Lupus Diagnosis: Connecting the Dots

When you’re not feeling well, you want to know what the cause is. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for the lupus diasgnosis process to take months or years as doctors evaluate the web of symptoms that are associated with this complex disease. Any physician can diagnose you with lupus including your primary care provider (PCP), hospitalists, or pediatricians. However, rheumatologists are experts in diagnosing and treating autoimmune diseases such as lupus. LupusCorner conducted a poll of 119 Lupus Warriors about the lupus diagnosis process. More than 1/3 reported seeing 6 or more doctors before getting a diagnosis. Only 14% reported getting a diagnosis from their original doctor. While this may suggest that seeing more doctors will hasten your diagnosis, keep in mind that there are complexities with changing clinicians. Each new doctor will need to conduct a thorough review of your current and past symptoms. Medical records are still not always quickly or effectively shared between hospital systems. And, it may result in redundant laboratory tests which can be costly.

Still puzzling over something?