Can I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus?

actually i just sent you a reply about having both and silly me forgot (dont know possibly how) but along with the two of them diseases I also suffer from emphazima isnt life good at 54   reenie

hugs,

You certainly have a lot on your plate.  Here's some {{{{hugs}}}} for you.

I am so glad someone is finally bringing this to the forefront...I too have comorbidity issues, and look forward to the relief that new research can give us.  I was a Critical Care Nurse for many years, and had only seen the end stages of lupus--I was devastated with my diagnosis..now it seems we have better ways of managing the multi issues than we have in the past.  My recent bout with pericardial effusion was an awakening that it doesn't just go away -even if you take your meds and are super compliant!

Thanks for the wonderful information!

Hi davsmom,

I'll all in support of new research (and more research).  Being a nurse must provide you with a different perspective on health issues than the layperson (like me).  My mother has several comorbidities (including lupus and scleroderma) and I see what the diseases are finally doing to her body.  It's obvious that her life will be shortened, by how much none of us know.

I have MS and RA.  It seems that when one acts up the other follows suit.  No fun having multiple, and somehow related, diseases. 

Hope you are doing well and that the wake-up call was brief.

Hi Kelly,

I think you're right.  Somewhere buried within the comorbidities might lie the answer to how these autoimmune diseases develop in a person.  In researching for this and (more to come) comorbidity posts, I found that it was very difficult to find solid information on the issue.  There is such a need for more research in this area.

Since I am researching other comorbidities, I will see what information I can find about the combinations you list.  If you happen to know of some resources, please pass them on.

Lisa

(P.S. Yes, I know about the pregnancy remission.  We also have concerns as to whether I would even be able to care for a child without considerable help.  The MS takes alot out of me at times and I barely manage my responsibilities now.  Tough decisions...that, and I just turned 41...tick tock tick tock.)

I understand. Unfortunately. My symptoms got worse with every childbirth. I have been thoroughly incapacitated by RA and advanced thyroid disease many times. It has been hard. Of course my kids are the sun, the moon, and the stars to me. There is a lot of heartache for what I cannot do for them, too. You are the only one who knows whether you can get the practical help you will need at times...

sounds like you need a good work over and another opinion from a rheumatologist

Issadora,

I think that I agree with your assessment.  Finding a good doctor is so very important.

Hi sweetessence,

I'm so sorry to hear of your dual diagnoses.  Has your rheumatologist made the official diagnosis of RA?  Since you are not on any medications yet, what treatment does your doctor suggest?  With RA it is important to get the disease under control quickly to protect the joints from damage and to attempt to put it in remission.

I hope that you are able to find something which helps the pain you are in right now.  Good luck and thanks for your comment.

Hi Steven,

I certainly hope that nobody is trying to self-diagnose based on a few list of symptoms.  I am not a doctor and there is only a limited amount of information which can be shared in 800 words or less.  With that said, I agree that sometimes the longterm effect of some treatments can cause other conditions.  I wonder how many people with RA really do use NSAIDs on a regular basis as treatment.....I don't.

There are still mysteries to be solved when it comes to autoimmune diseases.  And science is still looking for answers.  Although I do not personally believe that RA and/or lupus are caused by emotional instability, I will share that inflammation is associated with depression.  The same inflammatory markers which are present in specific types of depression are seen in MS, a disease in which many of those living with it also experience various levels of depression.

Perhaps the question is - does depression cause the inflammation or does the inflammation cause depression?  I don't know the answer.  I only know that they are related somehow.

I do not think that you get RA and or Lupus by being emotional unstabile, I do think that someone who is always stressed can have a good chance of getting these disease by being highly and overly stressed and not usually by just by the everyday normal stresses but there are other stresses that can bring it on also. Example by : people in your lives that treat you emotionally, verbally and or anyway abusive can wind up with these diseases I know many people personally that have been treated that way and have diseases like RA, Lupus or other immune diseases out there. Yes that does include me.