Nice pedicure. Love that color. I so need a pedicure. I've been slapping on the polish myself because I'm afraid to go to a nail salon. Concerned about picking up some gross infection.
Wow your symptoms supercede mine and I thought I was the queen of weird unexplained symptoms. Actually my friend Bonnie who has diagnosed lupus has some strange variation and the docs don't know what to do with her. So even if one gets a diagnosis there is no guarantee of a solution. I find that things change. In 1997 I had weird rheumitoid type symptoms. I had a positive lupus test (isn't that the ANA - don't remember) but with low titers. High sed rate and c reactive protein. I was in the most excruciating pain. I would lie on ice packs. Sitting was even hard. Finally one doc diagnosed me with polymyalgia rheumatica. Now, who has ever heard of that! It lasted about 1 1/2 years. Now I have some residual aches more like fibromyalgia or myofascial pain. And I don't think my ANA shows lupus anymore. I did notice on my hospital labs that my sed rate is up (67). My bad IBS flares seem to be associated with my thyroid going low. And even once it is back where it should be it takes the body awhile to get out of the flare its in.
I think the docs are just as frustrated as we are. At least the good ones. Some just harden and blame the patient and find something to pin the blame on - like anxiety or depression or bad habits or drugs somebody else is prescribing. What I would appreciate is to be listened to, believed, and treated kindly. What a difference that would make.
You probably shouldn't try a new anti-depressant now while you are tapering off the steroids. My P doc says one change at a time. I get to where I want to quit everything or try a whole new bunch of things.
I couldn't get my colon pics up. Hubby will try to do that this pm. I think I can email them though.
Just look at all the knowledge you are gaining about guts and joints. Maybe you should start a consulting business.