Confused

mumma7 · Tadpole Joined: 19 Oct 2007 Posts: 19

Hi everyone,

Missed you all haven't been around much lately as I temporarily forgot my password! lol Been having a bit of a flare funny isn't it after getting good blood results only a month or so ago!

Really confused with this whole lupus thing I've been having the usual joint pain, itching, etc Last week I thought I was having an appendicitis attack and went to doc and my white cell count in the urine sample was dramatically high, fever, nausea, so she sent off to pathology and when results came back it said "no pathogens isolated."

Could it still have been a kidney infection? It is a lot better after antibiotics but still have some pain around my back...... The doc mentioned something about lupus related kidney involvement and some thing called sterile pyuria????????

Has anyone had this? Confused

hatlady · Tiger Joined: 16 Oct 2004 Posts: 864 Location: Illinois

Saysusie will chime in, I'm sure, about the sterile pyuria, I'm not familiar with it.

Yes, kidney involvement can be common with lupus - please do follow your doctor's guidelines regarding any diet changes that may be recommended and take your antibiotics! Often when there is kidney involvement, the doctor will specify a lower protein diet, sometimes they will ask you to lower or eliminate caffeine or other items from your diet.

My doctor tells me that the tests only tell half of it with us lupies - often my test results look best when I feel my worst, and when they look somewhat off kilter is when I'm feeling good. Rolling Eyes

We're just contrary, I guess.

Try to get your rest right now, mumma7, and we're glad you re-found your password!
_________________
~"I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe." (Dalai Lama)

Saysusie · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 9:12 am Post subject:

Sterile pyuria is not an uncommon laboratory finding. Sterile pyuria is a condition in which white blood cells are present in the urine without bacteria growing on the culture. In this condition, white blood cells are present in the absence of infection or a proven infection. It can be a sign of kidney disease, tuberculosis, or lupus. When accompanied by fever, it is sometimes a sign of Kawasaki’s Disease. There are a variety of different drugs that can also cause this to occur. Sterile pyuria has also been associated with appendicitis.
In Lupus, sterile pyuria usually is an indication of kidney (renal) involvement. The majority of people with lupus have some degree of asymptomatic microscopic kidney damage. However, fifty percent have clinical renal disease and sterile pyuria is one of the symptoms of renal disease in Lupus. Kidney damage is usually treated with corticosteroids, cytotoxic agents, dialysis, or renal transplantation, if there is no infection involved.

A pathogen is a biological agent that causes disease or illness to its host. The body contains many natural defenses against some of the common pathogens (such as Pneumocystis) in the form of the human immune system and by some "helpful" bacteria present in the human body's normal flora. However, if the immune system or "good" bacteria is damaged in any way (such as by SLE, or antibiotics being taken to kill other pathogens), pathogenic bacteria that were being held at bay can proliferate and cause harm. Such cases are called opportunistic infections.
It has long been held that those who suffer with Lupus often have hidden opportunistic infections. Hidden infections has not only been associated with Lupus, but with RA, thrombosis and heart attack. These infections are thought to have been a major cause for inflammation, elevated ESR, C-Reactive protein and ANA. Infectious pathogens are often hidden in the stool or blood cultures. Pathogens can adapt, change in form, and mutate from over-use of antibiotics. Your doctors found that no pathogens were isolated in routine laboratory testing. This does not necessarily mean that there were no pathogens, just that routing laboratory testing did not isolate any pathogens, thus the use of antibiotics which, apparently, did help you a bit. There are some who believe that standard use of antibiotics in Lupus will help to lessen the overall process of the disease. I don't put much stock in that belief, but I'm not a doctor Confused

Did I help you or just confuse you more? Let me know if you need anything else.

Peace and Blessings
Saysusie
_________________
Look For The Good and Praise It!

laurid8967 · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 12:25 pm Post subject:

Well, Saysusie, you may not be a doctor, but you SHOULD be - you know more about this disease than any doctor IVE met - and I live in the hospital capital of the world - Boston!!!
But, I like you JUST where you are...thank you!!
Love Lauri
_________________
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference...

mumma7 · Tadpole Joined: 19 Oct 2007 Posts: 19

I can always rely on you people to give me more answers than the doctors do. I sometimes wonder why they often seem to give as little info as possible, maybe its because they don't want to scare us but I find it's the not knowing that worries me the most. For me I should be saying "just give me the facts and I'll deal with it!"

Yes Saysusie, with all the knowledge you have one would think you were a doctor except the only thing that gives away the fact that your not is that you explain things well and fully!!!!!!! lol Laughing

I forgot to say I'm on 400mg plaquenil which seemed to be helping until this recent flare and doc has just started steroid treatment which I'm really worried about because I have always been very anti-med Exclamation

Anyway thanks again for all your help. xoox