Lupus Support - 13 lbs in 10 days

Author

13 lbs in 10 days

Nicole

2006-07-03, 2:27 am

Still having water retention.... first diuretic wasn't enough so now I'm on
40mg lasix.
Lab work came back- everything great but my liver function, elevated. I
never ever take more than 2 grams of tylenol a day... and since I started
Avinza, I rarely need Norco... so tylenol isn't the problem.

I have had 2 periods this month so something is going on there (this isn't
the first time this has happened). I go to the doctor Friday. Can all the
hormone stuff be detected thru blood?

Any suggestions? Especially with the blood work coming back normal for
kidneys, I'm out of ideas.

OH! I also have a torn cruciate ligament which is going to require surgery.
Hip hip hooray!

TIA
Nicole

Shelagh

2006-07-03, 4:24 pm

Hi Nicole... lots on your platter right now! good luck!!

Absolutely hormones can be detected in your labs/blood.

As well hormones can create fluid retention and as you probably know =
lots of other annoying nuisances... are you peri-menopausal? =20
-- there are a lot of reasons for hormones to muck about and your labs =
should detect the values of the main ones ... prolactin is one that =
plays a role with lupus flares... almost always up during a flare in =
most patients.=20
The liver futzing up in a lupus patient is not as unusual as people =
think...
In fact here is a good read about what all 'can' happen:
http://www.hamline.edu/~lupus/artic..._the_liver.html
=20
Here is a sectional quote from the LFA SITE:
"Abnormal liver function tests can be found in 30-60% of patients with =
lupus.=20
Nearly all NSAIDs can elevate blood enzymes, active lupus can also =
elevate the enzymes.
If the NSAIDs are stopped for a couple of weeks & the enzymes are still =
elevated, the cause could be active lupus, infection, hepatitis or =
biliary disease."
btw i too take 40 mg daily of lasix for fluid retention... it will grab =
hold eventually and 'drain you' <g>.... seemed to take a bit of time for =
me as well as doubling the dosage
..... and I had 12 pounds min. of h20 sitting in my feet/ankles/calves
..... a lot of extra weight to tote around lol and that was not including =
the fluid in my abdomen;=20
I have to wonder if the fluids retained in the organ/liver tissues may =
be causing some of the function tests to come back abnormally?
Do you have any bloated feeling at all or did you doc mention if he/she =
thought you were carrying fluid 'everywhere' (besides the obvious places =
that gravity tends to aggravate? legs!!)=20

I also read this:
'WHAT ABNORMAL FUNCTION RESULTS MEAN:
If the test is positive for anti-nuclear, anti-smooth muscle, or =
anti-liver kidney microsomal antibodies, autoimmune hepatitis or other =
liver disease, involving the immune system may be the cause of liver =
problems.'

I had abnormal liver function results when I had mono... any chance of =
that with you right now? my menses messed up during that spell as =
well..... my late 20's pre lupus dx.. a passing thought is all ?

Here is a rundown of the liver labs and the normal values:
http://www.dalesplace.net/lab_value...patic%20Enzymes

Just my 2 cents FWIW and HTH you out somewhat!
hugs,
from Shelagh

"Nicole" <me@hotmail.com> wrote in message =
news:0V%pg.18314$Z67.16591@tornado.socal.rr.com...
> Still having water retention.... first diuretic wasn't enough so now =
I'm on=20
> 40mg lasix.
> Lab work came back- everything great but my liver function, elevated. =
I=20
> never ever take more than 2 grams of tylenol a day... and since I =
started=20
> Avinza, I rarely need Norco... so tylenol isn't the problem.
>=20
> I have had 2 periods this month so something is going on there (this =
isn't=20
> the first time this has happened). I go to the doctor Friday. Can =
all the=20
> hormone stuff be detected thru blood?
>=20
> Any suggestions? Especially with the blood work coming back normal =
for=20
> kidneys, I'm out of ideas.
>=20
> OH! I also have a torn cruciate ligament which is going to require =
surgery.=20
> Hip hip hooray!
>=20
> TIA
> Nicole=20
>=20
>

Nicole

2006-07-03, 4:24 pm

Thank you so much!

Perimenopausal? I don't think so. I'm 30 yo.
I do flare horribly every month tho. Always the week before I'm supposed to
start.... this month, I was out of commission for 2 weeks since I had 2
periods (always the week before I start).

Bloated feeling? YES!!! All over. My husband noticed it was in my face
all the way down to my feet, which hurt like crazy!

Mono? I had mono in high school. About 5 yrs ago, I went to a new doctor
(after my favorite one left town) and she was really into Epstein Barr
(virus that causes mono) and Cytomegalovirus ... ran the tests..... the lab
worked showed that I was in active mono and had antibodies to CMV. She
never gave me anti-virals or anything (she did offer if it didn't clear up
in a few months... well, by then, I found a doctor I liked better and
changed. He didn't believe so strongly in Epstein Barr/CMV since most
people have antibodies to both.

Ironically, my SED rate was 3 and my ANA was negative- nothing to titer.
On paper, right now, I look extremely healthy. Why does lupus do that? If
I didn't have doctors who believed me, I'd be up a creek. (I have been
diagnosed and the diagnosis confirmed by 3 rheumatologists).

Calgon, take me away.
Thanks again
Nicole

Sherry

2006-07-03, 4:24 pm

>
> Perimenopausal? I don't think so. I'm 30 yo.

when the ovaries gradually begin to produce less estrogen. It usually
starts in a woman's 40s, but can start in the 30s as well.

> I do flare horribly every month tho. Always the week before I'm supposed
> to start.... this month, I was out of commission for 2 weeks since I had 2
> periods (always the week before I start).

The "joys" of being a woman!!!!!!

I sure hope that whatever is going on they find the reason soon and get you
back to your normal.

I'm with you. Pass the Calgon!

Hugs,
Sherry

>
> Calgon, take me away.
> Thanks again
> Nicole
>

janers

2006-07-04, 8:27 am

Thyroid profile for sure. Plus are you on statins? Or for that matter are
you on any herbal stuff.

Tylenol isn't the only thing that raises liver enzymes.
Hormone levels can indeed be determined through blood tests. Ask for
estrogen levels, testosterone too. Yes it is male but woman carry it and
lupus patients especially are low in testosterone......so.......

Not familiar with Avinza so look to find if that has to do with side effects
with liver .

good luck nicole

janers

Shelagh

2006-07-04, 4:26 pm

Avinza seems to be a morphine sulphate 'contin' take off from what I've =
read, to be taken once daily.
I take the original MS contin twice daily and it has never messed with =
my liver function tests or any other organs
......as well it is excellent for pain relief -I am treated by a =
specialist on a chronic basis-- ...=20
good luck to you again Nicole....
the docs will figure it out; they get paid to find the answers and to do =
all the worrying so don't get your head in a snarl!
hugs,
Shelagh
http://clik.to/lupus

"janers" <rojakort@bright.net> wrote in message =
news:Hq-dnQTsDrA9xTfZnZ2dnUVZ_tKdnZ2d@bright.net...
> Thyroid profile for sure. Plus are you on statins? Or for that matter =
are=20
> you on any herbal stuff.
>=20
> Tylenol isn't the only thing that raises liver enzymes.
> Hormone levels can indeed be determined through blood tests. Ask for=20
> estrogen levels, testosterone too. Yes it is male but woman carry it =
and=20
> lupus patients especially are low in testosterone......so.......
>=20
> Not familiar with Avinza so look to find if that has to do with side =
effects=20
> with liver .
>=20
> good luck nicole
>=20
> janers=20
>=20
>

Lyndal

2006-07-06, 9:24 pm

Hey Nicole
Have not been on the past week or so (been interstate for work) Make sure
you have thyroid function tested...someone else suggested it (?Shelagh?) and
if you were coming to see me that would be the first thing I would be
doing...

Automimmune disease hang out together as we well know, and its not uncommon
to get thyroid disease in association with Sle

See your doc and take care
Hugs
Lyndal
"Shelagh" <valleylupus@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:8swqg.119456$Mn5.9340@pd7tw3no...
Avinza seems to be a morphine sulphate 'contin' take off from what I've
read, to be taken once daily.
I take the original MS contin twice daily and it has never messed with my
liver function tests or any other organs
......as well it is excellent for pain relief -I am treated by a specialist
on a chronic basis-- ...
good luck to you again Nicole....
the docs will figure it out; they get paid to find the answers and to do all
the worrying so don't get your head in a snarl!
hugs,
Shelagh
http://clik.to/lupus

"janers" <rojakort@bright.net> wrote in message
news:Hq-dnQTsDrA9xTfZnZ2dnUVZ_tKdnZ2d@bright.net...
> Thyroid profile for sure. Plus are you on statins? Or for that matter are
> you on any herbal stuff.
>
> Tylenol isn't the only thing that raises liver enzymes.
> Hormone levels can indeed be determined through blood tests. Ask for
> estrogen levels, testosterone too. Yes it is male but woman carry it and
> lupus patients especially are low in testosterone......so.......
>
> Not familiar with Avinza so look to find if that has to do with side
> effects
> with liver .
>
> good luck nicole
>
> janers
>
>

2006-07-07, 4:25 pm

Lyndal wrote:

> Have not been on the past week or so (been interstate for work) Make sure
> you have thyroid function tested...someone else suggested it (?Shelagh?) and
> if you were coming to see me that would be the first thing I would be
> doing...

Can inflammation cause weight loss?
see: http://www.mtio.com/lupus/docmess2/1842.html
j

Nicole

2006-07-09, 2:33 am

Had the thyroid profile done... looks fine ( I take Armour Thyroid 60) No
statins... no herbals.
Avinza is pure morphine with a time release... similar to MsContin which is
12 hr.

I've use a testosterone cream before but that was over a year ago..... gonna
make sure I have a full hormone work up.
Thx
Nicole
"janers" <rojakort@bright.net> wrote in message
news:Hq-dnQTsDrA9xTfZnZ2dnUVZ_tKdnZ2d@bright.net...
> Thyroid profile for sure. Plus are you on statins? Or for that matter are
> you on any herbal stuff.
>
> Tylenol isn't the only thing that raises liver enzymes.
> Hormone levels can indeed be determined through blood tests. Ask for
> estrogen levels, testosterone too. Yes it is male but woman carry it and
> lupus patients especially are low in testosterone......so.......
>
> Not familiar with Avinza so look to find if that has to do with side
> effects
> with liver .
>
> good luck nicole
>
> janers
>
>

Nicole

2006-07-09, 2:33 am

I've GAINED 13 pounds in 10 days. I wish I would've lost.

"J" <freeware@anon.inv> wrote in message
news:44AE9D97.F3F7214F@execulink.com...
> Lyndal wrote:
>
>
> Can inflammation cause weight loss?
> see: http://www.mtio.com/lupus/docmess2/1842.html
> j
>