Lupus and related conditions

I have Raynauds(take trental), Hypothyroid (take synthiod), TIA from migrianes, also 5 rupture disk in neck (some brain damage from it), my bladder was smaller and was tearing when stretched (had surgery to stretch it and on meds to toughen lining, Mytral prolapse, diverticulitis, barretts esphogus. reflux, i'v lost hair in patches, and my teeth have been breaking. recently the bladder dr suggested lupus. I go back to my reguular dr in june and wonder what i should ask him about this, the bladder dr said the bladder condition is usually in persons with lupus, My legs hurt at night, and swell sometimes, does it sound like I do

[napalm]

Maybe vasculitis? do u have skin manifestations ?

[zmombomb]

I haven't heard too many with those bladder symptoms.  Maybe that's why I have to get up a million times in the night!!!!  LOL!   But if the doc said Lupus causes this, he/she would know!   With your teeth breaking, it makes me think your diet is either insufficient or your body is not absorbing nutrients.  I have said this before but I'll say it again, many lupus symptoms CAN BE caused by improper diet or  food allergies.  People with Celiacs disease (allergy to Gluten) will present with Lupus symptoms.  Try going on a Gluten free diet (hard to do at first), and dairy and soy free also.  Just eat fresh fruit, fresh vegies (all raw, but washed thoroughly) and home cooked meats.  try that type of diet for a few months and see if you don't feel much better and see if your teeth stop breaking!  Have the doc check your calcium levels also.  Good luck!    If after a few months the symptoms are better, PLEASE WRITE US HERE AND LET US KNOW!!!  

[sunny147]

I was tested for Celic and didn't show up for it, I have many food allergies, Chocolate,beef, wheat, orange juice, etc. I've had 4 times taht I fell to the floor and they say the are TIA's from migraines. One though I was stumbling like a drunk and manage to stay on my feet. I'm thinking it was more of a seizure and Lupus can cause that. It is starting to make sence what all these symptoms are. The dr said basically you are heathy under neath all this and I said where show mw the spot or organ that is ok. The bladder was a real problem because I had excessive amt. and couldn't hold it after the TIA's then it gets better. The bladder was bleeding and they didn't know why until he went in and stretched it and found it was tearing and bleeding. Meanwhile I do work fuill time and take care of my mother and husband. I started to feel like a hypocondrac but it was all real. I try to ignoe but couldn't.

[zmombomb]

I have never been told that lupus can cause seizures.  I wish my doctor would tell me that stuff.  I have had three seizures only.  Very small.  I got the buzzing in my neck and it made my vision shake, but I don't know if my head shook.  I just know that everything I looked at for that minute or less was shaking like crazy.  It stopped, scared the hell out of me, and I got very nauseated afterward.  I asked the girl in my office if we just had an earthquake, she said no.  I had the same thing happen again about a week later.  That was over 3 years ago, after losing my step son in Iraq.  So, I thought maybe it was stress related.  Then last October, I woke in the night very nauseated, knew I was going to vomit.  I sat on the floor in front of the toilet waiting, and all of a sudden my arms started buzzing, like I had hundreds of bees circling under the skin all up and down my arms, and both arms got so stiff and stretched out in front of me with the hands bent in, with straight fingers.  I couldn't move them.  I stayed in that "Tonic Seizure" state for about 4 minutes.  Then vomited and had to go back to bed.  I was nauseated and my arms buzzed for a long time afterward.  It's never happened again.  

[sunny147]

This is informative the seizures part is toward the end.

What are the symptoms and signs of lupus?

In discoid lupus, only the skin is typically involved. The skin rash in discoid lupus often is found on the face and scalp. It usually is red and may have raised borders. Discoid lupus rashes are usually painless and do not itch, but scarring can cause permanent hair loss. Over time, 5%-10% of patients with discoid lupus may develop SLE.

Patients with SLE can develop different combinations of symptoms and organ involvement. Common complaints and symptoms include fatigue, low-grade fever, loss of appetite, muscle aches, arthritis, ulcers of the mouth and nose, facial rash ("butterfly rash"), unusual sensitivity to sunlight (photosensitivity), inflammation of the lining that surrounds the lung (pleuritis) and the heart (pericarditis), and poor circulation to the fingers and toes with cold exposure (Raynaud's phenomenon).

More serious organ involvement with inflammation occurs in the brain, liver, and kidney. White blood cells and blood clotting factors also can be decreased in SLE, thereby increasing the risk of infection and bleeding.

Over half of the patients with SLE develop a characteristic red, flat facial rash over the bridge of their nose. Because of its shape, it is frequently referred to as the "butterfly rash" of SLE. The rash is painless and does not itch. The facial rash, along with inflammation in other organs, can be precipitated or worsened by exposure to sunlight, a condition called photosensitivity. This photosensitivity can be accompanied by worsening of inflammation throughout the body, called a "flare" of disease.



Most patients with SLE will develop arthritis during the course of their illness. Arthritis in SLE commonly involves swelling, pain, stiffness, and even deformity of the small joints of the hands, wrists, and feet. Sometimes, the arthritis of SLE can mimic that of rheumatoid arthritis (another autoimmune disease).

Inflammation of muscles (myositis) can cause muscle pain and weakness.
Inflammation of blood vessels, (vasculitis) that supply oxygen to tissues, can cause isolated injury to a nerve, the skin, or an internal organ. The blood vessels are composed of arteries that pass oxygen-rich blood to the tissues of the body and veins which return oxygen-depleted blood from the tissues to the lungs. Vasculitis is characterized by inflammation with damage to the walls of various blood vessels. The damage blocks the circulation of blood through the vessels and can cause injury to the tissues that the vessels supply.

Inflammation of the lining of the lungs (pleuritis) and of the heart (pericarditis) can cause sharp chest pain. The chest pain is aggravated by coughing, deep breathing, and certain changes in body position. The heart muscle itself rarely can become inflamed (carditis). It has also been shown that young women with SLE have a significantly increased risk of heart attacks from coronary artery disease.

Kidney inflammation in SLE can cause leakage of protein into the urine, fluid retention, high blood pressure, and even kidney failure. With kidney failure, machines are needed to cleanse the blood of accumulated poisons in a process called dialysis.

Involvement of the brain can cause personality changes, thought disorders (psychosis), seizures, and even coma. Damage to nerves can cause numbness, tingling, and weakness of the involved body parts or extremities. Brain involvement is called cerebritis.

Many patients with SLE experience hair loss (alopecia). Often, this occurs simultaneously with an increase in the activity of their disease.

Some patients with SLE have Raynaud's phenomenon. In these patients, the blood supply to the fingers and toes becomes interrupted upon exposure to cold, causing blanching, bluish discoloration, and pain in the exposed fingers and toes.