#lupus nephritis

[berberriescorner]

Sooo…I had a follow up with my hematologist.

Guess who starts yet another cycle of iron infusions next week?!

This lady 🤦🏾‍♀️. I’d go into detail, but at this point who knows what the real answer is 🤷🏾‍♀️. I’m just venting lovelies. Tired of being tired. Tired of being out of breath. Tired of lupus flare ups. Sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Yes, you get used to it, but man! I want to get back to a place where I have enough energy to do the things I love. Welp I guess it’s good I ordered all those damn books lmao! Now I’ll have new reading material for my infusion appointments😆😩🥹.

Okay enough of being an emotional lil bish. Back to being a sensitive thug😆😂🤣.

How my babies doing though?!

[sleepypeachii]

little lady

[chronically-bluejae]

A diagnosis

After ten years of being a medical mystery, I was given hope for a diagnosis. Blood tests came back showing positive for ANA which points us towards autoimmune disease.

With a family history of Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis, it's not far-fetched to agree. I will still search for a second opinion on my blood work, but I am happy to at least have a direction to move in.

[allthingskidney]

LUPUS NEPHRITIS

Lupus stands as a prominent name amongst the myriad systemic chronic inflammatory conditions resulting from an individual's immune system attacking their own tissues.

The condition derives its name from the Latin word for wolf because of the characteristic butterfly-shaped rash stretching across both cheekbones that appear like a wolf bite.

Lupus is incurable, the clinical presentation is variable with occasional debilitating flares and complications that could be potentially fatal if left untreated.

Among other organs, Kidneys are a prime target here causing inflammation and patchy progressive scarring in the kidney tissue in around 20-63% of all Lupus cases. This entity is clinically called Lupus Nephritis - a major cause of morbidity & mortality globally.

As a portal dedicated to demystifying nuggets in nephrology, let us walk you through the what-why-how Lupus Nephritis by linking to a lucid article in our website as below:

👇🏻

P.S. : We are mindful of the existence of individual variations that apply to any medical condition. The article attempts to offer a comprehensive insight into the commonly encountered clinical picture in Lupus nephritis.

[millingroundireland]

The mystery of Stanley Sterling Mills

The only two images we have of Stanley (on the right in the circular image, on the left in the other image). The other person is RBM II, his adopted (or foster) brother.

One individual, Stanley Sterling Mills, the son of RBM I and Hattie Ellen Stanley, continues to be shrouded in mystery. It is clear that he lived from 1901 to 1934, as his death certificate states, with the information possibly provided by RBM II, dying from nephritis:

I'll let the death certificate speak for itself here.

Nephritis is defined by medicinenet as the "inflammation of the kidney, which causes impaired kidney function. Nephritis can be due to a variety of causes, including kidney disease, autoimmune disease, and infection. Treatment depends on the cause." Other sites defined it simply as the "inflammation of the kidney." The cause of such kidney inflammation was, for him, enteritis, which heathline defines as the "inflammation of your small intestine." This could be caused by a "viral or bacterial infection...radiation...medication...alcohol or drug[s]...poor blood flow...[or] inflammatory conditions, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis." Another medical site adds that "enteritis is most often caused by eating or drinking things that are contaminated with bacteria or viruses. The germs settle in the small intestine and cause inflammation and swelling." So, he died in a horrible way.

This post was originally published on WordPress in September 2018.

But what about his life before 1934? We know that he was RBM I and Hattie's "only child" as an obituary for RBM I put it. His obit in 1934 doesn't say much:

"Stanley S. Mills" (obit), New York Times, 03 Nov 1934: 15. Courtesy of ProQuest.

But there's more than that! We know he graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1925 with a Bachelors of Arts. A longer obit in the Cincinnati Inquirer which is reprinted below, gives some of this information:

The funeral of Stanley S. Mills, assistant manager of the Hotel Sinton and son of R.B. Mills, manager, manager, will be held at 11 o'clock Mon day in Spring Grove chapel. The services will be read by Canon Charles G. Reed. Prior to the services the body will lie at the Wiltsee Chapel, 24 West Ninth Street Mr. Mills died early Friday morning morning at Bethesda Hospital to which he had been taken Monday, suffering from an intestinal ailment. He was 33 years old. He followed his father in the hotel business on graduation 10 years ago from the University of Cincinnati. He served as Assistant Manager of the New Neil House when it opened in Columbus, then came here to aid his father in the management of the Broadway, Grand, and Sinton Hotels. He also was active at the Hotel Alms at one time. Mr. Mills is survived by father and mother [what about RBM II?].

But even that is not sufficient. In 1925 he was recorded as:

Going on a road trip with his parents, which lasts from early August until mid-September. They go to Michigan, Canada, New York, and Atlantic City

Departed for Columbia University in early September

In later years, he would visit his parents in Cincinnati (1926) and attended a wedding (1927). A few years later, he would become assistant manager of the Hotel Broadway (1930). As the years went by, he would announce the closing of the Grand Hotel in 1933, as Assistant Manager of the Grand Hotel, and be called a witness for the defense in a trial where a patrolman was accused of accepting a bribe, but some say it was a set-up and he was a "fall guy." Then there's one final article, worth noting, in the Cincinnati Inquirer:

The heartfelt sympathy of hosts of friends, here and elsewhere, goes out to Mr. and Mrs. R. B. Mills in the death of their son, Mr. Stanley Stanley S. Mills, whose soul sailed out upon the uncharted seas last Thursday at Bethesda Hospital, after a brief illness of but three or four weeks. He was thought to be in no danger, so the blow fell with double force. The ceremony took place at Spring Grove yesterday morning, when the last rites were spoken that laid this promising young man to rest. As Manager of the Hotel Sinton, Mr. Mills has in the past year made many new friends to add to others with whom he has been associated as a well-known hotel man for many years. The Board of the Town Club and that of the Racquet Club, which are housed under the roof of the Sinton, have sent their condolences to Mr. and Mrs. Mills, as have countless other associates and friends.

Until next time.

© 2018-2022 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

[desroundtree]

What Colors Are You Made Of?

Sometimes there aren’t enough yellows to make me happy. To provide  me with the warmth that helps smiles glide across the faces of those around me. Yellows that jump at you and find their way into your memories.

Sometimes there aren’t enough reds to light my fire. To warm my soul and fill me deeply and from a space that I recognize, want, and need. My reds are muted, and feel like pinks struggling to find their depth. Not deep enough to stir anything real.

Sometimes there aren’t enough peaches to soothe me. To make me feel like closing my eyes and taking a deep breath is a gift I can give myself and one I deserve. 

I realize the reds are what I crave lately. A space where I can run at full speed, dance all night, and make memories for myself and those around me. Places where I am free and full and keenly aware of how important I am in this world. Not only to the people around me, but to the world at large - red is where I feel like my voice deserves to be bouncing off the pages.

There are always blues. Blues that hold to my soul and drag me to sweet places I miss. That remind me of the life I lived, what I had, and what I have always felt I deserved. Blues that feel like they slide across my skin easily like oil dripping through your fingers, running down your arm no matter how hard you you to hold on to it. It's always easier to feel blue, at least that's what I think.

But the colors, all of them, make me. I wish they blended in a way that made me feel safe like they did before, in a way that made me me shine from within, and take pride in my accomplishments and relationships. 

While I love grey, the invisibility it brings is where my comfort plays best. A part of me know how life feels when it’s the best it could be. When I am bursting with happiness and not drowning in blues and greys.

I wish I felt colorful again

[surinderbhalla]

What is Lupus- Can it Be Prevented?

Our immune system is a remarkable defense mechanism, shielding us from harmful bacteria, viruses, and other intruders that can make us ill. However, in the case of lupus disease, our immune system mistakenly turns against our own body’s tissues, causing damage. These conditions are referred to as autoimmune diseases. Doctors have yet to uncover the exact cause of lupus, but they believe that…

[feminist-pussycat]

Why does lupus affect more women than men?

“Lupus is a complex autoimmune disease that primarily affects people assigned female gender at birth, but it can occur in all people. Research suggests the higher prevalence in people assigned female gender at birth is due to the effect of estrogen on the immune system.All people with lupus experience similar lupus-related symptoms, but symptoms may be more severe in men.

“Lupus can affect all people, but it is significantly more common in people assigned female gender at birth. In places, we refer to “women” as compared to “men” in this post, because the research and data we quote use these binary terms.”

Problema Numero Uno: The term “assigned female gender at birth” is SO incorrect. You are not assigned anything, you are observed. You are not assigned a gender, you are assigned a sex.

Problema Numero Dos: Women have to be “assigned female gender at birth”  but men can be men.

Problema Numero Tres: I have a strong feeling this “estrogen” effect is nonsense. They just say this because they think any problem that is more prevalent in women must be due to their mysterious women hormones.

Problema Numero Cuatro: What a cute little disclaimer. Gotta stave off the perpetually offended at seeing the word “woman” instead of blah blah assigned babymaker at birth! It’s not our fault folx, it’s just that all the research is bigoted and uses outdated terms!!!

Oh god, it continues to be shitty.

“Many autoimmune diseases tend to affect people assigned female gender at birth more. Why? One theory suggests this is due to chromosomal differences between people of different sex.”

You JUST said you were going to say women! Cowards.

“Research has found that in lupus, the immune system may be abnormally activated by estrogen.“

What so-called research is this? It links to this study that finds that males have more severe lupus, and are more likely to get worse nephritis and progress to renal failure.

They actually say the quiet part out loud: “The increased rate of SLE in females implicates hormones as essential in disease manifestations”.

They think any problem that is more prevalent in women must be due to their mysterious women hormones. The study they linked to has its own full set of problems, so I won’t get into that here.

“Some research suggests there may be a link between oral contraceptives (“the pill”) and post-menopausal hormone replacement therapy and an increased risk of lupus. However, other research has not. Also, studies have not shown an increased risk of lupus flares from oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy... clearly, more research is needed to explain how hormones like estrogen affect a person’s risk for autoimmune disease.”

So it seems like you don’t actually know all that well that the lady hormones have anything to do with it.

“it is commonly believed that men cannot develop lupus. This may lead to them receiving their diagnosis much later and potentially when their disease is more severe. In fact, lupus has been linked to more severe organ damage in men and faster disease progression.“

I can’t actually find anything supporting the assumption that men think they can’t get lupus and so that’s why they get diagnosed later than women. Maybe they should think critically and wonder if the conclusion that “men get it worse than women” contradicts their “it comes from female hormones” assertion. You know what I can find though?

“However, the diagnosis of lupus can be delayed in women - that is, it takes less time for men to be diagnosed with lupus once they present with symptoms... late onset lupus affects a higher percentage of men.

Biological sex differences in immune function, especially those induced by sex hormones, are less likely explanations of sex differences. Recent studies suggest chromosomal basis and environmental exposure differences for the sex differences in the incidence of lupus.”

Anyway I hate the medical field’s treatment of women.

[wheelie-sick]

sometimes I feel out of place in the community because I wanted some of my test results to come back negative

like? especially all the stuff with my lupus? I wanted that to be negative. sure I wanted answers but I wanted an answer that wasn't lupus. lupus is a terrifying disease to have and I broke down when I was diagnosed with it, not out of joy at finding an answer but out of fear knowing that I'd be living on harsh immunosuppressants for the rest of my life and I'd constantly be at risk of complications like lupus nephritis and inflammation in my heart.

[lupusnews]

Excerpt: My rheumatologist recommended that I wait to shop in person and eat outdoors at restaurants until the positivity rate for my area was below 10%, preferably below 8%. It is incredibly hard for me to find that data now.

It's difficult but not impossible; as always, ask your doctor's office or county health office if you cannot find verified medical information re: Covid-19.

Ignore those who downplay the issue - they are not you, not living with a condition that requires extra care be taken, and simply cannot understand, or worse - they don't care. Do what you need to feel well and maintain your health as best you can.

[killed-by-choice]

“Molly Roe,” 21 (USA 1975)

The tragic case of a 21-year-old lupus patient (known here as Molly Roe) killed by legal abortion) was reviewed by The Massachusetts Medical Society’s Committee on Maternal Welfare. They ruled the doctor’s choice to perform an abortion to be a dangerous decision and an incorrect course of action given Molly’s condition.

First, the doctors of MMSCMW confirmed that abortion was more dangerous to Molly than the pregnancy was. The decision to abort was faulty to begin with.

Second, they disapproved of the highly risky saline abortion that had been used on Molly’s baby. Placing so much saline into the body of a woman whose renal function was already compromised was a very reckless choice.

Molly was 21 years old when she was admitted to the hospital in July of 1975. She was pregnant for the first time. It was rapidly determined that she was suffering from proteinuria, hematuria and hypertension, which led to the diagnosis of lupus nephritis.

Although some symptoms of her lupus were exacerbated by pregnancy, it would have safer for Molly to not have an abortion. Danger aside, she didn’t even want an abortion. For the first week of Molly’s hospitalization, doctors treated her lupus with less aggressive methods in an attempt not to harm her baby. Then they told Molly to undergo an abortion at 19 weeks pregnant.

The doctors at the unnamed Massachusetts hospital told Molly that the abortion was “safe and legal” and apparently claimed this would relieve Molly’s symptoms and allow them to treat the lupus more aggressively. Molly didn’t want to lose her baby, but she trusted these doctors with her life— and she and her baby paid the price for their malpractice. What she needed was healthcare, but she was pressured into abortion instead.

A saline abortion was begun by injecting a toxic concentration of saline fluid into Molly’s uterus. This was a common method of abortion at the time despite the high risk of maternal death. Since Molly’s kidneys were already struggling, having so much saline pumped into her system destroyed her last chances of survival.

Molly was killed by a dangerous abortion she never even wanted. She and her baby deserved better.

“Saline Abortion and Lupus Erythematosus,” Committee on Maternal Welfare, John F. Jewett, New England Journal of Medicine, 294:14, Apr. 1, 1976, p. 782-83

[queerautism]

Why are rheumatologists so often like that one ask (rhetorical).

Finding one that doesn't have nonsensical arbitrary cut offs for stuff and that actually listens to patients is so hard. I had to get my Lupus diagnosed by a freaking nephrologist after it had already really damaged my organs because the hospital rheum didn't listen and didn't even consider it or any other autoimmune the first time I ended up in the hospital because of it (I was "too young" and my facial rash "wasn't the right shape".)

Meanwhile the (weirdly good) nephrologist took two seconds to see all the telltale symptoms, ordered a biopsy, and boom. Guess what. Lupus that had become lupus nephritis. That didn't start that way for sure back when I first started having symptoms.

Now I have end stage renal disease, aka full kidney failure, and it could have been prevented if my lupus had been properly controlled.

And my experience with rheums hasn't really improved. My current one is overall nice and does believe I have the symptoms I list, but still doesn't fully consider patient needs.

She's still left me suffering at a low dose of my lupus medicine for weeks while we wait to find out if I'm even approved for funding and going to get infusions at all. Which supposedly is to help prevent infection and make sure I am well enough for immunosuppressant infusions, but uh. If I can't function, clean my surroundings or myself, and can't eat/drink because med doses are too low and my lupus is running rampant damaging my body again? That's not going to put me in a good place to be infection free.

Also good luck trying to get in touch without an appointment. And she's one I've overall had positive experiences with.

Tldr Fuck Rheumatologists. The good ones are supposedly out there but good luck getting an appointment if you aren't rich. The ones that have openings either don't listen to patients or they don't consider patient needs when making treatment plans. I know that's an overall doctor thing in general but like, I swear the bad rheums take it to the next level.

FUCK rheumatologists for real. I had one appointment after waiting about a year, it was five minutes and he literally did fuck all. I hate them so bad. Sorry you had to go through that, god that's so shitty

[allthingskidney]

Let's talk today, about the "wolf-warrior" among chronic inflammatory conditions impacting our kidneys - Lupus Nephritis.

Lupus is a prominent name among the myriad chronic inflammatory conditions where the body's immune system begins attacking its own tissues. This autoimmune condition can impact virtually any organ of the body. It is incurable, the clinical presentation is widely variable with sometimes debilitating flares and the complications can be potentially fatal in some cases when left untreated.

Among other organs, kidneys are a prime target here. So, as a portal dedicated to Nephrology , let us walk you through the what-why-how of this challenging autoimmune disorder with specific focus on Lupus Nephritis - its kidney chapter. It is still Lupus Awareness Month (May) after all!

Click on the image link below to learn more.

[soberscientistlife]

I have performed abortions.

At 20 weeks, for HELLP syndrome, pulmonary edema, and renal failure. Mother would have died.

At 19 weeks for renal failure secondary to acute lupus nephritis, uncontrollable blood pressure. Mother would have died.

At 15 weeks, partial molar pregnancy, with such severe preeclampsia that ICU care was necessitated for 4 days for management of hypertension. Mother would have died.

At 15 weeks, for hydrops and maternal mirror syndrome. Mother would have died.

At 16 weeks, for cervical ectopic pregnancy with hemorrhage. Mother would have died.

These were all desired pregnancies, and loved fetuses, and very hard decisions for everyone involved. And all of these women (and more) lived for their families, lived for their other children.

I have also seen a woman die at 18 weeks with sepsis following ruptured membranes, a woman die from a pulmonary embolus a week after delivering a growth restricted 26 week baby who died from prematurity following severe preeclampsia, a woman die 2 weeks following delivery with peripartum cardiomyopathy, and a woman with undiagnosed connective tissue disorder who suffered an aortic rupture a week after delivery, and countless others with near-death experiences or permanent morbidity secondary to pregnancy.

Pregnancy is not benign. Abortion care is health care.

Chels Lynn-this came from her ( the OB/GYN) Facebook page

[cytoscape-publications]

Identification of hub ferroptosis-related genes and immune infiltration in lupus nephritis using bioinformatics. Hu, et al., Scientific reports doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-23730-8.

Cytoscape cited!