Tuesday Lupus Awareness month.

 Hi Everyone!

It's 

 

 I'm often asked if people are born with lupus. Here is how weird lupus is.

 

Researchers aren't sure what causes lupus. It's believed that a combination of genes, hormones and environment may be the culprits. 

Genes, which your parents pass down to you help define your body's features and traits. Scientists have identified more than 50 genes that are more common in people with lupus. Part of the weirdness. It's said that these genes aren't enough to cause lupus. However, they do raise your risk. In addition if you have family members who have lupus or other autoimmune disease,  it's more likely you'll have lupus too.

My dad had lupus, and 2 of my brothers had/have diabetes. So autoimmune runs in my family.

The hormone part. 

Hormones are the body's messenger that keeps everything balance by sending signals between body parts.  Hormones are critical for how the body functions. There is a lot of research in various hormones and lupus. Especially estrogen. The subject is vast, complicated and with mixed results. Possibly why more women have lupus than men.

I will leave a link at the bottom of the page if you want to delve into it.

 

Another weirdness. In all of my research over the years for lupus. I have read that you aren't born with lupus. However, there is Neonatal lupus that is not the same as chronic lupus. It is temporary lasting maybe 6 to 9 months. Symptoms present with skin rash, liver issues and blood count abnormalities. The most sever NLE is  congenital heart block that is a serious permanent condition. This can happen when the mother has the antibodies of certain autoimmune.  A small number of babies with NeoNatale lupus contract full blown lupus (SLE) later in life. 

 

The images of babies with NLE are very horrendous and quite disturbing.  I prefer not to show them.

Instead I will show the "new" criteria list for lupus. A person must have a 10 or higher to be considered for a diagnosis.

I wish this was the list when I was diagnosed. Because some of the things listed here I had and were dismissed by rheumatologists. Such as alopecia and seizures. Which they now know are non epileptic seizures caused from lupus.

 

I, along with many other women, were told we were faking it.  I would really like to see those doctors now. 

For me, I have not had a lupus seizure in 25 years. I do still lose my hair once in awhile. The reason I keep my hair very short.

 

I hope this session has given you some more insight on lupus and the research. 

 

I'm a ferocious lupus fighter, along with the 5 million others world wide.

If you suspect you have lupus contact your health care provider and ask for lupus blood work, that's where you start.

Nicole

 

A link on hormone and lupus only if you want to LOL

lupus national foundation of America 

National library of Medicine