Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group I may have Lupus or Vasculitis, Questions?

Hi Everyone,

Been having an unusual painful rash of sorts and it is quite painful. Took myself to the doctor to have it checked out as I was worried it may be contagious and with three kiddies I dont want to expose them. It is mainly on the fingers and the lumps are painful to touch and I am getting a rash running down the arm. Combined with nausea, migranes, Bad joint pain which I assume is the A.S anyway and chroic fatigue.

On looking my doctor feels it is linked with my auto immune disease and feels it may be Lupus or vasculitis. I'm undergoing some blood checks and other checks but was interested in finding out how others here went on getting a dx for lupus or vasculitis and what it means to them in quality of life, pain etc. I'm not very in the know with either condition but am very nervous about being checked out for both.

Any thoughts on either subject would be appreciated!

Thanks
Sal

HI SAL
did look into vasculitis a few weeks ago dr thought my wife had it, do still have a patient news letter I dug up on the net(have just e-maild to you) seems bloods and symptems are the mane indicators . after long consultation with rheumy he feels its not vasculitis but behcets disease . have you seen your rheumatologyst about this yet. have found out through personal experience it could be lots of things, a symptom of behcets disease is inflamed blood vessels (vasculitis) things just get more and more complicated. would advise you to see your rheumy let him/her work it out ther are so meny roeds you could go down its endless and most of them may not even be a possibility.
sorry I could not be more helpfull
tone........

Hi Sally,
I can imagine the stress you are going through, Lupus is oh so much the same as AS, you get flares, stiff joints, brain fog, raynauds syndrome, where it gets different is what it attacks ie lupus kidney, and for me Lupus cns. Most live a full life with lupus as you would with AS, but for some Lupus goes rampant. Normally diagnosed by blood test ana (95% are positive).
For me a flare can take you any where, tha last one 8 weeks ago left me with out any sense of smell and arthritis in the metatarsul joint on the bottom of my foot. Which flare is which I do not know. But have been diagnosed with both.
Cheers and good wishes
Phil

Another disease that leaves a painful rash is Shingles. I've never had it, but I hear it's awful. It comes from the Chicken Pox Virus and it affects the nerves.

I pray you find the solution and get better from this soon...

Hey Sal,

My Mom has lupus along with AS which seems to run on her side of the family. My dad on the other hand always had out breaks of shingles when he was under a lot of stress.

As for me back in the mid seventies I had my first outbreak of what you are describeing so I saw a dermatologist(spelling ?). He had me wear white cotton gloves and said it would probably be a one time thing, but I have had it other times since then mostly on my arms and hands.

Nowadays I get red blotches on my hands, arms and face when I am under a lot of stress. The doctors have said they have no idea what is causing them unless it is something AS related. I also get these tiny red spots usually on my fingers, but also on my arms and hands that burn like fire and they burn even worse if I bust one of them.

No one has ever gotten any of these things from being around me including my three children, my spouse or grandchildren.

Hugs,
Brent

Hi All,

Thanks for all your replies and thanks Tone for the email.

I saw my Rheumy today and she feels that it is not connected to my AS or that it is Lupus or vasculitis but with most things she likes to try the waiting game. I got some bone scans and xrays back which show scoliosis and degeneration of the lumbar spine and still have the SI's playing their normal AS tune.

As for the rash it is down much more today still painful on my toes and some on my fingers but atleast it aint packing as much punch as before.

Blester, I do think that now that it is mentioned that stress is playing its part on me I have had a doozy of a couple of weeks come to think about it and no-one around me shows signs of anything remotely similar.

Thanks for all the extra input, I guess time will tell as to if it is anything serious, hopefully just a passing problem not something that is new and repetative to add to my list.

Cheers
sal