Struggles of Lupus

I started having problems when I was about 17. I was told most of my pain, soreness, and problems were from my rough teenage years. (I was in rodeos and a couple car wrecks.)

Increasing symptoms at 20 years old

When I was 18 I got pregnant with my oldest daughter and at 6 months along, had to be put on bed rest because of leg swelling and other problems. Then at 20, got pregnant with my second and had the same issues. At 21 I started having A LOT of issues. Went to the doctor repeatedly and they kept telling me it was UTIs, stomach virus, allergies, and all kinds of other "normal" problems.

Serious fever

Then at 22, I went to the hospital with serious "female issues" and ended up having an emergency hysterectomy and stayed in the hospital 4 days after. When I went home I spiked 103 fever. It stayed for 5 days, fluctuating between 102 and 106. Finally a doctor admitted me after going into the ER and being sent home with antibiotics for 3 days.

Waiting for a diagnosis

I stayed for almost 4 months still with no diagnosis. I'm almost 6 foot tall and when I left with an AMA, I weighed 97 pounds!! They recommended I see an oncologist because they thought I may have lymphoma. He did all kinds of tests and said it wasn't cancer and I needed to see a rheumatologist.

I had never heard of lupus

A month later I was finally diagnosed with lupus and was somewhat on the mend. I had never heard of lupus and didn't know anything about it. So of course I started researching and trying to learn everything I could. And freaked myself out in the process.

15 years of challenges

Now here it is 15 years later and I've been battling kidney failure for 8 years, more surgeries than I can count for different things, total hip replacement at 27, numerous chemo treatments, and recently diagnosed with fibro on top of it all. It's been a journey. I've cried a lot, battle depression daily, but try to keep my head up and keep fighting.

Interested in sharing your own diagnosis story, treatment experience, or another aspect of living with lupus?