I'm 23, male, with lupus. :(

Howz it going? I've been remarkably healthy these past 2 decades, fit athletic and shipshape. My wacky rheumatologic misadventures begin last november when I had persistent aches and pain in my feet. By december, my hands had similar problems, and in january my ana was tested at a staggering 1:1280. However, all other tests -and I tested everything imaginably even a complete allergy skin test ekg, were onimously normal. A week later, the fatigue started.


I snagged myself a rheumy and was subsequently placed on plaquneil for 8 months after which I made some drastic lifestyle changes: no more running, no more alchohol, militant sleep schedule, better diet, daily meditation, yoga, regular visits with therapist, all of which completely managed both my joint aches and my fatigue.

8 months has passed. The plaquneil hasn't worked, and I now have tight chestness, and an all-you-can-eat-buffet of aches/cramps in my lower abdomen. I'm starting to lose some weight -for a tall and gangly boy, there ain't much to lose- and i've noticed a rather unqiue blend of fatigue that i'd almost want to prematurely label malnutrition.


As I await the results from latest my blood and urine tests, i'm on standby for cellcept and quainacrine -plaquneil's health questions-step-brother! -i'm curious if 1) anyone's had any experience with either of these 2 drugs, and how long the cellcept takes to kick in? 2) are there any men on this site that have struggled with kidney issues? I'm particulary concerned about developing kidney problems, as i've read that men who have lupus tend to encounter a more aggressive disease with a specific emphasis on kidney problems.


In any event, happy to join this webgroup and participate in this delicate balance of caution and optimism!
~op

I'm a 50yo male & got on top of Lupus with vitamins.

If you feeling malnurished you probably are. Vitamins will correct that - a B multivitamin does the trick for me, but you may need others to turn the condition around. Dr Chris Reading (retired) of Sydney Aus pioneered what I call the "Reading model" for lupus. He diagnosed me with suspect Lupus in 1988. and has written several books.

You need to get hair/blood/(etc) analysis to detrmine what you lack. Vitamin treatments are far more preferable to the radical & somewhat dangerous drug treatments for Lupus, and they do work. These days I only need to take B complex 100 daily, and I love to take 'em. After 20 years on Readings diet and vitamin regime (I avoid wheat, bovine and a few other products), I won most of my life back from Lupus. I took up kitesurfing aged 48 and only have a few lupus flares a year lasting a only couple of days. Reading was persecuted in the 1980's by the Australian Medical Profession, but today he is recognised by those who care as the foremost international authority in nutritional treatments. He save my life.

hi, my son is 18 and has had the following symptoms, some spanning the last few weeks to 6 years: memory loss, some hair loss, dry eyes, strange rash under arms and down his arms and trunk and some on his back, headaches and migraines. the dermo. ordered blood and urine tests and our doc asked if lupus was in our family... do you think this is a possible diagnosis for him? he has occasional nausea and the like, but no muscle or joint problems. thanks.