[sweetladyjane]

Wow, havent talked to you guys for sometime now. I have a question, just wondering how common is it for a 20 year old male to have lupus when his mother also has it (me)? He thinks he has lyme disease and is currently being treated for it. His bloo:wink2:d test for lyme is so far negative. Could it be possible that he is suffering from lupus symptoms? Thoughts?

 

[Katharine]

Hello there and welcome back

It 'could' be possible and it would obviously be best that he was thoroughly investigated in that sense as the treatment for Lyme's can worsen symptoms for someone suffering from lupus.

Children of lupus sufferers are at a slightly higher risk than the general population - the risk remains low and of course is lower still for men but still needs to be looked into.

I'm wondering why he is being treated for lyme's if his bloods are negative for it?

Katharine

 

[sweetladyjane]

20 year old son

Hi Katherine, nice to hear from you again. They are treating him with antibiotics because sometimes lyme doesn't show up right away in blood tests. He did get a tick bite on back of his neck in late June, and some rashes with it. His complaints are fatigue, joint pain in knees and hip. These complaints are all to familiar with me so you can imagine what I am thinking. He had some bloodwork taken a week or so ago and I hope that they will be more indicative as to what is going on.:worried:

 

[Katharine]

Well it does sound very much like it could be lyme with the symptoms he had at the time so I'd say it's pretty much open but if it doesn't get better then will need further investigation.

I hope he starts to improve and that his bloods do show something up.

Katharine

 

[adsimcik]

As a 35 year old male who was only recently diagnosed with lupus, I would say, "Yes," especially since I went through the whole "I think (hope, really) that I have lyme disease" phase, as well. Although it is possible to have Lyme disease without it showing up positively in a blood test, it is just as possible to have lupus without having enough of the criteria for a positive diagnosis. (BTW, doxycycline, the most commonly prescribed antibiotic for Lyme disease, has a mild anti-inflammatory effect for lupus, RA, etc.) With the genetic history of lupus, make your son an appointment with your rheumatologist ASAP - even if there aren't enough criteria now, your doctor will probably be able to recognize enough symptoms to start some form of treatment (mine started me on plaquenil before he was completely sure - it's not gonna hurt anything, and I'm safe from maleria! :lol: ), and starting treatment earlier may help keep it under better control in the future.

 

[Lily]

Hi,

I sincerely hope he doesn't have it but obviously it's a good idea to get him checked out thoroughly via a lupie savvy rheumy. Let us know how things turn out? :hug:

Just wanted to comment on something you said adsimcik:

(BTW, doxycycline, the most commonly prescribed antibiotic for Lyme disease, has a mild anti-inflammatory effect for lupus, RA, etc.

Doxycycline can actually cause a drug induced Lupus in some people, it is also known to exacerbate existing Lupus in some people. Of course if it is causing drug induced Lupus the symptoms will go away once it is discontinued.

http://books.google.com.au/books?id...&resnum=4#v=onepage&q=doxycycline+sle&f=false

love
Lily

 

[adsimcik]

Just wanted to comment on something you said adsimcik:

Doxycycline can actually cause a drug induced Lupus in some people, it is also known to exacerbate existing Lupus in some people. Of course if it is causing drug induced Lupus the symptoms will go away once it is discontinued.

Actually, that was what my rheumatologist said - he even knew of colleagues who used doxy to treat RA in teens (since it is used to treat teen acne, anyway). Also, it did have a very nice anti-inflammatory effect with my joints, cleared up acne and mouth ulcers, and helped cuts and scrapes heal much faster than now. I wish I could get back on doxycycline (last year was quite a bit better with just the doxy!). Coupled with plaquenil, it might allow me to regain some of my life again.

Alan

 

[Lily]

Hi Alan,

I'm pleased it seemed to help However I thought it was important to point out to others reading this the other side of the story - there's a ton of literature out there supporting the fact that it can in some cause a drug-induced lupus and also cause a flare of existing lupus. We have a few on the board for whom that has been true. So there must be some substance to it with all that to back it up. And there aren't too many good Rheumies around who use it to help Lupus - in fact the opposite is true.

love
Lily

 

[KarolH]

I will share my experience with doxycycline for all to read.......it almost killed me!!!!! I could not walk, could barely talk, was so, so, so, so, sick I thought I was dying. It scared me half to death and at the time they put me on it they thought I had Lymes disease. Hindsight being 20-20 and looking back now I know different. Just goes to show how drugs can effect all of us in different ways.

Thanks Lily for pointing this very important fact out here in this post.

 

[sweetladyjane]

To adsimcik re: 20 yr old son lupus?

Thanks for your reply to this, some good information you gave me. I have told him that there is a chance he could have lupus and he won't hear of it. His doctor is going to send him to an infectious disease specialist. His complaints sound so like mine, but he just won't listen.:worried:

 

[Lily]

Hopefully whatever happens the doc will investigate thoroughly and he will then have time to come to terms with whatever the diagnosis is.

I think it's an excellent move for him to be sent to an infectious disease specialist. The testing they will do would be far more comprehensive I'd imagine so they should get to the bottom of it.

Good luck and do let us know how he gets along.

love
Lily

 

[KarolH]

When they told me I had Lyme's disease they sent me to a Infectious Disease doctor. He was good and basically confirmed I did not have Lyme's. This was determined by some specialty test, forgive me I forget what it is called.

Anyway, I wish your son luck and let us know how he gets along.:wink2: