I'm sorry you feel crummy. Hang in there ... if you are like me feeling like crap means that the you can look forward to feeling GREAT in the next couple of weeks.

I have felt like crap today ... and the past few days ... but I have a big meeting for my company coming up in a couple weeks so I am hoping that this spell means that I will feel GREAT when the meeting gets here. :)

FYI, it sounds like your doc is freaking you out for no good reason. Elevated complement doesn't mean ANYTHING. It's LOW complement that's a sign of a flare. And abnormal levels that normalize again can just be an aberration. You only need to worry if your creatinine is consistently high in a 24/hour urine test. I'm guessing that it was just elevated in the blood which is only an indication to run the test again.

As for the skin under your brests: you probably have a yeast (fungal) infection. Go to the pharmacy and get the cream for yeast infections and put it under your breasts. It's really important to make sure that your breasts are dry underneath because a moist area is an invitation to grow fungus when you are immunosuppressed. There's also a prescription pill you can take, but usually the cream works. (Gyne-Lotrimin or just lotrimin)

Lastly, about the cystic growths under your arms: there are two primary causes for them; neither is related to lupus. One are plugged ducts (which are easy to get with antipersperant) and they are like pimples. The other kind of cysts are related to your hormones just like the cysts in your breasts.

So the good news is that one of your problems ISN'T a problem at all; the second is easiliy treatable; and the third isn't related to lupus. I do see in your profile that you list anxiety and depression and those things tend to get worse around the holidays. Try to spend time with others and talk to your doc about adjusting your meds. I hope these suggestions help make you feel better. But everyone is entitled to have a bad day. So you're allowed to give in to it on occasion...... Happy holidays.

Tracy

Hi beauti,
Im sorry your having a bad time...We all have these. It comes with the territory and you are ENTITLED to have bad days especially when you dont feel well. Vent away. Its human and normal. Thats why we are here for eachother. I have had days like this too. I just want to scream and cry that I have been given such a crappy deck of cards.

Are you on meds for the lupus? They may need to be tweaked if you are. Sometimes they stop working for us, especially if we are under stress (which I know you have been) and we need something added or increased. Did your dr. say anything about this?

I do agree with tracy about the YEAST. This could be what is causing the peeling under your boobs. It can be common for us to get and because it is moist under your breasts, this can be one of the places it hits because yeast thrives in moisture. You can try to get a script for a fungal cream (nazorol?) or you can buy the powder formula of Acidophillis or a similar product of the live good bacteria and make it into a paste. Put it on your skin. Also take it internally. This puts back all the good live bacteria back into your body which you may be lacking.

Hope you feel better soon, hon. Keep us posted. Vent anytime as we are here for you.
xoxo

As hard as it is when I feel really bad I focus on the positives in my life (that I am alive, my healthy children, my understanding husband etc.)... or plan something to look forward too... a vacation, something to buy etc. even if I don't go through with buying something or taking that trip it's still fun for me to look and get excited :) I also keep an online journal when I really need to vent and get it all out... it really helps...

Fake it to you make it, try to break down the hours, eg. i can get through this for 1 hour. Now boobs i do know about, my boobs were made for cuddling and believe me, my boobs have been put through any think and every think in my battle with breast cancer, which i am cancer free now, having used alternative treatments. Okay, do you have corn flour, bought in the cooking section. Fill a container and get a powder puff so that you can dab on the skin where irritated. Also good for doing under stomach aprons. Do you have the alovera plant growing? I used these fresh and just sliced them down the centre and put the gell like plant to any irritating places, felt at times like i needed my boobs held up around my neck, but where i had burnt the cancer out healed. At one stage i had a hard time curing my lympt glands under arms and again did this, and the only thing i know for the cystic growths are to get them cut off. i did tye cotton around some at one stage and applyed clear nail polish remover, and they fell off, but to many followed, so gave up.
In our battle with lupus we will all have Shit days, for the last 24hrs I felt the same, have been to the hospital, have stomach and intergestion pain, have not had my medication and from when i was last on computor been in bed. As soon as i felt i could do a little exercise I got in the pool, did a few walks etc and got out and had a shower. Went back to bed, made a cuppa and came out to the computor to take my mind away from me. this is all new to me, but have found it does help, so try things in little doses at first and keep your beautiful smile working.

Angelrose,

If she's got yeast, those things you suggested will not work. Aloe and corn flour are helpful for irritations, but they do nothing to kill the fungus.

Probably what I should have suggested is that you Beatiful go in to see your doc and have hm/her take a look at the peeling area. Open wounds can become infected and can become very serious in patients who are immunosuppressed so it's very important that you get this treated ASAP. You don't want to become septic when bacteria moves in to the open wounds and in to your body. Good luck with getting this treated.

Tracy

My mood was a little like yours last night, just hating this disease. We all have those moments, and venting is good, especially here because there are so many people here who can relate and totally understand what you're feeling.

Some things that help me through these times are prayer, relaxation, writing, uplifting music, thinking about all the good things in my life, and my pets especially help cheer me up. Sometimes it helps just to distract my mind by watching a movie or playing some games online for awhile, or whatever. It just helps get my mind out of the rut, and then I can move on.

But for more serious depression that I can't snap out of or work through myself, I also take antidepressants and see a therapist. From your profile, it looks you are doing (or have done) this too. Be sure to keep on top of it, and if you find your depression or anxiety worsening, see your docs about possibly adjusting or changing your meds.

HUGS As clich as it sounds...hang in there and know that there are a lot of us hanging in there with you.