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Stupid Lupus…Stop Picking on Me
Weird Lupus Signs to Watch Out For
Diagnosis takes an average of six years. Cut that time by recognising the lesser-known signs.
Here’s a lesser-known lupus fact to start you off: it’s named after the Latin word for wolf because the rash many sufferers have looks like a wolf bite. How many people get bitten by wolves in the average year for them to know this? I like it though. It makes us sound cool. Dangerous. I’ll take it.
Diagnosis can be a nightmare
An utterly shocking lupus fact is that it takes an average of six years to get a diagnosis. Six years! It took eight months from the initial onset of symptoms and two months of being really, really ill for me.
That seemed like forever to me; I can’t imagine suffering for six years. I was so lucky. So why does it typically take so long?
The common symptoms of lupus
The most common symptoms of lupus are joint pain and fatigue. Rashes are also an early sign in some people.
How does that contribute to a delay in diagnosis? I’m just spitballing here, but I can imagine if you went to a GP with joint pain and tiredness, in the first instance they’re…