Anyone else have lupus and MS?

[Jade Divine]

Hello. I know it's very rare, but unfortunately I have both lupus and MS. I was wondering if anyone else has both of these diagnoses and which medication you are using for the MS? I was thinking about Tysabri but am concerned about how having lupus affects my chances of getting PML from the
tysabri.

thanks.

newly dx

[cosake]

Replying to your message even though I don't have lupus.

I do remember seeing someone else on here though that does.

You should doa search for threads that contain lupus . . .

[knuckle]

newly dx - you need to watch a presentation:

Go to www.LDNaware.org

Click on the "Resources" page.

At the bottom of the page there is a link to a video presentation called: "Dr. Burt Berkson Presentation on LDN and Alpha Lipoic Acid Therapy for Cancer & Autoimmune Disease"

About halfway through the presentation he specifically discusses his work treating Lupus, of which he says he has about 200 patients.

Dr. Berkson claims to have a 90% success rate in treating Lupus with LDN and intravenous Alpha Lipoic Acid.

Thousands of MSers also take LDN for their multiple sclerosis as well.

You have a difficult diagnosis, but if I were in your shoes I would try Dr. Berkson's protocol (which is non-toxic) before the complications and risks of Tysabri.

[Redwings]

Hi:
Lupus itself doesn't increase your chances of developing PML, but the medications that you're taking to treat lupus might. If you're taking immunosuppressants for lupus, you can't take Tysabri. Many of the early Tysabri deaths, especially those in Europe, were of people who had been taking immunosuppressants before Tysabri.

Because of the risk of PML, Tysabri isn't a first-line med for MS, although some neurologists have bypassed the safety recommendations and prescribed it that way. Normally, Tysabri isn't on the list of first-line meds a neurologist gives an MS patient to choose from.

What could be interesting is to see if the newly approved Gilenya (fingolimod) might be appropriate for you and if it could offer any benefits in treating your lupus as well, since there have been a sprinkling of reports of fingolimod being promising in treating lupus nephritis.

[mizfit]

Redwing
Funny you should ask, I have MS and have been tested for lupus many times. I have seen a Hematologist that explained to me that my cardio lipin was high, and it usually is in both MS patients and Lupus patients. I haven't been diagnosed with Lupus as of yet, but my 24 year old daughter has Lupus. Best wishes to you.