Lupus diagnosis often takes 7 to 10 years

A woman sought hospital treatment after suffering from a swollen hand, tiredness and aching all over. Her swelling was treated with prednisone. Over the next few years she also suffered from rashes, breathing problems, upset stomach and joint swelling. A doctor misdiagnosed her with stress and then a rheumatologist misdiagnosed her with arthritis. Her condition deteriorated and she began suffering from swollen lungs, inflamed kidneys, fatigue and blood in her urine and stools. She was treated with 20 different medications over the next two years before she was finally correctly diagnosed with lupus by a rheumatologist. The writer claims that the average time for a diagnosis is 7 to 10 years.

Source: summary of medical news story as reported by Toronto Free Press

Related Disease Topics:

• Lupus
• Stress
• Arthritis

Related Symptom Topics:

• Fever
• Weight loss
• Hair loss
• Stiffness
• Joint swelling
• Oral canker sores
• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Blood in sputum
• Abdominal pain
• Extreme fatigue
• Swollen lungs
• Inflamed kidneys
• Blood in urine and stools

Article Source Details

About: Lupus diagnosis often takes 7 to 10 years

Date: 26 October 2004

Source: Toronto Free Press

Author: Dr W. Gifford Jones

URL: http://www.torontofreepress.com/2004/health102604.htm

Related Medical Topics

This summary article refers to the following medical categories:

• Misdiagnosis (type of Medical misadventure)
• Undiagnosed
• Misdiagnosis and lupus
• Misdiagnosis and stress
• Misdiagnosis and arthritis
• Misdiagnosis and fever
• Misdiagnosis and weight loss
• Misdiagnosis and hair loss
• Misdiagnosis and stiffness
• Misdiagnosis and joint swelling
• Misdiagnosis and oral canker sores
• Misdiagnosis and headache
• Misdiagnosis and nausea
• Misdiagnosis and vomiting
• Misdiagnosis and blood in sputum
• Misdiagnosis and abdominal pain
• Misdiagnosis and extreme fatigue
• Misdiagnosis and swollen lungs
• Misdiagnosis and inflamed kidneys
• Misdiagnosis and blood in urine and stools

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