Question:

I was wondering, in cases that the kidneys are involed with lupus, are there any physical symptoms one should be aware of? Such as pain or infections for instance. I haven’t been diagnosed with anything yet, but my Rheumy is looking into RA and/or lupus. I’ve had problems with kidney and urinary tract infections since I was a teenager. Just wondering if lupus could be the cause, or if it’s a whole separate problem. Thanks. Mandy

Response:

I am unsure if there are overt symptoms. One thing – if one has white blood cells sloughing into the urinary tract this will cause urinary tract irritation that feels like an infection.  Whether or not this  indicates a kidney problem must be determined by your doctor.  UTIs and kidney infections are so common in women that it may be hard to draw a corelation between these and SLE symptoms. I’ve had the same problems since I was a teen (I’m almost 35 – AAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEE} uh… sorry…. 30 didn’t bother me at all, why is 35 bothering me? Anyway…. the best thing I’ve done for my urinary irritation is to force myself to drink the standard 64 oz’s of water a day.  My daughter has the same problem as does my mother.  Something about the way our urethra is shaped or narrowed probably though all three of us do have connective tissue disease symptoms.  My sister, who has an SLE dx has never had this problem. I have blood in my urine every time I get my UA done but the doc’s don’t ever seem to think it’s a problem.  The more extensive lab tests they will do on you will give them more information and they can tell you what’s happening. Now someone with kidney involvement will hopefully answer your question!   I think that severe kidney involvement does have outward symptoms but by then you’re in pain and you’re at the doctor’s saying "what’s wrong!!!"   can’t swear to that…. welcome to the group and hope this tiny little bit of info buried in this long rambling post was of some use to you! kc cat ******************** kc cat kcdoc…@ghg.net http://www.ghg.net/schwerpt/mypage.htm           ()()         ().–.()             (__)     ()()                  ().–.()                      (__)

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Hey Mandy, I had a UTI before I knew that I had kidney involvement.  Like you I’m not sure if one had anything to do with the other.  My legs became really swollen and I had pain in my back.  But at the time they didn’t think that it was connected to SLE because I had been dx’d for 13 years w/Lupus.  A kidney biopsy was done to see what was going on, I had lost 10% use in both kidneys.  They told me at the time, that I wouldn’t have to worry about dialysis or a transplant for atleast 5 yrs.!!!  Well I’m here to tell ya that was 15yrs ago and I’m doing well.  I’m taking prednisone (6mg) and Imuran (100mg) along with an assortment of other drugs. I hope all goes well with you take care and let us all know how your doing.  Retta  By the way I just celebrated my 51st birthday!!! MizTiggy <mizti…@aol.com> wrote in message

news:[email protected]… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->I was wondering, in cases that the kidneys are involed with lupus, are there >any physical symptoms one should be aware of? Such as pain or infections for >instance. >I haven’t been diagnosed with anything yet, but my Rheumy is looking into RA >and/or lupus. I’ve had problems with kidney and urinary tract infections since >I was a teenager. Just wondering if lupus could be the cause, or if it’s a >whole separate problem. Thanks. >Mandy

Response:

In article <19990209085615.01038.00000…@ng-cg1.aol.com>, mizti…@aol.com (MizTiggy) wrote: > I was wondering, in cases that the kidneys are involed with lupus, are there > any physical symptoms one should be aware of? Such as pain or infections for > instance.

As I understand it, the symptoms of kidney involvement don’t involve pain and infection, though being treated for an infection can lead to other problems being discovered. I lose an amazing amount of protein through my kidneys as well as having microhematuria; this was discovered as I was being treated for one of my innumerable kidney infections though the two are not thought to be related. I also have quite a bit o kidney pain even without infection, but pain without stones, infection, proteinuria, etc may be caused by smething else.

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i also have lupus/renal insufficiency=symptoms for me have been anemia, and moderately high blood pressure, which both are from something that the kidneys control.  no other symptoms for me from kidneys.  i have chest pains at times, but 2 aspirin (which i am not supposed to take because of kidney) seem to help if i sit quietly for 20 minutes.  in years past, i had a lot of urinary tract infections, which my doctor says may have more to do with immune suppression than from lupus kidney.  GOD GIVES US ONE DAY AT A TIME.

Response:

Hi Mandy,    I have had trouble with my Kidneys all my life,well before I was diagnosed with lupus.This year has been a rough one for me as a teacher.My lupus seems to manifest itself in different ways: one year it was reoccurring upper respiratory infections,the next sinus infections.Now it seems to be Kidney infections that come literally out of nowhere.One way I was told to combat this was to take a large dose of vitamin c at bedtime.It sounds crazy,but it has actually seemed to help.My only symptom was outrageous back pain.Lynn  Greeting from Texas’ Rio Grande Valley,              Lynn,Tori & Rick Saldana

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LYNN & RICHARD SALDANA wrote in message <8086-36C623B8…@newsd-144.iap.bryant.webtv.net>… Hi Mandy,    I have had trouble with my Kidneys all my life,well before I was diagnosed with lupus.This year has been a rough one for me as a teacher.My lupus seems to manifest itself in different ways: one year it was reoccurring upper respiratory infections,the next sinus infections.Now it seems to be Kidney infections that come literally out of nowhere.One way I was told to combat this was to take a large dose of vitamin c at bedtime.It sounds crazy,but it has actually seemed to help.My only symptom was outrageous back pain.Lynn ******************** Please don’t ignore your kidney involvement.  I hope that you have a nephrologist examining you on a regular basis.  My daughter has had lupus attack her kidneys and today she had her first dialysis treatment.  Over the last year her kidney function had gone down to about 10%.  We are waiting for the results of a kidney biopsy so that we can determine whether anything can be done to save them.  If not, the dialysis will continue until a transplant is feasible. Dan

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