I'm sorry that I didn't reply sooner...I haven't been diagnosed with Lupus...Whenever I go to see my rheumy, I don't show any evidence of having arthritis, although he agrees that I have arthralgia...Mine is very strange...It tends to worsen at night, and rheumatology offices aren't open at 10pm unfortunately, so it's sorta a catch-22 or something...Oddly, my arthralgia/inflammation has lessened for the last many months...I used to have swollen ankles, knees, various fingers joints....There was also a time when my hair was falling out...not much, but definately falling out...My hair is very thick, so it wasn't noticeable, but the drain in the shower wasn't happy...

I've gone to the hospital in the past re. the joints hoping that the docs. would do a biopsy (not sure if that's the right term) of the fluid in my knees in the hopes of a diagnosis...But they always refused to do that...They said that they don't do investigational work, only emerg. work.(warning: bitter comment ahead) I guess they like to wait until the patient is completely disabled before they treat. When the car needs gas, and the warning light comes on, they turn off the light rather than fill the engine.

For now, it seems that the joint issues are under control. Annie's prolly right that it's the prednisone doing a lot of the work, but even before the prednisone, I wasn't having as many flares...Seems like my immune system put precidence on acetylcholine as the real enemy over the old joints...Maybe they were making fun of it for being so shabby!

Right now, I'm being watched...I haven't seen my rheumy in a long time...I'm going to call tomorrow to book an appointment...

I hope that you get some answers soon....Do you know what your thyroid levels are at? I know that what is 'normal' for some isn't always 'normal' for everyone...I have a fantastic book about thyroid disorders by a very good endocrinologist...If your levels are even borderline, that can be enough to cause symptoms (hair thinning/loss is one)...

Good luck, girl!
nicky