HEY bIG mOMMA!  Pinks and Kjones sound like they know a lot more about this stuff than I do, but I have been diagnosed with Vasculitis; there are many forms of it!  RAYNAUDS IS ONE OF THEM.  Has she had  an anca test done?  When I started having numbness and pain in my feet, they first checked my back, found out it was'nt the cause, so they did a biopsy of a nerve in my ankle, that's when they found the vasculitis.  I  don't know what kind I have yet but, all kind's are basically treated the same way.  I'm feeling preetty good now, althouth it is a chronic condition; I started with my pain weakness and numbness in 1996, and was not diagnosed until 2006!  The prednisone I have been on helps so very much. good luck to your sis ,catcatcat  ps look at vasculitis.org  and yes, get a good rheumatoligist.......

I know what you are saying. We will see what the Dr. says Wednesday. Again thank you for your help.

Well, sounds like she got encouraging news. I thought about blood/cancer disorders but I didn't mention it because most Docs will check for things like that first in someone with your Sister's symptoms. I hope she finds a treatment that is right for her. Corticosteroids are a miracle for some people, but unfortunately their side-effects aren't pleasant.

Well I just talked to my sister and she is on her way home from the hospital and the good news is AFTER ALLLL the tests that were done. From MRI, CAT SCAN, and lots and lots of blood work. They found NO CANCER or ANYTHING WRONG with her. He Nerolagist (can't spell) told her that HE THINKS she CROSSES HER LEGS to MUCH. So he is suggesting phy. Theapoy. GO FIGURE. Oh her RA told her to start cutting back on her dexamethasone and he wants to see her on Wednesday. I've been telling her that the reason her leg was numb is because of the dexamethasone. As it started RIGHT after she started taking it. I also suggested to her to go to the Chiropractor for an ajustment. It would probably fix the numbest in her left leg.

KJONES thank you for writing...I did ask my sister if she had a Goiter or a thyroid disorder and if she had trouble swallowing and she has NO problems with any of these. All is good there.

I wish I lived closer to my sister so I could go see her DR's with her.

She does have RA written all over her. Pink is right on that assumption. Her symptoms are "text book"....not able to get out of bed in the morning, but a different person later on in the day. Movement is the only way to get rid of the joint pain. Why does she have trouble swallowing? Does she have a Goiter or a thyroid disorder? Her dragging leg could be due to Sciatica. I see alot of people with Raynaud's who have Sciatica as well. I hate that your Sister and other people have to go through this. Sometimes it's hard to distinguish between these Autoimmune disorders. The symptoms overlap and run together which makes it hard to get a right diagnosis. The good thing is that treatment is universal for them all generally. Someone with Lupus already has a weakened immune system, throw steroids in the mix...the risk of infection is higher. Identifying a possible infection is key to people who have Lupus.

Thank you for your comments. It means a lot to know there are people out there that still care and have a kind heart. I will pass this information on to my sister and her husband. She was admitted to the hosptial yesterday and they are still running test. She is in great spirts. Again thank you!

I myself would be interested in hearing about the numbness in the legs.

I dealt with this a few years ago after a terrible fall at work. Mine were

only going numb from the knees down. I had tests done that supposedly

showed a blockage that my doc was supposed to follow up on, to see if

it was changing, but that was a few years ago an he never ran the test

again. What ever the problem was it cleared up on it's own. Any way no

numbness. I do have Raynaud's, no cure for that, I am told, wish there

was. Sludge