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| *Women health>>>Lupus |
The doctor told today after a skin biopspy 2 ago, i have lupus, he is sending me to a specailist whats lupus? |
The doctor told today after a skin biopspy 2 ago, i have lupus, he is sending me to a specailist whats lupus? If you have skin lupus, it is possibly discoid. They will check to see if it is in your blood by running an ANA count. This will determine if it is systemic. Check this site: Lupus.org. Also, if you have further questions, I can help you. You can e-mail me back, and I would be glad to help you understand your autoimmune disease disorder. Bobbie e a chronic autoimmune disease that is potentially debilitating and sometimes fatal as the immune system attacks the body鈥檚 cells and tissue, resulting in inflammation and tissue damage. SLE can affect any part of the body, but most often harms the heart, joints, skin, lungs, blood vessels, liver, kidneys and nervous system. The course of the disease is unpredictable, with periods of illness (called flares) alternating with remission. wikipedia google it. www.google.com there will be many sights on it. I wouldnt believe everything you hear on yahoo answers. get the actual info yourself! although wikipedia is a great source from the dude up above's answer.. :D Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect various parts of the body, especially the skin, joints, blood, and kidneys. The body's immune system normally makes proteins called antibodies to protect the body against viruses, bacteria, and other foreign materials. These foreign materials are called antigens. In an autoimmune disorder such as lupus, the immune system loses its ability to tell the difference between foreign substances (antigens) and its own cells and tissues. The immune system then makes antibodies directed against "self." These antibodies, called "auto-antibodies," react with the "self" antigens to form immune complexes. The immune complexes build up in the tissues and can cause inflammation, injury to tissues, and pain. SYMPTOMS Achy joints (arthralgia) Fever more than 100 degrees F (38 degrees C) Arthritis (swollen joints) Prolonged or extreme fatigue Skin Rashes Anemia Kidney Involvement Pain in the chest on deep breathing (pleurisy) Butterfly-shaped rash across the cheeks and nose Sun or light sensitivity (photosensitivity) Hair loss Abnormal blood clotting problems Raynaud's phenomenon (fingers turning white and/or blue in the cold) Seizures Mouth or nose ulcers Treatment approaches are based on the specific needs and symptoms of each person. Because the characteristics and course of lupus may vary significantly among people, it is important to emphasize that a thorough medical evaluation and ongoing medical supervision are essential to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment. Medications are often prescribed for people with lupus, depending on which organ(s) are involved, and the severity of involvement. Effective patient-physician discussions regarding the selection of medication, its possible side effects, and any changes in doses are vital. Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) These medications are prescribed for a variety of rheumatic diseases, including lupus. The compounds include acetylsalicylic acid (e.g., aspirin), ibuprofen (Motrin), naproxen (Naprosyn), indomethacin (Indocin), sulindac (Clinoril), tolmetin (Tolectin), and a large number of others. These drugs are usually recommended for muscle and joint pain, and arthritis. Aspirin may cause stomach upsets for some people. This effect can be minimized by taking them with meals, milk, or antacids. The other NSAIDs work in the same way as aspirin, but tend to be less irritating to the stomach than aspirin, and often require fewer pills per day to have the same effect as aspirin. Acetaminophen Acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol) is a mild analgesic that can often be used for pain. It has the advantage of less stomach irritation than aspirin, but it is not nearly as effective at suppressing inflammation as aspirin. Corticosteroids Coricosteroids (steroids) are hormones that have anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory properties. They are normally produced in small quantities by the adrenal gland. This hormone controls a variety of metabolic functions in the body. Synthetically produced corticosteroids are used to reduce inflammation and suppress activity of the immune system. The most commonly prescribed drug of this type is Prednisone. Because steroids have a variety of side effects, the dose has to be regulated to maximize the beneficial anti-immune/anti-inflammatory effects and minimize the negative side effects. Side effects occur more frequently when steroids are taken over long periods of time at high doses (for example, 60 milligrams of Prednisone taken daily for periods of more than one month). Such side effects include weight gain, a round face, acne, easy bruising, "thinning" of the bones (osteoporosis), high blood pressure, cataracts, onset of diabetes, increased risk of infection and stomach ulcers. Anti-malarials Chloroquine (Aralen) or hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), commonly used in the treatment of malaria, may also be very useful in some individuals with lupus. they are most often prescribed for skin and joint symptoms of lupus. They are most often prescribed for skin and joint symptoms of lupus. It may take months before these drugs demonstrate a beneficial effect. Side effects are rare, and consist of occasional diarrhea or rashes. Some anti-malarial drugs, such as quinine and chloroquine, can affect the eyes. Therefore, it is important to see an eye doctor (ophthalmologist) regularly. The manufacturer suggests an eye exam before starting the drug and one exam every six months thereafter. However your physician might suggest a yearly exam as sufficient. Cytotoxic Drugs Azathioprine (Imuran) and cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan) are in a group of agents known as cytotoxic or immunosuppressive drugs. these drugs act in a similar manner to the corticosteroid drugs in that they suppress inflammation and tend to suppress the immune system. The side effects of these drugs include anemia, low white blood cell count, and increased risk of infection. Their use may also predispose an individual to developing cancer. People with lupus should learn to recognize early symptoms of disease activity. In that way they can help the physician know when a change in therapy is needed. Regular monitoring of the disease by laboratory tests can be valuable because noticeable symptoms may occur only after the disease has significantly flared. Changes in blood test results may indicate the disease is becoming active even before the patient develops symptoms of a flare. Generally, it seems that the earlier such flares are detected, the more easily they can be controlled. Also, early treatment may decrease the chance of permanent tissue or organ damage and reduce the time one must remain on high doses of drugs. Lupus is an autoimmune disease. Your body鈥檚 immune system is like an army with hundreds of soldiers. The immune system鈥檚 job is to fight foreign substances in the body, like germs and viruses. But in autoimmune diseases, the immune system is out of control. It attacks healthy tissues, not germs. You can鈥檛 catch lupus from another person. It isn鈥檛 cancer, and it isn鈥檛 related to AIDS. Lupus is a disease that can affect many parts of the body. Everyone reacts differently. One person with lupus may have swollen knees and fever. Another person may be tired all the time or have kidney trouble. Someone else may have rashes. Lupus can involve the joints, the skin, the kidneys, the lungs, the heart and/or the brain. If you have lupus, it may affect two or three parts of your body. Usually, one person doesn鈥檛 have all the possible symptoms. There are three main types of lupus: Systemic lupus erythematosus (eh-RITH-eh-muh-TOE-sus) is the most common form. It鈥檚 sometimes called SLE, or just lupus. The word 鈥渟ystemic鈥?means that the disease can involve many parts of the body such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, and brain. SLE symptoms can be mild or serious. Discoid lupus erythematosus mainly affects the skin. A red rash may appear, or the skin on the face, scalp, or elsewhere may change color. Drug-induced lupus is triggered by a few medicines. It鈥檚 like SLE, but symptoms are usually milder. Most of the time, the disease goes away when the medicine is stopped. More men develop drug-induced lupus because the drugs that cause it, hydralazine and procainamide, are used to treat heart conditions that are more common in men. |
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If you have skin lupus, it is possibly discoid. They will check to see if it is in your blood by running an ANA count. This will determine if it is systemic. Check this site: Lupus.org. Also... About .com is a very informative site...... Chronic Pain in Lupus by Karyn Moran Holton Chronic pain. Pain that goes from bad to worse to unbearable. Pain that lives with you every day of your life, never ceasing, not even long ... I sure wouldn't since the FDA is proposing a ban on it and Japan and Europe have already banned it. I understand the frustration of the butterfly rash, my skin turns beat red across my ... Check out the links below Source(s): ... Lupus Foundation of America 2000 L Street, N.W. Suite 710 Washington, DC 20036 Phone: (202) 349-1155 1-800-558-0121 Fax: (202) 349-1156 E-mail: info@lupus.org Web Address: ... My grandmother was diagnosed with lupus four years ago. She had skin reactions to food and quite a few rashes... wore herself out very easily on short shopping trips... had immune respons... hello, I'm so sorry that you have been recently diagnosed with Lupus, and that you are only 15 years old =(. I'm 22, and I was diagnosed with Lupus a year ago, a month before I turne... |
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