XP: Lupus

Hey Jellisy

I posted this on the national boards, but in case someone local has lupus too....

Are there any moms out there who have gotten Lupus flares post-partum.  I've had Lupus since I was thirteen and have been in remission (mostly) since I was 18, I'm now 35.  About 7 months after having DD, my Lupus flared up, I started back on plaquenil and within a few months went back into remission.  Now I am 7 months post partum with DS and my Lupus is flaring again.  I started on plaquenil last week, and I hope for the same outcome.  My last flare was really mild - just arthritis, no kidney involvement.  I have yet to go to the rheumatologist (I couldn't get an appointment till the end of the month), but I am again hoping that this just stays in my joints till it calms down.  Have other folks flares been mild?  If you've had multiple children, has this happened with every pregnancy?  It's a lot harder to be so stiff with a toddler running around than it was last time with just an infant.  I'm sort of resigned to "it is what it is."  I just hate being sick.             

Sofka

I hope you feel better soon!

pixieprincss

I'm  so sorry about the flare. No fun. None of my lupus people have ever correlated it to PG, but one adopted and my mom wasn't diagnosed until I was an adult (though she also thinks hers started about age 13). I hope it calms down soon.

Hey Jellisy

Thank you ladies.  Me too Pixie.  I have a good track record of the plaquenil calming my immune system - it just takes time.  The only problem with it reoccurring while nursing is that I can't take the effective NSAIDs to help with the swelling.  It's all good though.  Lupus is a hard diagnosis, I can understand how they missed it in your mom.  I didn't test positive on the antibody test till I was 33 (20 years after it started) even with all the symptoms.