Symptoms In Lupus

Woman with Sjogren

Research Results in Dealing with Autoimmune Disease Fatigue Now

December 25, 2020

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

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blocks of letters that spell stress and wellness

Lupus and Stress Management: How to lessen stress [January 2025 Update]

December 20, 2020

Lupus and Stress Management: The Science of Stress and the Immune System

January 2025 Update: Mounting evidence that practicing mindfulness helps lupus patients

A 2025 study of 170 SLE patients using The Benson Technique showed that the group that practiced

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Woman who has a malar rash (butterfly rash) due to lupus with lupus disease activity

How Severe is Your Lupus? Use a Lupus Severity Index [May 2025 Update)

November 22, 2020

Our goal in treating systemic lupus erythematosus is complete remission while using medications that include hydroxychloroquine (if not contraindicated) and off steroids. If this is not possible, low disease activity is the next best goal, while keeping prednisone doses 5 …

I am Dr. Donald Thomas, MD, a rheumatologist treating hundreds of lupus patients for over 30 years. Read my first blog post here to understand why I started this website and blog about “The Lupus Encyclopedia” and “The Lupus Secrets”.

Dr. Don Thomas also enjoys educating and empowering doctors, medical students, nurses, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and patients.

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Urticaria hives allergic reaction in systemic lupus erythematosus SLE

Allergies and Itching after COVID vaccine? Announcing Research Here

Results from 64,900 vaccines: How often are allergies and itching after COVID vaccine? We’ll take a look at

World Lupus Day 2025

Every year on May 10, the world comes together to observe World Lupus Day. In 2025, this important

Lupus and the digestive system

Lupus and The Digestive System

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), commonly known as lupus, is an autoimmune disorder that can affect nearly every organ

Connective Tissue Disease written on a white board by a doctor

Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease: It Is Real! (Feb 2025 Update)

Undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD) is one of the most common diagnoses made by rheumatologists. Many systemic lupus

Arm wrestling to see which is better for lupus nephritis: Lupkynis or Benlysta

Lupkynis vs Benlysta for Lupus Nephritis: Dr. Thomas Has His Verdict!

Which is Better for Lupus Nephritis: Benlysta or Lupkynis? Which is better for lupus nephritis? Benlysta or Lupkyinis?

Lupus patient getting intravenous immunoglobulin

Intravenous Immunoglobulin: IVIG for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Immune globulins (also called immunoglobulins) are antibodies. A large number of antibodies given in IVIG for systemic lupus

Image showing complications of dry mouth from lupus exocrine involvement

Lupus and The Exocrine Gland System: Sjögren’s Disease [Mar ’25 Update]

Lupus patients can have dry mouth, eyes, and skin. Most of the time, this is due to having

Anti-cardiolipin antibodies and lupus

Anticardiolipin Antibodies and Lupus [Feb 2025 Update]

Anticardiolipin antibodies (ACLA), a type of antiphospholipid antibody, can thicken the blood and potentially cause devastating blood clots

Pregnant black woman's stomach with a fetus ultrasound at image for having a successful pregnancy with lupus

How to Have a Successful Pregnancy with Lupus [May 2025 Update)

A successful pregnancy is possible in most women who have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with proper preparation and

Proton pump inhibitor induced subacute cutaneous lupus on upper back of woman with systemic lupus erythematosus

Subacute Cutaneous Lupus Due to Proton Pump Inhibitors

Proton pump inhibitor-induced subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus: Clinical characteristics and outcomes In this post we’ll cover subacute cutaneous

Questions about lupus treatments and living with lupus

Living With Lupus Blog: The Lupus Encyclopedia – Q & A Video

Dr. Donald Thomas Answers Lupus Patients’ Questions on His Living With Lupus Blog: The Lupus Encyclopedia Watch this

Vitamin D supplement preventing disease: How to prevent lupus

How to Prevent Lupus & Other Autoimmune Diseases [August 2025]

This blog post will give advice on how to prevent lupus and other autoimmune diseases. I will first

Woman using eye drops for dry eyes and lupus

Dry Eyes and Lupus: Eye Doctor Tips and Tricks [January 2026 Update]

Dry eyes are very common in lupus patients, especially those with Sjogren’s disease. Around 25% of systemic lupus

Anti-chromatin antibodies attach to chromatin in lupus patients

Chromatin antibody: Make sure you know your labs [January 2026 UPDATE]

Some systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are positive for anti-chromatin antibodies. This is an interesting antibody that has some

Lupus related hair loss

Hair and Skin Problems in Lupus [Feb 2025 Update]

Most individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) experience skin involvement or hair loss. There are many different types

Extra COVID vaccines are important for us to prevent infection

Dr. Donald Thomas gets his extra COVID vaccines: It was easy!

UPDATED September 2021: I cannot wait to get my extra COVID vaccines … specifically my 3rd booster shot!

Proteinuria in lupus nephritis. This is what a kidney looks like

Lupus Nephritis Diagnosis: Now in a nutshell in this video [FEB 2025 UPDATE]

Lupus Nephritis Diagnosis in easy-to-understand language ___________________________ NOTE: Johns Hopkins University Press, publisher of The Lupus Encyclopedia, is a

Woman sitting on chair

Spotlight on a Good Poem by Devoted Lupus Warrior

Lupus by Lupus Warrior and Lupus Fighter Shanelle Gabrielle “I still have a purpose … A reason to

Word Symptoms in Scrabble Tiles

Early Signs of Lupus: What to Look For (May 2025 Update)

We must diagnose systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) soon after symptoms begin. The quicker we treat SLE, the less

White woman doctor giving female lupus patient a flu shot

10 Reasons Not to Get a Flu Shot: Learn the Truth Now!

10 Reasons Not to Get a Flu Shot: The Flu Shot is a Life-Saver for Lupus Patients, Other

The endocrine system and lupus

Lupus and The Endocrine System

Lupus, a complex autoimmune condition, impacts various systems in the body, including the endocrine system. The endocrine system

Hydroxychloroquine and Plaquenil Top Tips

Top Tips on Taking Hydroxychloroquine for Lupus [Updated May 2025]

Taking hydroxychloroquine for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is considered the most important drug for lupus. It is the

Dry cracked skin

Top Dermatologist Tips For Itchy, Dry Skin in Lupus and Sjögren’s [January 2026 Update]

Unfortunately, dry, itchy skin is a common problem in lupus patients. Most patients try everything they think may

Beat cancer woman with pink gloves and pink ribbon for breast cancer

Lupus and Cancer Risk: Learn to Prevent Cancer! [August 2024]

People who have lupus have an increased risk for getting some cancers. Knowing what they are and how

Graphs showing Lupkynis voclosporin efficacy in lupus nephritis Lancet article

Voclosporin for Lupus Nephritis: Great results in The Lancet

Note the impressively higher response rates in the blue bars (Lupkynis + mycophenolate + steroids) compared to pink

COVID-19 vaccine for lupus patients answer by Dr. Don Thomas

Lupus and COVID vaccine: Tested in the clinical trials = safe and effective!

Lupus and COVID vaccine: Dr. Thomas recommends not waiting to his patients, read below… Research regarding the COVID

Image of blood cells

Benlysta Reviews: Learn the amazing truth on how it works

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X-ray of lupus joint and muscle pain

Lupus Joint and Muscle Pain [February 2025 Update]

Close to 90% of people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) will have joint and muscle pain. Fortunately, today’s

Illustration of collecting a urine sample

How to collect a urine sample properly for testing (UPDATED January 2025)

It is essential for lupus patients to regularly collect an accurate clean catch urine sample

Covid Study Flyer

COVID Vaccine and Lupus: Join in a Research Study Now

How the COVID Vaccine and Lupus Interact is Important to Figure Out: Consider Joining this NIH Research Study

Childhood stress and lupus question answered by Dr. Donald Thomas

Childhood Trauma, PTSD, Racism, Stress, and Lupus

Crucially, multiple studies show that stress and trauma increase the risk of developing lupus, as well as causing

Lupus patient in ICU hospital with COVID-19

COVID-19 deaths in rheumatic diseases

Research Shows More COVID-19 Deaths in Rheumatic Diseases: 10.5% of lupus and rheumatic disease patients died Much higher

COVID Booster vaccine for lupus patients is possible according to research study

Immunosuppressed Patients Respond to Booster Shots: Hope for a COVID Booster Vaccine for Lupus and Other Autoimmune Disease Patients? [Updated 8/12/21]

Will a COVID Booster Vaccine for Lupus Patients Increase Response Rates? We do not know, yet. However,

Melatonin being produced by the pineal gland in lupus

Melatonin For Lupus May be Good Per the Best Medical Evidence [NEW!]

Melatonin For Lupus: What does the Research Show? (Updated August 2021) Why do people

Drawing of an electron microscopic view of the hepatitis C virus

Lupus and Hepatitis C: Lupus Patients Should be Tested for Hepatitis C

The interactions of hepatitis C and systemic lupus is strange, and hepatitis C can mimic lupus … read

Purple ribbon symbol for lupus flares

Improve Your Life: A Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Flare Test

Revolutionary New Lab Test: Predicts if a lupus patient will have a systemic lupus erythematosus flare! A systemic

The Lupus Encyclopedia book cover 2nd edition

Three Potential Book Covers for The Lupus Encyclopedia 2nd Edition

THE VOTE IS IN! See the new book cover below 315 people voted for the new book cover

Elderly woman and adult daughter caregiver

Celebrating National Family Caregivers Month

Every November, we join millions around the country in Celebrating National Family Caregivers Month. This annual observance honors

Coronavirus vaccine for COVID-19 and lupus patients

COVID Vaccine for Immunocompromised Patients and What Drugs to Stop [December 2023 UPDATE]

The American College of Rheumatology Provides Guidance for stopping drugs to enhance the COVID vaccine for immunocompromised patients

Is lupus hereditary? Image of DNS double helix

Is Lupus Hereditary?

Is Lupus Hereditary? “Yes” Around 200 genes have been identified that increase the risk of getting lupus. This

Low vitamin D levels can make lupus worse

The Best Lupus Books? Look in the useful list below

Kelli of “More Than Lupus” describes what she considers the best lupus books What are your favorite

Lupus eye

Lupus Eyes

Have you ever wondered how lupus might secretly impact your eyesight? Most people know lupus can attack the

systemic lupus can go into remission on medication

Can Lupus Go Into Remission? – Now thrilled to say “Yes!”

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) can go into a lupus remission on medications or treatment Lupus patient: “My doctor

Person with lupus spreading COVID-19 by not wearing a mask

Super spreader COVID-19: Infections surge big due to this [Updated]

Super spreader COVID-19: New study shows the answers in the Annals of Internal Medicine Wear a mask to

Lupus life expectancy

Understanding Lupus Life Expectancy [Feb 2025 Update]

Dr. Thomas has systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients in their 70s, 80s, and 90s! Living with lupus is

Woman holding thermometer to head during what is a lupus flare

What is a Lupus Flare: Prevent and Treat [March 2025 Update]

Did you know that even mild to moderate lupus flares are associated with a two-fold increased risk of

Map of the USA showing shortage of rheumatologists for lupus patients

Colossal Shortage of Rheumatologists is Here: Panic?

The Worldwide Shortage of Rheumatologists: Why Wait Times Are Getting Worse Table of Contents: The Decline in Rheumatology

Early signs of lupus in females

Early Signs of Lupus in Females

Lupus, an autoimmune disease, predominantly affects women. Around 90% of lupus patients are women, while 10% are men.

Sunscreen on two fingers of a hand showing how much sunscreen to use for sun protection in lupus

Sun Protection for Lupus Made Simple

SSun protection for lupus is one of its most essential treatments. It is so important I include sunscreen

Malar butterfly rash symptom of lupus

How to Diagnose Lupus: 10 Symptoms (Feb 25 Update)

Diagnosing lupus is challenging, even for medical professionals. Early diagnosis is crucial for early treatment to reduce inflammation,