Lupus Secrets

Kelli of “More Than Lupus” describes what she considers the best lupus books ​ What are your favorite lupus books? The best lupus books should deal with all aspects of lupus, evaluating the best medical evidence. They may …

I just realized that many websites discussing lupus and cancer are outdated, using old research information. So, I decided to write this article with up-to-date information. “Is lupus a type of cancer?” This is not an uncommon question when someone …

Lupus Lifestyle Changes are Important: Read here to learn about important dietary changes   Update in February 2023:      -Increasing the amount of selenium and zinc may be beneficial for lupus (see full discussion below above the image of tomatoes). Foods include:…

10 Reasons Not to Get a Flu Shot: The Flu Shot is a Life-Saver for Lupus Patients, Other Autoimmune Disease Patients, and … well… Everyone! It’s that time of year again. Time to get your flu shot! I already got …

How to stop hair loss! – Yes! You can do things to help! And learn that much of the time… it is NOT due to lupus Learn more about hair loss from Don Thomas MD and the Lupus Foundation of …

World-wide shortage of rheumatologists= getting worse. This is why it is getting harder to get an appointment with a rheumatologist. This NASA night view of the US looks very similar to the recent US map showing where rheumatologists are concentrated …

1st drug ever FDA-approved to treat lupus nephritis ​Historic mile-stone! ​ December 16, 2020: The FDA approved on Wednesday DEC 16, 2020…  Benlysta for lupus nephritis as the first drug ever FDA-approved to treat lupus nephritis (inflammation of the kidneys).…

Anifrolumab FDA Approval to Treat Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) AstraZeneca announced its anifrolumab FDA approval on 8/2/2021. In this blog, learn how anifrolumab works, how it is given, and its potential side effects. If you are a patient with lupus …

How to prevent and treat side effects from methotrexate: We have been using methotrexate to treat rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus since the 1990’s. It is generally a safe medication when used along with the other important …

What do the following have in common? LupusA drawing by a 3-year-oldJulian LennonFlowers and gardening suppliesAlice in WonderlandPink Floyd They all are woven into the story of the Beatles’ famous song: Lucy in the Sky …

Lupus and COVID vaccine: Dr. Thomas recommends not waiting to his patients, read below… Research regarding the COVID vaccine and lupus patients continues to be done. Should you wait to get yours? Dr. Thomas answer this question below: “I’ll tell …

The interactions of hepatitis C and systemic lupus is strange, and hepatitis C can mimic lupus … read on! Hepatitis C is a virus that can attack the liver (called hepatitis) as well as numerous other organs of the body. …

Lupus Nephritis Urine Samples: What They Tell Us A lupus nephritis urine sample is important for all SLE patients to give regularly. So, click on the video below to learn why giving a urine sample every 3 months is important …

Lupus and Bactrim: List sulfa antibiotics (like Bactrim) in your allergy list if you have lupus Lupus patients are more likely to have allergies to antibiotics (plus, lupus and Bactrim are a bad combination)​ While lupus and Bactrim are …

Hot off the press SEP 2020! The future is very bright for lupus treatments!         The future is brighter for lupus patients! Benlysta for lupus nephritis We have 3 drugs that are vying for FDA approval soon: Benlysta for lupus nephritis, …

The Autoimmune Protocol (AI protocol) is another term for the anti-inflammatory diet. The chart below was shown to help patients with the autoimmune disease rheumatoid arthritis. Autoimmune Protocol (AI Protocol) used in 2020 rheumatoid arthritis study above The …

Multiple studies show that stress and trauma increase the risk of developing lupus as well as causing lupus flares. QUESTION: "New research is showing that childhood trauma may contribute to the development of lupus? I read a study where those …

Dr. Donald Thomas Answers Lupus Patients’ Questions on His Living With Lupus Blog: The Lupus Encyclopedia Watch this YouTube video — patients’ important questions are answered about living with lupus Dr. Donald Thomas’ Lupus Encyclopedia is a practical “living with …

Lupus and taking probiotics: Should you take probiotics if you have lupus, and what are the best probiotics for autoimmune disease? Lupus and taking probiotics: My answer in short: “No” to pills; “Yes” to probiotic and prebiotic-rich foods! Lupus Question …

Lupus and vitamin D in Women of Color. Why and what to do- “Ask Dr. T!” question of the week Vitamin D in women of color with lupus is an important problem. Women of color tend to have …

Melatonin For Lupus: What does the Research Show?       (Updated August 2021) Why do people think that melatonin for lupus patients is unsafe? Many people think that melatonin for lupus and other autoimmune diseases is unsafe. I believe …

New research suggests itchy skin is a sign of active lupus. Most lupus experts also know this. However, many other doctors do not. That is why this research is so helpful. We do not want itchy lupus rashes to be …

Super spreader COVID-19: New study shows the answers in the Annals of Internal Medicine Wear a mask to protect others! Quick Summary of Important Findings of the super spreader COVID-19: Super spreader COVID-19 information: Most infected people do not transmit …

Evaluation and recommendations by noted lupus experts: Lupus patients need COVID vaccines Hot off the press from Lupus Science & Medicine revised 6/13/21: Added mycophenolate, NSAIDs, and Tylenol to the list of drugs that should be held for vaccines SARS-CoV-2 …

Knowing how lupus and vaccines interact is important since infections are one of the top two causes of death and vaccines are instrumental in preventing infections. Most people realize how incredibly painful shingles is. However, many don’t realize just how …

What is the anti-SSA test? What the lab technician sees under the microscope when testing a patient for anti-SSA antibodies. These are human epithelial cells to which blood was added from a patient who has anti-SSA antibodies, proving that that …

Why do lupus patients need to give a clean catch urine sample every 3 months? Doing a clean catch urine sample wrong can cause false results Around 40% of systemic lupus erythematosus patients develop kidney inflammation (nephritis) and need to …

The Latest Research Answers the Question: “Can discoid lupus turn into systemic lupus erythematosus?” Discoid lupus: note the round “disc” shape, the outer active inflamed border is pink, the central area has scar tissue “Can discoid lupus turn into systemic …

Do you have lupus, then you absolutely want to learn about follow The Lupus Secrets so that you can learn practical tips for living with lupus? Do you know someone who has lupus? Are you a healthcare provider wanting to …

Read on to learn about newer tests that can help get a more accurate and faster diagnosis of lupus for a positive ANA workup         The Positive ANA Workup Begins the Journey     If someone is found to have a positive antinuclear …

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Lupus by Lupus Warrior and Lupus Fighter Shanelle Gabrielle “​I still have a purpose … A reason to smile … I’m still living my life with no regrets.” ​You think you own me Squeezed my life in your palms Taken …

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LATEST UPDATE: A nicely done study by Melles RB et al, FEB 2023, Hydroxychloroquine Dose and Risk for Incident Retinopathy A Cohort Study, resulted in this nice quote: “our findings suggest that, under current screening recommendations and …

The causes of fatigue and dealing with autoimmune disease fatigue. ​ Tips on how to improve energy with Sjogren’s, lupus, and related disorders Fatigue is common in lupus This video discusses the causes of autoimmune disease fatigue and gives practical …

Lupus and Sleep Problems are Common! Here are simple, effective strategies to improve your sleep Tips on better sleep Lupus and sleep problems are real. The lack of sleep has been associated with numerous problems such as fatigue, memory and …

A potential new drug for lupus–​here are some early factsUPDATE: Anifrolumab (Saphnelo) was FDA-approved on August 2, 2021Saphnelo: The next FDA-approved drug to treat lupus Anifrolumab (Saphnelo) has the lupus community excited as the next …

Updated Part MARCH 2023: Ghalandari et al from the Netherlands reported their results of using Benlysta during pregnancy in the March edition of the journal Lupus. Benlysta During Pregnancy: Safe and Effective [UPDATE MARCH 2023] Can lupus patients get pregnant and …

Please continue to protect yourself as you did before if you have lupus or another systemic autoimmune disease and are vaccinated against COVID-19 QUESTION OF THE DAY: Dr. T. I have lupus. I got both of my Moderna COVID vaccines. …

It is amazing how the COVID-19 vaccine works (the mRNA vaccines, especially) It intrigues me how the COVID-19 vaccine works! How effective it is, and how safe it is. I got mine, #1, as of 12/29/20, and I got my …

If you are immunocompromised you should get a 5th COVID vaccine and Evusheld MoreThanLupus posted a Q and A. The answer is: The CDC now recommends that immunocompromised people should get a 5th COVID vaccine 4 months after your fourth …

Research Article: Passive transfer of fibromyalgia symptoms from patients to mice Goebel A, Krock E, Gentry C, Israel MR, Jurczak A, Urbina CM, Sandor K, Vastani N, Maurer M, Cuhadar U, Sensi S, Nomura Y, Menezes J, Baharpoor A, Brieskorn …

  Medical Marijuana (Cannabis, Cannabinoids, THC, CBD for Lupus)? Should patients use CBD for lupus? With the increasing popularity and availability of cannabis and CBD, many lupus patients ask, “How about CBD for lupus?” This online chapter of “The …

Lupus Nephritis Diagnosis in easy-to-understand language: FEB 2023 Update: See the 1st video below. It goes over the importance of diagnosing lupus nephritis as fast as possible, how it is diagnosed, what the symptoms of lupus nephritis are, what to …

A lupus patient at Kelli Roseta’s “More Than Lupus” asks the question ” … is it safe to receive Botox or filler injections if you have lupus?” Thanks for posting this, More Than Lupus. My answer regarding …

Mitochondria found to be abnormal in SLE patient by the NIH. Exercise repaired the mitochondria and energy levels improved: see Hasni et al, below February 2023 update: In 2022, the National Institutes of Health showed that exercise repairs mitochondria and …

Research Shows More COVID-19 Deaths in Rheumatic Diseases: 10.5% of lupus and rheumatic disease patients died Much higher rate than infected people without rheumatic disease People with lupus and rheumatic diseases are at risk… ​What is the bottom line? What …

Proton pump inhibitor-induced subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus: Clinical characteristics and outcomes In this post we’ll cover subacute cutaneous lupus due to proton pump inhibitors (PPI-induced SCLE). Poh YJ, Alrashid A, Sangle SR, et al. Lupus. 2022;31(9):1078-1083. doi:10.1177/09612033221104237 Subacute cutaneous lupus …

  Note the impressively higher response rates in the blue bars (Lupkynis + mycophenolate + steroids) compared to pink (standard of care without Lupkynis). Impressive! This graph comes from the Lancet article referenced below. This is what pops up when you …

What is Evusheld? It is a treatment to prevent COVID-19 infections. It is not a vaccine. It is made up of two different monoclonal antibodies. Evusheld reduces COVID-19 infections by 83%. Evusheld begins to wane after about 6 months. Therefore, …