Lupus Like Syndrome

Many times people with aches and pains wonder why.  They have been told there is no apparent reason and as a result they just don’t know what to do.  One simple way to address the problem is to look at “soft” findings.   What I mean by this look for clues that might be easily be ignored.   Most doctors for example will tell you that a lab is normal when it is only slightly positive, or when it is in fact normal, but measurable.   Having a positive Lupus titer does not mean you may have lupus, it just means what we measure for it was present.  A different way to think about this is severity of illness.  Some Diabetics are on an insulin pump, others administer insulin by injection, some take pills, and others just control their diet.  In the end however they are all diabetics.   And then there are those who are not diabetic but are predisposed to it (due to being over weight and having a stong family history for example).  Doctor’s don’t use this exact thinking when it comes to rheumatic diseases such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis but many recognize that patients with low level titers may be lupus like or “form fruste” (incomplete expression).   There is no point in getting in a tizzy if you have low level titers and are told your lab was normal, or that lupus does not explain your symptoms.   Rather ask your doctor if the presence of low level titers might at least predispose you to aches and pains.  From there hopefully he/she will be willing to engage in a meaningful conversation. Learn more about aches and pains, and treatment options, at piedmontpmr.com.