Lupus Q & A

My 13 year old daughter started getting white itchy lumps on her fingers knuckles and hands with turned red and led to terrible scaring. The doctor had not seen anything like them. With in a month she had terrible allergy symptoms, hives(big) and wee itchy spots and swollen feet, hands and eyes. Doctor sent her to skin speciallist 2 weeks later we find out she may have some sort of arthritis or Lupus due to positive ANA. Week later she devlopes photosensitivity. 2 weeks later we are waiting to see a specialist to find out if there is any more damage and work out what she may have. I think that doctor said she had the double-stranded DNA without the andibody. I know it is not much to go on at the moment but I just want some possibiliies of what it could be so the outcome will not be so daunting.

I tested positive for Lupus and my doctor tested me again and I was negative. My doctor is a Rheumatologist and he told me that he would test me periodically to see if anything develops. I have since changed doctors and need to know if I should be tested again for this. I have a rash on both sides of my nose occasionally. And, I have skin discoloration on both of my upper arms, could this be Lupus?

About two months ago I developed tenderness and swelling in the joint of my right middle finger and in the webbing between that finger and my hand. At the beginning of October, an orthopedist gave me an injection to relieve the pain and swelling in the finger instead of putting me on anti-inflammatory medicine because I was having an endoscopy on my pancreas in mid October. I have been diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis. I do not have a history of alcohol abuse and I have never smoked. Since the beginning of October, the swelling and tenderness has gotten worse and it has spread to a few more fingers in both hands. My wrists are tender to the touch and hurt. My ankles hurt, even when I lightly touch them. The bottoms of my feet hurt. I have been wearing a Fentynl patch since my release from the hospital on October 17. Even with this pain medicine, which works on my serious pancreatic pain, it is not provide relief for the pain in my joints. Because pancreatitis is is caused by an inflammation, is there any chance that whatever is causing the inflammation and pain in my joints, could have something to do with my pancreas as well. My internist saw me last week and said he doesn’t know what would cause this type of pain or swelling. I was checked several years ago for lupus because of neuropathy that I have in my lower extremities and fingertips and lower arms, but the exam was was negative. Could anyone make a suggestion on where I should see help?

Do TNF agents such as Humira or enbrel cause SLE or cause someone who already has SLE to worsen? One rheumatologist wants to put me on humira, but another says that drug can cause SLE to worsen. I have been on plaquenil, MTX and NSAIDS for over 10 years and do not like to take predinisone because of problems weaning off it regardless of how slowly it is weaned. Would Cellcept be a better option?

What is the risk of a 26-year old female infected with lupus who is pregant to have the diease genetically passed on to her child?

I am a 26 year old female who has had a tubaligation under the advice of my Gyn, rheumatologist, and nephrologist. I have had 3 grade 4 glomerulonephritis flares, and have under gone 3 sessions of cytoxin, I have taken imuran, and currently am on cell cept, Kidney levels have gone back to normal, and proteinuria is down to a minimum, will there ever be a chance that I may have children, or can I opt for some one to carry my child, what is the probability that my eggs are damaged, and the chances that my child will be born with an abnormality?