I started seeing another doctor in December, determined that 2021 would be the year I finally get a handle on my chronic pain. A half-dozen vials of my deep burgundy blood were sent to the lab and a week later, back in the doctor’s office, my results were revealed. The doctor clicked through page after page of perfect, green-coded results, then clicked again. On this screen, standing out like a flashing light, was a red-coded “high” result for anti-dsDNA. 

“Lupus,” the doctor said, helpfully. He sold me box one of the 6-month “cell detox” supplement program that was his recommended treatment (#TrueCellularDetox). 

Taking the same lab results to my existing doctor, she said while it will take time and more tests to verify, it does look like lupus. Whether the “cell detox” could do me any good, she looked over every ingredient and responded, “I don’t see anything that can hurt you. I also don’t see anything in here that could help.” 

So do I have lupus? What does my “gut” tell me? Probably. I told my kids last weekend. Now I can tell the whole wide world.