Guys,
Thanks a lot for your responses!
I find that real people and their experience are oftentimes much more
helpful in diagnosing than all those doctors with their theoretical
knowledge.

Now, I haven't (yet) had any auto-immune tests like ANA and others
that are usually done to diagnose lupus. My main complaint when I
first went to see a doctor (back in February) was amenorrhea (absent
period) and abdominal pains so I was sent to a gastroenterologist and
a gynecologist and wasted a lot of time on useless Cat Scans of upper
abdomen, head and so on. They all turned out normal. I didn't have
back/joint pains back then. I've just started having them now, good 5
months into my disease. Until recently my main complaint was the
amenorrhea and rashes.

My rashes are definitely not sun-related because I started having them
in November when it was unusually freezing cold and rainy here in San
Francisco. No sun whatsoever. I remember how everyone was telling me
that my rashes were probably caused by the cold weather.
The rash I have seems to be aggravated by taking showers. Or washing
my face, especially if I use a cleanser. Putting a cream or
moisturiser on it makes it appear twice as bright.

I was also tested for Celiac disease and I don't have that.

**By the way, a question: If I tested negative for Celiac  does it
mean that I don't have any autoimmune disease at all or no? Celiac is
sort of autoimmune too, and I have no idea whether there's a separate
test for every specific auto-immune condition or a generalized test
that shows whether you have any auto-immune condition at all?

**And another question: is amenorrhea a typical symptom in Lupus? I
don't really see it listed as a symptom (unless it's caused by
medication) and then gives me hope that I don't have lupus and my rash
and general condition is hormonal... But then, 6 months is too long if
it's just a simple hormonal imbalance induced by stress/weight
loss/flu. Would have fixed itself by now, wouldn't it.

Thanks again for your help, guys!

I hope your doctor is right - but if she is, it is correctness based lack of
knowledge.

No single test can rule lupus in or out.  If she instead meant she did a
collagen vascular disease *panel* that actually tests ANA, ESR and possibly
other factors, then i might buy her statement as strong evidence against
lupus.  But lupus (all autoimmune diseases) are complex and to say that
because one test was okay, you don't have it, is unfortunately, naive at
best.  Uneducated at worst.> Do you guys know what that collagen test I'm
talking about here, and

I don't want you to worry more than you already are worrying.  But this is
just the truth about diagnosing lupus and other autoimmune conditions.  it
is often a long and difficult process.

OTOH, some doctors go the other extreme which is just as dangerous - they
see a positive ANA and decide you have lupus even if there are no other
criteria met to diagnose the disease.  I've seen this happen a few times
here on the board over the years.  A positive ANA could mean lupus.  or it
could mean many other things as well.  A negative ANA does not mean no
lupus, but it can mean the disease activity is mild.

Think of it this way - many lupus patients are diagnosed based on history
and positive blood tests. They might start out with an ANA of 1:640
(moderately high).  They go on treatment, they go into remission.  They go
in and get their tests run and now their ANA is only 1:40. ("negative").
Have they suddenly been cured?  No.  They're in remission.  So you can't use
these sorts of tests the way some doctors use them - to say yay or nay.

There are the American College of Rheumatology Criteria.  In the US, you are
supposed to meet 4 of the 11 criteria to be diagnosed.  That's why there are
a lot of diagnoses of "undifferentiated connective tissue disease" (UCTD)
and Fibromyalgia.  Because a lot of times folks have 3 or even 7 of these
criteria but lack certain criteria that are given more weight than others.

Here is a longer discussion of lupus diagnosis.  I recommend reading the
entire page.  It's pretty easy to follow and explains more about the various
tests.
http://www.ghg.net/schwerpt/ASLFAQ/diag.htm

yes, lupus tends to be a variable disease not only from one person to
another but from one time frame to another.  I had bad hip pain for several
years, now the hip is fine but the pain moved to a different joint.  It's
called "wandering joint pain" for just that reason.  it's a strange thing
but indicates the systemic nature of SLE.

Like I said though - I don't see you as presenting as a typical Lupus
patient.  Which doesn't really say much because it is such a variable
disease.  So figuring out what *is* wrong could be a challenge.  and your
doc may have to do some trial and error.

I started getting sick in 95.  was diagnosed with "aches and pains disease"
in '97.  it wasn't until about 99 or so, when I convinced my doc to see if
Plaquenil would ease my symptoms, when she started really admitting that I
have an autoimmune disease. She still won't call it lupus.  Now it's UCTD.
But that's her bias against the US medical insurance systems as well as
employment issues.

I want to tell you this is just stress and recovery from the virus.  But I
don't feel I can say that any more than I can say you have lupus.  If you
have mild autoimmune disease, you may never know for certain and just have
to deal with the symptoms as they present.

Wish it was less complex and vague than that.  But it just isn't. :(

Still - there are many of us here who have had lupus or a related disease
for many years and are still productive and having fun with life.  The
treatments for autoimmune (collagen vascular) disease are improving as is an
understanding of what the patient can do to protect themselves from flares.