what the cause of those nasty wounds has been, especially the ones in my mouth, which seem to be the hardest to treat.

Does anyone else get blister and/or ulcer type stuff? How do you deal with it?