I am a 34 yr male. I got the positive blood test when I was 31, but the symptoms started a few years before that. I went to doctor after doctor, but none of them could tell me what was wrong. Finally, my primary basically gave up and started me on very strong pain meds that didn't really do anything for the pain. After that, I gave up on going to the doctor for 2 yrs.
My wife convinced me to find a new primary. That doctor tested me for lupus and then I started seeing an RA. Over the past 3yrs, my body has been on the decline. I don't have lupus the way most people expect. I don't have any breakouts or skin symptoms. On the outside, I look basically healthy. But on the inside.....
I feel like I am always flaring. I always have swelling around my joints. I have not seen my ankles for months. I always have pain in my hands. I have fluid and swelling on the joints in my hands. I have been sick for over a month. It started out as a regular sinus infection. I got thrush before I took any antibiotics. A simple sinus infection spiraled into another infection and then another. After weeks of feeling sick, the fatigue got even worse. I started sleeping so much. 10-12hrs a day.
I feel like having lupus has stolen my youth. Back in 2011, right before I started showing symptoms, I weighed 220. I worked really hard to get down to 220. I have always had a problem with my weight, but I lost over 80 to get down to 220. I was finally in a place where I started to feel good in my body. I met my wife in Aug of that year and then things took a turn for the worst. Each year got worse and then each month got worse. From where I was 5 yrs ago to where I was 3 yrs ago, to where I was last year. It has gotten so bad...Even where I was 6 months ago. Pills, vitamins, shots, labs, eat this, eat that, it just keeps getting worse.
I take 15 prescriptions and a few vitamins, but it just keeps getting worse.