This has been quite a year.  I'm actually feeling pretty lucky.

I've been on an anti malarial, plaquenil, for 6 months now.  I loved it
within the first two or three weeks, could tell a difference fast.

I have raynauds (made me quit smoking in June)... and sjogrens, though
I don't really think so any more, I mean, I can wear contacts, and most
of the folks I know w/it cannot.

But this has been a lot to absorb.  I was told in 1997 that I tested
positive for lupus, but didn't have the symptoms.  He said I had
sjogrens.  I really did forget about it until I broke my back.  In a
boating storm.  I went into what I know now was a flare.

But listen, I really want to know a few things:

About your diets, do you do the low protein low fat thing?  or eat
whatever you want to, so you'll just eat something?  (100 lbs here)

And do you take things like EFA's (flaxseed and primrose oil?) or
glucosamine?  I have an allergy to shellfish, and I wonder whether
anyone else with one takes it anyway.  It is essentially ground up
shells...

I have always loved the sunshine, I am having a hard time with that
being harmful.  I have obeyed this new rule, and  have a vitamin d
deficiency as a result.  I took 12 weeks worth of mega doses to
hopefully catch me up.

If there is one thing you could tell anyone who was just diagnosed,
what would it be?

For me it would be to embrace your body's own clock.  To sleep when
sleepy, eat when hungry and to run errands when hyper, lol.... I have
learned that I will pay for days when I over do anything even a lil
bit.

okay, nice to meet you,

aquariusrizing