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Surgery caused autoimmune disease or Drug Induced Lupus
Hi, new here. I have been referred to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester in an attempt to get a diagnosis. Should hopefully have an appt. soon. I thought I would make this post in hopes that someone else might be suffering from something similar, or someone may have an idea. I have suffered from food allergies for several years and have to follow a strict diet. I also have been diagnosed with Drug Induced Lupus six years ago. I had been on Nexium for a couple years and began to experience severe joint and muscle pain with hair loss on my lower legs from the inflammation. My Anti-histone AB test was ultimately a 6.2 and anything over a 0 to 0.9 is positive. I discontinued the medicine and slowly my symptoms improved but found that certain meds like other acid reducers, anti-histamines, and antibiotics would flare my symptoms up. I would also commonly wake up in the morning with leg pain, but it would always go away as I got up and moved around. In April of this year I had to have my GB removed as it has stopped working (no stones). In May I was recovering and starting to feel well when I developed severe insomnia and then severe joint/muscle pain and cognitive impairment along with muscle weakness. I also lost more hair on my lower legs. It was suspected that I was having an autoimmune/allergic reaction to the titanium clips used during the surgery and on July 3 I went into surgery and the metal clips were removed and one polymer clip had to be used as my artery was leaking. The worst of the symptoms have went away, but I am still suffering from muscle pain in my feet/lower legs/thighs, pelvic floor/ arms/shoulders/ and hands. The upper body pain seems to come when my symptoms are the worst, always have the lower body pain. In June I did test positive for the Anti-histone AB at a 3.3. In August it was a 4.4 and it was a 3.7 a month ago. I also had a weak positive ANA in August with homogeneous pattern. Even though I am testing positive for Drug Induced Lupus my Dr. doesn't think this is Drug Induced Lupus as the symptoms should go away in 3 to 6 months, though I have read it can take a year or more. Since July the only meds I take are a Benadryl every 10 days when I get my allergy shots and Tylenol when needed for other pain. Other than that I am taking a Multi-vitamin, fish oil, probiotic, and Quercetin. If I discontinue the Quercetin my symptoms seem to worsen, it is a natural anti-inflammatory. I'm starting to wonder if my surgery triggered an autoimmune disease or maybe I have a rare case of Drug Induced Lupus. I'm not for sure what has triggered the strong positive Anti-Histone AB tests, i suspect it was the antibiotics used during the surgeries and I was also on Ciproflaxin a couple years ago for a prostate infection after vasectomy and I have read it can cause drug induced lupus. Anyone ever hear or experience something similar?
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Im glad Diovan (valsartan) is working for you. I had a lupus flare while on the ARBs. I'm frustrated and feel I'm running out of options.
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1 Reaction@mrlncrvn have you always reacted to medications so quickly? Have you ever had strange reactions to other medications in the past or talon meds that didn't work, as well?
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1 ReactionI've had a mild rash to amoxicillin and have latex sensitivity from wearing gloves at work. Other than that, everything has been fine until the drug-induced lupus. Thanks for asking!
Hello @fox940
Can you tell me where you had the blood tested for metal? We can't seem to find a place that tests the metal in dental implants? Including titanium.
I hope you're feeling better by now, do you have a diagnosis.
@trisha123 There is a lab in Chicago that tests for immune responses to implant materials. It's probably not covered in network by insurance, but here's the link. I had some testing done there. https://www.orthopedicanalysis.com/
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1 ReactionCcrlab.com go thru betterlabsnow.com to order the kit its 425.00 it test for anti bodies that are related to various materials. I'm waiting for my kit now. It's a different method from the others.
My ccrlab showed nothing orthopedic analysis showed 22.7 for Ni
Hi @fox940 !
Not sure you’ll see this, it looks like you haven’t logged in since 2022. Hope that you’re healthy and well! If you do see this, I’d love an update on how things unfolded with you.
I’m in a remarkably similar situation. I went through Drug Induced Lupus in summer of 2022 (it seems that fexofenadine-Allegra-was the culprit). I no longer take the medication, but my antihistone antibodies haven’t returned to normal (they’re currently 6.2, as yours were in one of your posts).
I too have had surgery—open heart surgery to repair my mitral valve in 2019. My heart is in great shape now, thankfully, but they used wire to close my broken sternum and I wonder about that too. I too have had lifelong food allergies (as well as asthma and eczema), and in recent years, medication sensitivities. I also have a history of autoimmune conditions in myself and in my family, but don’t meet all the criteria for a lupus diagnosis.
Our situations seem to align in a lot of ways. Would love to hear how you’re doing—much better, I hope.
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2 Reactionsi don’t have lupus but have thyroid autoimmune disease and have had serious reactions to either anesthesia and/or shock to my body of autoimmune reactions. My allergist/immunologist has become my guardian angel
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