What exactly is lupus?
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lupus is a noninfectious chronic disease in which antibodies in an individual's immune system attack the body's own substances. In lupus, medically known as lupus erythematosus, antibodies are produced against the individual's own cells, causing tissue inflammation and cell damage. Because the vascular and connective tissue of any body organ may be affected, various symptoms may result. Generalized symptoms include fever, weakness, weight loss, anemia, enlargement of the spleen, and a characteristic butterfly-shaped skin rash on the face. Heart, joint, and kidney disease are common (see nephritis). It is believed that the disease may be triggered by certain drugs or foreign proteins, exposure to ultraviolet radiation, or extreme stress. The disease, which may range from mild to fatal, occurs commonly in young women. It is treated with immunosuppressive drugs and steroids. See immunity; autoimmune disease.
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Lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE) is a chronic disease that can cause inflammation, pain, and tissue damage throughout the body. Lupus is an autoimmune disease, in which a person's immune system attacks its own tissues as though they were foreign substances. If you develop serious lupus, you may have problems with your kidneys, heart, lungs, or blood cells. \n\nAlthough some people with lupus have mild symptoms, the disease can become severe. For most people, ongoing monitoring and treatment can control symptoms and prevent serious organ damage. \n\nThere are five types of lupus erythematosus: systemic, discoid/cutaneous, subacute cutaneous, drug-induced systemic, and neonatal. This topic focuses on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the most common and serious type of lupus. \n\nWhat are lupus symptoms like?\nLupus symptoms vary widely, and they come and go. Common symptoms are fatigue, joint pain or swelling (arthritis), fever, and skin rash (especially with sun exposure). Mouth sores and hair loss may occur. Over time, people with lupus develop nervous system symptoms, most commonly migraine headaches. Periods of time when symptoms worsen are called relapses or flares. Periods of time when symptoms improve are called remissions. Lupus symptoms rarely disappear completely.
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First off lets dispel any myths that might have been given by the patient who said she has SLE (systemic lupus) and then went on to say that SLE doesn't affect the internal organs like other 'lupus'.  SLE is SYSTEMIC which means by definition that it affects the entire body.  One with SLE can expect to have many differing symptoms as each persons case presents differently.  Some people experience joint pain and muscle weakness others have facial 'butterfly ' and body rashes, some have internal organ involvement such as kidney, heart, liver and brain and some have all the symptoms.  The most important thing to remember is that most of these issues can be controlled with medication.  Prednisone will help with the inflamation and plaqunil can assist with kidney damage, Cellcept can help with other internal organ involvement and sometimes other chemotherapy drugs may be indicated.  Lupus is a disease in which your immune system is overactive and kills good cells as well as the bad which leaves you open to getting infections because your immune system is overworked.  Lupus patients are considered immunocompromised.  For instance, my wife who was diagnosed with Lupus at 15, was recently bitten by a neighbors cat.  Where a person with a normal immune system could just put on some topical antibiodic cream and maybe take some oral antibodics, she spent three days in the hospital receiving IV antibodics because her immune system couldn't fight of the infection. \n\nSo what can you expect?  You can expect your good days and your bad ones.  You'll have days that you're fatigued and days which you feel great.  There'll be times when you don't want to get out of bed but you force yourself to go on.  You must follow the advice of your doctor and take the medications that they presricbe and keep an open dialogue with them.  Remember that you are ultimately responsible for your health care and you need to let the doctor know how certain medications are affecting you or how the Lupus is affecting you, be honest and open.  Also it may help to join a support group.  There are many out there just go to the Lupus Foundation website and they'll give you a meeting site in your area.  \n\nMy wife is a dentist.  Her Lupus sometimes makes her feel badly but she never ever lets it control her life.  She is a beautiful person and has accomplished much in her life inspite of her disease.  I wish you the best of luck.  If you have any more specific questions please do not hesitate to email us.
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Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease. This means that the body's defenses against infection are attacking it's own tissue. This causes inflammation. Areas of the skin or joints become painful, red, and swollen. Other parts of the body can also become inflamed and injured, including the muscles, kidneys, nervous system, blood, lungs, and heart. \n\nSLE, also called lupus, is a serious, chronic disease, which means it never goes away completely.  There may be symptom-free periods called remissions. Times when symptoms become more severe are called flare-ups. \n\n\nSome people have severe cases of lupus, but for most people symptoms can be controlled. Lupus affects mainly young women. In the US it is more common among African American, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American women. \n\nThe exact cause of lupus is not known. There may be an inherited tendency to develop the disease. Like other autoimmune diseases, attacks of lupus appear to be triggered by particular things such as viral infection and sunlight.  Exposure to the sun does worsen skin rashes and other problems of lupus.  \n\nCertain drugs may cause some people to have a lupuslike syndrome called drug-induced lupus. Examples of such drugs are hydralazine (used to treat high blood pressure) and procainamide (used to treat abnormal heart rhythms). \n\n\nLupus can take many forms and does not affect everyone in the same way. Some of the more common symptoms are: \n*painful and swollen joints \n*rash \n*unexplained fever \n*fatigue and weakness \n*hair loss \n*skin sensitivity to sunlight \n*kidney problems\n*loss of appetite, nausea, and weight loss. \n*easy bruising. \n*menstrual irregularities. \n\nThere is no cure, but there are treatments for symptoms:\n*Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen, may be prescribed for joint pain and inflammation. \n*Antimalarial drugs  may be used to treat symptoms of the skin or joints. \n*Severe symptoms are treated with steroid drugs such as cortisone and prednisone or chemotherapy drugs such as methotrexate and cyclophosphamide.
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I know nothing about dropping hair, lymphatic cancer, or ptimal epilipsy but I do have Lupus.\nLupus is basically an overactive immune system that attacks health parts of the body. It is a serious disease but not always a deadly disease.  People with Lupus can live a decent life that is not necessarily shortened due to the disease. Hope this helps :-)
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(m)\n\nTreating Lupus \n\nDiagnosing and treating lupus are often a team effort between the patient and several types of health care professionals. A person with lupus can go to his or her family doctor or internist, or can visit a rheumatologist. A rheumatologist is a doctor who specializes in rheumatic diseases (arthritis and other inflammatory disorders, often involving the immune system). Clinical immunologists (doctors specializing in immune system disorders) may also treat people with lupus. As treatment progresses, other professionals often help. These may include nurses, psychologists, social workers, nephrologists (doctors who treat kidney disease), hematologists (doctors specializing in blood disorders), dermatologists (doctors who treat skin disease), and neurologists (doctors specializing in disorders of the nervous system).\n\nThe range and effectiveness of treatments for lupus have increased dramatically, giving doctors more choices in how to manage the disease. It is important for the patient to work closely with the doctor and take an active role in managing the disease. Once lupus has been diagnosed, the doctor will develop a treatment plan based on the patient's age, sex, health, symptoms, and lifestyle. Treatment plans are tailored to the individual's needs and may change over time. In developing a treatment plan, the doctor has several goals: to prevent flares, to treat them when they do occur, and to minimize organ damage and complications. The doctor and patient should reevaluate the plan regularly to ensure it is as effective as possible.\n\nNSAIDs: For people with joint or chest pain or fever, drugs that decrease inflammation, called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), are often used. While some NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen and naproxen, are available over the counter, a doctor's prescription is necessary for others. NSAIDs may be used alone or in combination with other types of drugs to control pain, swelling, and fever. Even though some NSAIDs may be purchased without a prescription, it is important that they be taken under a doctor's direction. Common side effects of NSAIDs can include stomach upset, heartburn, diarrhea, and fluid retention. Some people with lupus also develop liver, kidney, or even neurological complications, making it especially important to stay in close contact with the doctor while taking these medications. \n\nAntimalarials: Antimalarials are another type of drug commonly used to treat lupus. These drugs were originally used to treat malaria, but doctors have found that they also are useful for lupus. A common antimalarial used to treat lupus is hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil)*. It may be used alone or in combination with other drugs and generally is used to treat fatigue, joint pain, skin rashes, and inflammation of the lungs. Clinical studies have found that continuous treatment with antimalarials may prevent flares from recurring. Side effects of anti-malarials can include stomach upset and, extremely rarely, damage to the retina of the eye.\n\n* Brand names included in this publication are provided as examples only, and their inclusion does not mean that these products are endorsed by the National Institutes of Health or any other Government agency. Also, if a particular brand name is not mentioned, this does not mean or imply that the product is unsatisfactory.\n\nCorticosteroids: The mainstay of lupus treatment involves the use of corticosteroid hormones, such as prednisone (Deltasone), hydrocortisone, methylprednisolone (Medrol), and dexamethasone (Decadron, Hexadrol). Corticosteroids are related to cortisol, which is a natural anti-inflammatory hormone. They work by rapidly suppressing inflammation. Corticosteroids can be given by mouth, in creams applied to the skin, or by injection. Because they are potent drugs, the doctor will seek the lowest dose with the greatest benefit. Short-term side effects of corticosteroids include swelling, increased
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Lyme disease is caused by a parasite carried in deer ticks.  The disease itself is autoimmune in nature, but requires pre-infection with the bug borrelia burgdorferi.\n\nAnti-phospholipid is another autoimmune condition related mostly to lupus.  As a component of anti-phospholipid, patients generate an antibody called anti-caridiolipin which is also present in about 40% of patients with Lyme disease.  Although the two conditions have this in common, they are not the same.
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To the best of my knowledge, lupus panels do not require fasting prior to the blood draw.  Fasting is suggested to test for blood sugar and some labs like the patient to have fasted prior to testing for cholesterol and other fats.  I've never heard it being done for lupus, since eating is not going to skew the measurements of the antibodies that are taken for lupus testing.
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My daughter has Lupus.  She is 35 years old now and was diagnosed when she was 16 years old.  She had 2 children in her early 20's and is doing fine.  She is still on steroids now and probably always be.
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http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lupus/DS00115
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Cyclophoshamide is an immunosuppressant.  Lupus is a disease in which a person's immune system attacks their own body.  So I guess the drug is supposed to lower the patients immune system enough for this to stop happening thus reduceing the symptoms Lupus patients suffer..
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well there is always a chance for anyone to die younger than they want not just because of a disease. but if you do what you are suppose to be doing for it chances are that you will live a long life. I know someone with lupis and i know how hard it is to have it, the doc told her she shouldnt have kids, well she did and the baby was severely premature but survived, and it made her really sick she ended up losing some toes, and they had to put her in a coma to get her better, her son was 2 by the time she came out of it. so to me i would follow all the docs rules.\nFor those who dont exactly know what lupis is heres a medical definition:\n 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. \n\n  For most people, lupus is a mild disease affecting only a few organs. For others, it may cause serious and even life-threatening problems. More than 16,000 Americans develop lupus each year. It is estimated that 500,000 to 1.5 million Americans have been diagnosed with lupus.
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The HLA, also known as the MHC, is the system of antigens that you have on all nucleated cells of your body.  This system allows lymphocytes and monocytes to tell the difference between self and non-self.  In other words, it's because of these antigens that you're body (in a healthy working state) doesn't attack and destroy its self with its own immune system.\nDefects in this system, either in the white blood cells or the antigens themselves, lead to autoimmune disorders, like Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Myasthenia Gravis, etc. . .\nThe HLA system is also the reason why tissue and organ transplants can be so tricky.  Everyone's HLA antigens are different and one person's body won't see another person's HLAs as self (so it sees it as foreign and "rejects" or destroys the transplanted tissues).
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I have lupus and daily living is a constant battle with the everyday pain, the arthritis, the fever, chest pain etc, it makes it hard just to do normal things but i have hope that one day this terrible disease will be eliminated and just continue to do what you are doing and take you meds and if your able to exercise do it on a regular basis it will help your aching joints, good luck.
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Seal had a form of Lupus as a child  here is a link  \n http://www.uklupus.co.uk/news122.html
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I haven't heard about that, but you might go to the Lupus Research Foundation's website (or that of another support group for lupus) to inquire.  They may be able to point you in the right direction.
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I have Lupus. I have taken Imuran & I am currently taking Methotrexate for it as well as my lung disease. Check out the following website. It has alot of information about Lupus and other illness. I think you will find it very beneficial for you. You can ask questions and get several responses like you do here. They also have a Lupus chat room.  www.healingwell.com