What is Wrong with Me????

I thought this would be easy for me to write - surprising how wrong I can be about myself and the emotional toll this journey to a true diagnosis has been. Even as a very young child I had fevers up to 104 that Doctors could not diagnose. I had severe hip, knee and ankle pain that forced me to quit the track team in high school and was diagnosed with Juvenile Onset Rheumatoid Arthritis. I was treated with high doses of Ibuprofen and occasional Prednisone. By my Senior year the Dr. had changed his mind as the pain and swelling in my joints had resolved. Then in my mid twenties through mid thirties I was plagued with multiple miscarriages, intermittent bouts of horrendous fatigue and body aches. I blamed the fatigue and body aches on working VERY long hours as a R.N. on Orthopedic, Medical/Surgical floors, ICU - you get the drift - you name it I worked it. Of course that did not explain the multiple miscarriages - I went to a fertility clinic and had every blood test known to modern medicine. I was finally diagnosed with an anticardiolipin antibody my Dr. tells me it would be called Antiphospholipid Syndrome now. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiphospholipid_syndrome That was when I was 34 years old - I'm 51 now so that tells you the year and technology as we know is much more advanced now. No one looked into autoimmune disease as a diagnosis - they tried treating me with baby aspirin and steroids but my body always rejected the baby. Fast forward 10 years - I had problems with dry eyes and mouth was having severe eye pain as well as severe joint pain/swelling. An Opthamologist diagnosed me with possibly having an autoimmune disorder and treated me with GUESS what more STEROIDS! My primary MD had just diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia and referred me to a Rheumatologist for my joints. I saw 4 all gave me a different diagnosis, finally agreeing that I had Lupus, treating me with more STEROIDS! Then at 48 y/o I had a flare up that knocked me flat - more STEROIDS and Lyrica I gained 70lbs in 3 months. I started falling, had to get a cane and walker. I was sent to one more Rheumatologist who did extensive blood work, biopsy of the lymph nodes in my eyes and diagnosed me with Sjogren's Disease and Fibromyalgia. Took me off all steroids - I lost 55lbs and started to feel better. I went back to work had another flare in 2010 - the worst ever and have been off work since that time. Please look at the ad for the book on Sjogren's and URL postings that will be added to the sight as soon as possible.