anyone diagnosed with lupus?

[callie10]

hi, I'm new to baby and bump!

after suffering an ectopic and 2 miscarriages in the last 14 months my partner and I have been having a series of tests at our local hospital.
yesterday I was told the lupus screen blood test had come back positive and they want to re test to confirm. could this be the reason of my recurrent miscarriages?
now i no i might be jumping the gun, it may come back negative, i just wondered if anyone had any experience of lupus and what treatment they were given.



What is lupus?


Lupus is an autoimmune disease, a type of self-allergy, whereby the patient's immune system creates antibodies which instead of protecting the body from bacteria & viruses attack the person's own body tissues. This causes symptoms of extreme fatigue, joint pain, muscle aches, anaemia, general malaise, & can result in the destruction of vital organs. It is a disease with many manifestations, & each person's profile or list of symptoms is different. Lupus can mimic other diseases, such as multiple sclerosis & rheumatoid arthritis, making it difficult to diagnose.


Lupus is neither infectious or contagious.

Lupus can be triggered-
·at puberty ·during the menopause
·after childbirth ·after viral infection
·through sunlight ·as a result of trauma
·after a prolonged course of medication

The symptoms:
These may include -
-extreme fatigue -joint/muscle pain
-eye problems -depression
-mouth ulcers -facial or other rashes
-miscarriage -hair loss
-anaemia -fever
-possible involvement of the kidneys, heart, lungs & brain


There is no cure...

People diagnosed with lupus normally remain under medical care with continuing medication. Many symptoms have less impact as a result, but side effects can often occur. Lupus can adversely influence the lives of those who suffer the illness, their families & friends.

SLE - Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

...hard to say - harder to live with...

 

[clara-cluck]

Hi Callie

I was told I have the same problem following tests after three m/c at the end of last year. I immediately did the whole Googling thing to find out what Lupus was and scared myself stupid! However, it turns out that I have the lupus anticoagulant antibodies, rather than full blown Lupus, which is the most likely cause of my m/cs. In my case, when I am pregnant I develop DVTs in the placenta, which obviously stop the development of the baby. The treatment I have been prescribed is to take dispersible aspirin and heparin daily, but only once I know I am pregnant and not before.

My consultant was very upbeat about the success rate of the treatment, which is encouraging. I have been pregnant since and started on the meds, but unfortunately lost the baby at nine weeks - this could have been for any number of reasons though and not necessarily due to the Lupus.

For me, it was a positive thing being diagnosed because at least then you know what the reason is and have the chance to do something about it - if you know what I mean!


Good luck

 

[callie10]

clara
thank you so much for your reply, i too have worried myself by reading too much info on the web.

You really have put my mind as ease, thank you so much xxx

 

[mummyto3]

i cant ek but wnated to wish u luck x