Patient education: Lupus (The Basics)View
What is lupus?
Lupus Erythematosisis a type of “autoimmune disease.”
When it is working normally, the body’s immune system kills germs and “bad” cells that could turn into cancer. When a person has an autoimmune disease, instead of killing only bad cells, the immune system starts to attack healthy cells. This is called an “autoimmune response.” It can happen in certain parts of the body in people who get lupus. This is what causes symptoms.
What are the symptoms of lupus?
People with lupus can:
●Feel tired or weak
●Lose or gain weight
●Get fevers
●Get headaches
●Get a butterfly-shaped rash on their nose and cheeks, especially after being in the sun
●Lose some hair
●Get chest pain
●Have trouble breathing
●Bruise easily
●Have joint pain and stiffness
●Have swelling in the hands, feet, belly, or around the eyes
●Have urine that looks brown (tea-colored) or foamy
●Get sores in the mouth
●Get cold fingers or toes that turn pale or blue
Lupus Erythematosis can also make it hard to think clearly, and it can make people feel anxious and sad. That is partly because the disease attacks the brain, and partly because the disease is hard to deal with.
Can I do anything on my own to feel better?
Yes. It can help to eat a healthy diet, full of fruits and vegetables. It’s also important to stay active, even if you do not feel well. If you rest too much, your muscles will get weak and you might feel even worse later. Also, any time a doctor or nurse gives you medicine, make sure they know you have lupus. Some medicines make lupus worse. It is important that you not take them.
What are the treatments for lupus?
There are medicines that can ease lupus symptoms, decrease the autoimmune response, or both. These medicines include:
●NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (sample brand name: Aleve), which can ease joint pain
●Medicines called “hydroxychloroquine” or “chloroquine,” which were originally made to treat malaria but can also help with lupus
●Steroids and related medicines, which partly “turn off” the immune system, and can help with many of the problems caused by lupus
Steroids can do a lot of good, because they control the disease. But they can also cause problems of their own. For instance, steroids can cause weight gain, make bones weak, or make diabetes worse (or even cause diabetes).
What if I want to get pregnant?
People with lupus are more likely than other people to have problems with pregnancy. But they can have healthy babies.
If you would like to get pregnant, speak with your doctor or nurse before you start trying. There are ways for you to lower the chances of having problems. For example, it is important that you wait until you have not had Lupus Erythematosis symptoms for at least 6 months.
How will lupus affect my life?
You will have lupus for the rest of your life. It might be severe, or it might be mild. Either way, doctors and nurses today know a lot about how to handle the disease. You are likely to live a long time. And you might even find that your symptoms go away for long periods.
What does kidney disease have to do with lupus?
People with lupus are much more likely to have kidney disease than people who don’t have lupus. The kidneys are organs in the urinary tract that filter the blood and make urine. Kidney disease can cause swelling, high blood pressure, and other symptoms.
“Lupus nephritis” is the medical name for a type of kidney disease that happens in people with Lupus Erythematosis. People who have lupus can also get kidney disease caused by other problems. As an example, if someone with lupus also has diabetes, the diabetes might be the cause of kidney problems.
What are the symptoms of lupus nephritis?
Although some people with lupus nephritis don’t have symptoms, about half of all people with lupus do. Symptoms can include:
●Swelling – This can be in the hands, face, feet, belly, or around the eyes.
●Weight changes – Many people gain weight, but some people lose weight without trying to.
●Tiredness
●Urine that looks brown or foamy
●Urinating less often than normal
●High blood pressure (higher than 130/80)
Is there a test for lupus nephritis?Yes. If you have lupus, your doctor or nurse will do regular blood and urine tests to check for signs of lupus nephritis. You might also have a test called a “biopsy.” In this test, a doctor takes a small sample of kidney tissue. Another doctor looks at the sample under a microscope to check for kidney disease.
How is lupus nephritis treated?Medicines are usually the first treatment for lupus nephritis. These include:
●Medicines to partly “turn off” the immune system – In lupus, the body’s immune system attacks healthy cells. Medicines that partly turn it off can slow down the damage lupus causes in the kidneys. There are many different medicines doctors use to treat the immune system. The doctor might:
•Try 1 or 2 medicines to see which works best
•Give you more than 1 medicine at a time
•Have you switch to a different medicine when the lupus nephritis is under control
●Medicines called “ACE inhibitors” or “angiotensin receptor blockers” – These medicines can help with kidney damage from lupus nephritis.
Severe Lupus Erythematosis nephritis can make the kidneys stop working. If this happens, treatment options include:
