Lupus

# # # # # Lupus produces widely varying symptoms, although joint pain is reported by most patients and skin lesions are common. Lupus can cause short periods of symptoms alternating with healthy periods, or can progress into a life-threatening disorder affecting the heart, kidneys, and other organs.

Why the disease is termed lupus is unknown, but it has been known as a distinct disorder and called lupus by European physicians since at least the tenth century A.D. The term erythematosus was first attached to the disease in the 1850s, and it refers to the patchy congestion of skin capillaries with blood (erythema) that often accompanies the disease.

Yes, I feel that way all the time. I also have chronic sinus pressure all the time w/out an infection or allergies. The pressure in my head is worse with exersion, but I have sinus and ear pressure all the time as well as pulsitale tinnitus. If anyone has any ideas, I'd love the help! I have had an MRI, MRA, and lot's of blood work. I have multiple autoimmune diseases, so I wonder if it could be from them? I also had a positive test for lupus back in 2001, but it has been negative recently. My doc also suspects benign intracranial pressure. Whatever that is?

only 10 years after diagnosis in India

The majority of people with lupus can live a norma life span if they follow their treatment plan and are monitored regularly. The leading causes of death in lupus are cardiovascular events (heart attack and stroke), uncontrolled infection and kidney disease.

If someone has lupus nephritis, that person should discuss any supplement, vitamins, herbs, or "alternative" therapies with the rheumatologist and nephrologist. Lupus nephritis can be fatal and is nothing to be fooled around with.

only affects the skin, although similar discoid skin lesions can occur in the serious disease called systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Only about 10% of all patients with DLE will go on to develop the multiorgan disease SLE

There is no definitive laboratory test for lupus. A diagnosis of lupus is based on:

1. Medical history

2. Symptoms

3. A variety of tests

4. Process of elimination

Since these things cannot be done on a fetus, the answer is no, lupus cannot be detected prenatally.

an allergie

Kidney disease, or lupus nephritis, has 5 World Health Orgainization classifications with various levels within each. A kidney biopsy is used to determine the classification and level. Treatment varies with each type of kidney disease. Typically, strong chemo therapy is used to severely weaken the immune system-some are given intravenously and some are taken in pill form. Sometimes a patient will have to undergo plasmapheresis which "cleans" the blood of autoantibodies. In extreme cases the patient might end up on dialysis and need a kidney transplant. There are too many variables to answer your question.

Sjogren's Syndrome is an autoimmune disease unto itself. It is not a form of lupus. Sjogren's often goes along with lupus. People who have one autoimmune disease frequently have more than one.

Although Lupus can cause your hair to fall out, it will regrow after treatment.

Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy parts of the self.

Yes lupus can kill, directly and indirectly. 40% of lupus patients develop lupus nephritis or kidney disease. Some respond to treatment, others don't. People with systemic lupus have twice the risk of atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. This can cause heart attacks and strokes. Some people with lupus have antiphospholipid antibody syndrome which causes abnormal clotting of the blood also leading to cardiovascular events. If lupus attacks the liver you also die. I personally know two people who died of lupus nephritis and two who died of cardiovascular events in 2008 alone. In my case I had pericarditis, pleurisy, pleural effusion, bone marrow failure and kidney failure and am very luck to be alive. Most cases of lupus are mild to moderate, but it can kill.

Although most things in autoimmune diseases are very poorly understood now and there is very little known about how they work, hormones in general have a connection to autoimmune diseases. Pregnancy also has quite a bit to do with autoimmune diseases usually by increasing your risk of getting an autoimmune disease if you've had one in the past year. On the other hand some women have the opposite effect by protecting a woman with an autoimmune disease. So essentially it is unsure what the reason is pregnancy and hormones play a part. (sources: Living well with Autoimmune Disease)

The medical textbook Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, 4th edition edited by Lahita is the definitive source. You can find it on line or in any decent medical library.

The Lupus Book by Daniel Wallace, MD 4th edition is a comprehensive resource for lupus. It is based on the medical textbook but more accessible to lay people.

Lupus can be wide spread, but most medication stops it from doing so.

Most Lupus cases have deterioration of the kidney and bladder functions.

But, I am not a doctor. Please refer to a rheumatologist.

20 percent of people with lupus will have a parent or sibling who already has lupus or may develop lupus.

i have lupus and taking medication, will i be able to use wheat grass

People with lupus are likely to have a low white count. This is because the immune system identifies the white cells as pathogens and destroys them and because the bone marrow cannot replace them quickly enough to replace the ones that were destroyed.

Lupus is rarely listed as the cause of death on a death certificate. People die of lupus related complications with the three leading causes being kidney failure, uncontrolled infection and cardiovascular events.

Lupus patients have the same fertility rates as the general population. The problem is staying pregnant when you have lupus. Many patients with lupus have the antiphospholipid antibody which can cause miscarriages. If you are pregnant and have lupus it is considered a high risk pregnancy and you should be closely monitored.

A person with lupus may live a normal life span. However, for others lupus may be fatal, sometimes in only days.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus attacks all the systems of the body specifically the immune systems, the lungs and the kidneys. An individual with lupus basically dies of complications of the disease.

Lupus is not contracted. Lupus develops. A person cannot catch lupus because it is not an infectious disease and it is not caused by any pathogen. The exact cause of lupus is not understood. At this point in time, scientists do know there is a genetic component but it is not directly inherited. If you have a first degree relative with lupus your chance of developing the disease is only 10% greater than the normal population. People who are genetically predisposed to develop lupus may or may not develop the disease. A trigger is needed to "turn on" the autoimmune response. Triggers include sunlight, cigarette smoke, and stress. Others are suspected.

Discoid Rash As people age, they become more prone to certain diseases and illnesses. Many people experience lupus, a type of immune system disease that, depending on its severity, can adversely affect a person's life.

Because of the number of people who are being diagnosed with lupus, the disease has become a very well discussed topic. Most reports focus on the type of lupus that is most severe, systemic lupus erythematosus, but they don't focus on the other types, such as discoid lupus a.k.a. discoid rash.

What is Discoid Rash?

Since there are a lot of different types of lupus out there, discoid lupus hasn't always been properly described. But with all of the research, it is now easy to say exactly what discoid lupus is.

Discoid rash, a common part of discoid lupus, is a rash which is found on the face. It is typically a scarring rash, so someone who has discoid lupus will have a permanent scar on their face.

What Does the Discoid Rash Look Like?

Discoid rash is characterized by a red, butterfly like shape on the face. That explains why so many lupus groups use the butterfly as their logo-a discoid rash is literally a red butterfly rash. It doesn't always look this way, though, and some may have a more mild, different shaped pink colored rash on the face. How dark the rash is depends on how much UV exposure the person has had through their life.

What Does the Discoid Rash Mean?

The discoid rash means that the person who has it has an active form of lupus. When discoid lupus goes into remission, the rash will disappear. Any scars it made will remain, though.

What are the Symptoms of Discoid Lupus?

Discoid lupus sufferers may have several symptoms, or they may have very few, depending on the stage of the disease. You may have some or all of the following symptoms if you have discoid lupus:

A rash on your face, which is either pink in color or red. It may be shaped like a butterfly.

Scars on the scalp, caused by the rash. Scars on the face are also common.

Severe hair loss.

Scalp itchiness and peeling.

A rash on some other part of your body. The discoid rash can occur anywhere on the body, so don't be surprised if it's on your neckline or legs or someplace else.

Blister-like lesions around the tips of the fingers.

What Causes Discoid Lupus?

Doctors haven't pinpointed any one particular cause, but they believe that exposure to UV rays and skin allergies may play a roll in discoid lupus.

What Treatments?

Discoid lupus isn't typically curable, but it is treatable enough so that it won't significantly hurt a person's quality of life. Treatment ranges from steroids to antimalarial drugs.

Some who have had a lot of facial damage may undergo plastic surgery to remedy it, while others may need to do little more than to use makeup to cover any scars they do not want showing. Discoid lupus is not a life-threatening disease, so even if you have it, you should still be very healthy.

1. First of all I got to say that the disease is known as Discoid Lupus Erythematosus or Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid rash is only the first sign of Discoid Lupus.

2. Second the butterfly rash is a sign for Systemic Lupus no for Discoid or Cutaneous Lupus.

3. The ages for the appearance of Discoid or Cuatneous Lupus is between 20 to 40 years of age, and the prevalence is 4 to 1 in favor of female than males.

4. It is known that an untreated lesion could leave a scar that is permanent, but it is in any place of the body.

5. The name of Discoid Lupus come from its shape that is like a coin in its onset.

6. It is also known that people with this disease has a photosensitive reaction which exacerbate the condition.

7. It is also known by research that plastic surgery only cover a short frame of time the lesion because when the disease is active would begins the disfigurement again, so it is not a solution,

8. When a person has this disease it can overlap and the most part of the time it do it, other symptoms/diseases like depression, anxiety, social withdrawal, it change your lifestyle for ever.

9. This lesion caused sores and permanent disfigurement there is when became the onset of problems (like I said before) from diseases like depression, anxiety, social withdrawal, isolation, sadness, etc.

Discoid Lupus is called the most benign part of the lupus spectro, who ever called it like this doesn't know of what they are talking about. Only a person who have it for years, and have to deal with it day to day knows what is this all about. I have Discoid Lupus Erythematosus for 29 years now, and it was not as easy as anyone could think. I always ask to myself why some lupus association has fewer information about this topic, why they do researches about the systemic part and the cutaneous part still be in ignored.