Lupus

[indymom]

Does anyone here have Lupus?
I just had an ANA test come back positive after mentioning to my gyn about some weird symptoms ive been having lately(like a severe sun allergy)..along with the chronic fatigue and joint pain i get and now they think i have lupus Im waiting to talk to my gp on tues and probably get further testing..but after looking it up i have all the symptoms. Im really bummed.
Im wondering is this WOE is ok if indeed i do have it. The gyn mentioned I need a more 'balanced diet.' but i cant lose weight on a balanced diet!

[jimmie 48]

Re: Lupus

making sure this gets some activity.

i am positive there are other members with lupus. you may want to read the posts in the following thread.

http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...ighlight=Lupus

by doing a search, you might be able to find some other information.

[mirna05]

Re: Lupus

it may be a candida overgrowth and not lupus

[Quitstretchin']

Re: Lupus

Does anyone here have Lupus?

I just had an ANA test come back positive after mentioning to my gyn about some weird symptoms I've been having lately(like a severe sun allergy)..along with the chronic fatigue and joint pain...........but after looking it up I have all the symptoms. I'm really bummed. I’m wondering is this WOE is ok if indeed I do have it. The gyn mentioned I need a more 'balanced diet.' but I can’t lose weight on a balanced diet!

Hey there indymom,

I have lupus. Symptoms since summer 2002...official diagnosis in October 2005.

I am no expert, but I will say that I flooded myself, sometimes to exhaustion, with material about lupus while I was being evaluated. The information can be scary, so don't get yourself too worked up, but do go with your gut instinct and insist that Drs. pay attention to your symptoms. A positive ANA by itself doesn't mean lupus so continue to follow-up with your dr for further test. You did say that you researched the typical lupus symptoms and seem to have them all, so you may indeed be experiencing lupus or some sort of auto-immune disorder.

Either way, I am sorry.....I know what you are experiencing and potentially will experience in the future. Lupus is a horrendous illness.......I wouldn't wish it on my worse enemy!



As far as diet, I would talk with a general dr. or a lupus specialist (rheumatologist) or ask to be referred to a nutritionist regarding nutrition rather than your OBGYN. I have read (and was told by my lupus Dr.) that low-carb diets are helpful to lupus patients for several reasons. Particularly those that are on steroids (statistics say that all lupus patients will have to take steroids at some time during the course of their disease). Also, there are things that lupus patients can't eat (like alfalfa sprouts and foods with zinc, such as shell fish and or oysters- I don't have problems with shell fish though, but know some people that do...), so you might want to talk to a Dr. that is familiar with the illness for more accurate information.



Steroids cause an insatiable appetite and RAPID weight gain (sometimes something like 1 lb per day!!!!), particularly in those with minimal physical activity due to joint/muscle pain and poor mobility due to the arthritis caused by lupus. They also cause changes in metabolism, further complicating weight loss. Lupus patients also are at risk of developing hypertension and diabetes due to the illness itself or the medications used to control the illness.



Some advice I would give to you is to get real serious about your weight RIGHT NOW....if your diagnosis is confirmed to be lupus, your Dr. will start you on a lupus medication regimen immediately and your weight will be at your mercy! I gained 50 lbs in the course of a few months after starting a steroid regimen for my lupus. At one point, I was averaging a 6-8 lb weight gain PER WEEK!! I'm now having trouble losing the extra weight.

Keep me posted on this.........feel free to IM me with questions.....

Here's a quick article on lupus and diet
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/ma...ticlekey=50734

[sallyseachange]

Re: Lupus

Indymom...so sorry you have this doubt hanging over you right now. I do hope your further testing proves negative. I didn't know anything about Lupus until I read this thread... but was happy to see that according to Quitstretchin's rheumatologist this way of eating can be helpful to the condition.

Do let us know the results of your further tests... am sending good health vibes over the ocean, your way.

[indymom]

Re: Lupus

Well I finally got in with the Dr...but their computers happen to be down (sheesh) so he wants to wait to order more specific blood tests. But i do have most every symptom severe fatigue, bad joint pain, sun allergy/rash , swollen glands and fevers, hair loss, raynauds syndrome, dermatofibromas (weird skin growths on my leg-which i just had removed..ouch), leg swelling, depression, oh and a blood clot.
In the meantime, For the past couple of months I have been exercsing like crazy and doing strength training..for the first time ever. And it helps a lot. I notice if i miss a couple of days I get really really stiff again. I hope to avoid going on steroids I just cant gain weight again!
Just when u think u cant handle anything else in your life ( i have two autistic kids and loads of stress from other sources) something else gets thrown your way...and its made me realize I am a lot stronger than I ever thought possible. I will manage this too. I'll keep ya guys updated on the results of the other tests. Thanks!

[sallyseachange]

Re: Lupus

How utterly frustrating that your doc's computers were down! Sounds like you're thinking very positive though. Good for you! That's half the battle.. or more!
Yes, you are strong. You'll deal with whatever life throws at you and come through just fine. This shines through your last post. Keep up the exercise and do let us know of any developments. We're here for you.

[jimmie 48]

Re: Lupus

holy smokes, indy, you got your plate full and someone elses too!
you sound very determined to see this through. i like that. isn't it great to see that you are indeed stronger than you ever thought possible?

[Quitstretchin']

Re: Lupus

Hey Indymom,

Just wondering how the lupus testing is going?

[indymom]

Re: Lupus

Just a quick update..im still waiting for the rheumatologist appt next tues..took what seemed like forever to get a referral and appt. The ANA results were 1:1280, from what i understand that is pretty high...with a solid pattern. I took a couple of other blood tests for which i havent gotten the results yet...my dr said theres tons of other autoimmune disorders and it would be expensive and a waste for him to test me since the Rheumy will probably want to run their own tests anyways. Soo..still waitin.. will update when i can. Thanks all for advice and for listening..I dont really have anyone else I can share this with.

[jimmie 48]

Re: Lupus

you can share here anytime, claudia. i don't know how to advice but i can read. i'm glad the appt. has finally been made. we'll look for an update on tuesday or wednesday.

[guekjian]

Re: Lupus

Hey Indymom...God never gives you more than you can handle...when you need to vent...or just talk...you have a whole gang here...Take Care...