Are there any known agencies or programs for help?

Me and my 17 year old daughter are currently displaced from a house fire caused by my downstairs neighbor. We weren't home at the time but we lost EVERYTHING! unfortunately I did not have renters insurance and with my disability income being the only income that I have, I'm struggling to recoup! It's very stressful but I'm trying my best to calm it down because stress is a MAJOR trigger for me! Any advice is better then none. Thank you so very much!

How long is a flare?

Some days I’ll wake up and feel good with energy and then hit a literal wall later in the day. I’m trying to figure out if I’m pushing through a flare and overdoing it or if fatigue will come and go through a flare. What is your experience with how long a flare last?

Going to a new rheumatologist today

I’m going at 5 to see a new rheumatologist because mine moved, but I’m so nervous. I was told at the start of all of this that I had a positive ANA of 1:80, speckled pattern and since I had symptoms of widespread pain and the malar rash from time to time that he wasn’t positive it was lupus so he diagnosed me with an undifferentiated connective tissue disease.
When my old rheumatologist left town, I quit taking my plaquenil because I was worried about some vision problems and… read more

Depression

Hi all -

I am brand new here and I think I need some support. I realize now that I have been in partial denial of my lupus diagnosis for the past 3 years. I generally have felt pretty good, but this past week my symptoms have come on like a ton of bricks. I can barely get out of bed, I ache all over, and I am crying all the time. I don’t know what to do. I blame myself for not taking this seriously and for stopping my Plaquenil a few months ago
(I have since started taking it again!). I really need… read more

Anxiety

Does anyone get extreme anxiety before their rheum. appointment? What do people do to lessen it?

Marijuana vs CBD

I'm on Prednisone, Benlysta, Cell-Cept, Gabepentin and Plaquenyl, but still get pressure in my neck that radiates to my head. Then I get a numbing feeling in the center of my head that ruins my day. Any luck with Medical Marijuana, or just CBD for any similar problems? How much do I take?

Inflammation/flare in ears?

Has anyone had inflammation in the ears that caused fluid in their ear(s) to the point they can't hear? I have it in both ears and the hearing in my left ear is pretty much nil.

The doc tried flushing my ears thinking it was earwax lodged in my ear canal (my request because this has happened before) and then gave me 3 days of predisone saying it would reduce the inflammation and get rid of the fluid. She feels it is definitely autoimmune and related to the sinus infection i had… read more

Dermatofibromas

Hi everyone,
I am having these small spots on my body,I went to the dermatologist she said it’s Dermatofibromas,does anyone experience this issue??

Your experience with Gabapentin?

I’ve so many Fibro issues lately that I’ve been thinking about trying Gabapentin. But I’m so scared of the side effects that comes with almost all meds.

What advice can u give me about this one? Does it work well and what are the side effects that u experienced? And is the meds overall effect actually worth the hassle?

Thank u so much in advance!

Does anyone go to UNC Chapel Hill NC, and if so who do you see?