I was recently diagnosed with lupus (and quite some time ago with fibromyalgia and anticardiolipin antibody syndrome). I started going to a new rheumatologist who did the testing and came up with the diagnosis in late May. I've been on a new medicine for about a month now and so far it doesn't seem to be helping with the pain and discomfort. It seems to be a daily ache and throb in my legs, pain in my knees, ankles and feet, neck and shoulder pain, and lower back pain and aches. I read that a lot of people talk about "flare ups" of lupus, so can I expect that this all over misery will get any better? Upon the doctor's recommendation I started H2O physical therapy in a heated pool, but quite frankly it isn't helping and is only serving to make the stiffness and aches worse...especially after a couple of hours, which has been the case for a long time. After any kind of activity, the stiffness and pain are so bad that it affects my breathing and I wind up just taking lots of Tylenol and going to bed. So far the doctor hasn't spent much time explaining the disease and any long term diagnosis of what to expect. Life is going on around me and I can't participate and it's not fair to my husband. I am 62 years old and we are both retired and all I can do is nothing at all. Will it get any better? I certainly have not yet had the experiences with it that a lot of you seem to have had. I'm so very sorry for all of your pain! Without someone who understands and someone to talk to, I don't know how to deal with it day after day after day.
Hi Aqualady,
Hi and welcome hope you can find the answers and support you need here 
hello and welcome aqualady. . every person's lupus is different, you need a really good rheumatologist who will educate you and listen to your questions, part of understanding lupus is educating yourself about this disease. I've had this for over 20 years and am amazed at how much I've learned just from the short time I've been coming to this site, I've also read a lot of the books out there as well. You hang in there, some of us do get better some of us don't, it all depends on the extent of your lupus, no two cases are alike. You take care of yourself.