I am very grateful to my ENT. Amazingly when they discovered my lupus, I had been seeing a hematologist for about a year and a half actually I saw two hematologist over a two-year span prior, And neither of them ever tested me for lupus. Where I live, the ANA test must be requested. It is never done on your annual CBC test and was never done on any of my polycythemia CBC blood tests which at times I was doing every 3 to 4 weeks. so please request that your doctor do an ANA test on you because it’s either negative or positive. my first rheumatologist went back-and-forth multiple times between MCTD and Lupus. my PCP finally sent me to another rheumatologist who immediately did CBC Test and also AVISE TEST. He was immediately able to definitively diagnose me with lupus. I hope this helps someone.

I forgot to answer your question about my diagnosis. I was diagnosed about a year and a half ago, but I had had the Lupus for at least two years prior. Lupus is a strange illness because how you feel can very greatly from day-to-day. My first medication was Hydroxychloroquine. It was Not effective and was also could have caused me eye issues per my ophthalmologist. Then I tried azathioprine. No results. Then I tried methotrexate. Found out After going to my new rheumatologist that I had toxicity using methotrexate so he immediately took me off of it. He is prescribed Bynlista injections but I have not been able to start the injections due to financial issues. I’ve received two months of the injections and they are just sitting in my refrigerator for now. Once I’m able to take the injections, I will update you If it’s working well or not.