SLE vs MS

[wheeliegirl]

My SlE symptoms are mainly related to skin issues . Its really hard to say what problem is causing what with me. I may be having problems with my upper bowel or pancreas with bad spasms . Then again it may be my hernia they can't tell as of yet. Other that that just the butterfly rash in the heat ,and mild discoid rashes . I have learned that I now have cataracts now . Which are being blamed on steroids . I had a eye exam just 7 months ago and it should no cataracts and now this new exam shows that they are in both eyes? I'm only 48 and haven't taken any steroids except for with the rituxan infusions back in Oct. 2012 .
Plus have any increase of the numbness in my feet , hands ( this may by from any of the 3 diseases ,RA,MS or the SLE).
I can say that since I've be taking pre-natal vitamins w/extra biotin ( the pre-natals I'd bought had no biotin in them ) my hair is growing in very nice.
Its been almost 6 months since I'd done the Rituxan treatment and can say I saw no changes except for extreme hair thinning.
The only benefits I've had have be from an extreme diet change. I've been blending veggies/fruit ,no sugar, very low to no carbs (meaning breads,white rice,white potato's,corn). Just really healthy eating (except yesterday as it was my birthday) . I cheat on the diet and am paying for it . Feeling awful now (its 3:42 am here and can't sleep).
Still waiting for the chemist to find a new non toxic treatment for us. I've tried copaxone and was of the rare ones that had an allergic reaction to it . Still hopeful that they make something else.

[Myoak]

Thanks Lisa for starting this thread! I hope wheeliegirl and all the others who posted here will check out a doctor’s interview (she has systemic lupus) as particularly relevant.

The 13 minute interview can be found on YouTube by entering “Dr Deanna Windham - LDN Prescribing Doctor in the US”

Beginning about the 11 minute mark Dr Windham begins relating her own treatment of systemic lupus with LDN and it is compelling to say the least. Personal experience by a doctor adds a good deal of credibility to treatment realities, IMHO.

By the way, Dr. Windham will be giving a presentation Sat., Oct 5 at Harper College near Chicago titled
“Allergies/Autoimmune diseases in Children/Lupus”

Wheeliegirl, I so hope you will check out the video!!!!!!!!!!!!

A ...ask
S ...seek
K ...knock

[journeyman]

"Is / was an RN also...alas PSYCH. RN.

So if your gears don't mesh properly I'm pretty good but the dx of MS really was a surprise. Psych RNs usually "catch" what they work with. ??? but don't want to know much else about the body - at least that was me.

I was told after seven years that I did not have MS and that I needed to go back to my vascular Neurologist. Before that could happen my Primary did an MRI on my low back and found a tumor on my spine.

Without going into all the details I now have a reconstructed disc, lesion scraped off of my spine and a fusion of L4 to L5. Now four months into recovery and doing everything I used to do except lifting.

The tumor was in the meyelin and Schwann cells. It was one of my first symptoms. Spinal was neg but brain lesions, three silent strokes and everything else was pos. for MS.

My old (as in former) Neuro just sent me for a bunch of labs. I can still read and understand what the mean when they write down test for Lupus antigen. !!!!! He is also looking at something called elevated homocystiene (sp?) levels. My research is that if this is elevated you can still have strokes even if you are anticoagulated - which I am and have been for years. At least that's my drift on it. I will be getting my results on the 28th of this month...so will keep you posted on (My word) non-MS something else going on limbo.

Dave in Tampa FL
or
Journeyman or J-Man for short.

[TEEBIRD]

While going through my diagnostic testing for MS my doctor told me that I also had Lupus like symptoms and that I would eventually get a diagnosis for lupus.

I was diagnosed with MS in 2001. In 2002 Lupus played a serious trick on my skin, so I received a dx of Discoid Lupus.

2005...SLE.

It's still hard for me to distinguish what's what sometimes but right now the Lupus IS affecting an organ, but we are in the process of dealing with that.
I'm glad I found this post because I too will have questions. I have other medical issues also.

[TEEBIRD]

When I was dx'd with MS te doc told me I also had lupus like symptoms along with fibromyalgia.I also have degenerative disk disease. He told me the Lupus would
show up eventually. After so much testing and years later, the Lupus did appear In the form of a butterfly. My whole body burned due to the inflammation. No Lupus lesions on the brain just MS. This journey is a challenge trying to figure out which sx goes with what. It'll drive you nuts. Be strong, do your research, and ask as many questions as you like.