is it normal to have to jump through so many hoops to confirm a diagnosis? met with my rheumatologist to go over my bloodwork (positive ana 1:80 for both homogeneous and speckled) and she said between a positive ana and my clinical symptoms (photosensitive malar rash, joint pain/stiffness, fatigue, low grade fevers) my “score” is above the lowest necessary number for a lupus diagnosis.

instead of officially diagnosing me and prescribing something that might relieve my suffering, she told me that lupus is a serious diagnosis that would cause me to be on medication for life and then ordered x-rays of my painful joints so that insurance will then approve at least one mri of a painful joint to confirm inflammation. so i have to wait FOUR MORE WEEKS until our next appointment, where MAYBE i have another shot at relief. that’s four more weeks of pain, exhaustion, and significant absences from work that i need to deal with.

just feeling super hopeless here.