Hello I'm New Here

Hello Everyone,

I actually joined up a while back but kept postponing introducing myself. I had a bad lupus attack several years ago - near kidney failure, blood clots, a heart attack (from the blood clots) and suffered a lot of side effects on the medication. I think I was on 17 meds at one time!

Now I'm doing better thanks to the medication and my doctors. I've been on chemo - cytoxan (didn't help) but the Rituxan seems to have helped, particularly my kidneys. I am currently taking Cellcept, Plaquenil, Enalpril (for blood pressure for the kidneys) and Coumadin (for blood clotting). I am also on clonapin for anxiety and about to start Welbutrin for depression. I'm going through early menopause (the cytoxan destroyed my ovaries and I couldn't get the injection that protects them because it thickens the blood) and trying to find out if estrogen therapy is bad for lupus. So far I've read that it is; the lack of estrogen in my body is really driving me crazy!!! If anyone has personal experience with this or can direct me to the right thread I would appreciate it.

I hope to find support and information here and also provide the same. I've been through the ringer and hope that I can be helpful to others.

Take care,
Cynthia