Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Having Lupus. Suffering From Pain In Back And Swollen Hard Abdomen. Cure?
Question: My wife has a history of Lupus but has been in remission for five years. She is suffering from pain in left back & swollen hard abdomen and is retaining fluid every where and legs are pitting edema. Any thoughts on diagnosis?
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic
The swelling of the abdomen probably represents ascites based on the other symptoms that you mentioned. Ascites is medical term for the build up of fluid in the abdominal cavity.
Fluid accumulation like this ( in the legs, abdomen) can be related to the kidneys, liver or heart however in a person with lupus, it may be more likely to be related to the kidneys.
Lupus is characterised by the presence of inflammation in different systems of the body including the kidneys.
She should consider visiting her doctor as soon as possible.
Her doctor will examine her and conduct investigations which are likely to include urinalysis, blood tests and biopsy of the kidneys.
The urinalysis would look for protein in the urine as well as any other particles.
The blood tests would be to check kidney function, blood count, protein levels and the level of inflammation (the ESR).
The biopsy would be to determine the stage of any kidney disease that may be present.
Treatment for lupus nephritis generally consists of steroids and other immunosuppressive drugs(suppress immune system) .The aggressiveness of the treatment however depends on the stage.
I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions
The swelling of the abdomen probably represents ascites based on the other symptoms that you mentioned. Ascites is medical term for the build up of fluid in the abdominal cavity.
Fluid accumulation like this ( in the legs, abdomen) can be related to the kidneys, liver or heart however in a person with lupus, it may be more likely to be related to the kidneys.
Lupus is characterised by the presence of inflammation in different systems of the body including the kidneys.
She should consider visiting her doctor as soon as possible.
Her doctor will examine her and conduct investigations which are likely to include urinalysis, blood tests and biopsy of the kidneys.
The urinalysis would look for protein in the urine as well as any other particles.
The blood tests would be to check kidney function, blood count, protein levels and the level of inflammation (the ESR).
The biopsy would be to determine the stage of any kidney disease that may be present.
Treatment for lupus nephritis generally consists of steroids and other immunosuppressive drugs(suppress immune system) .The aggressiveness of the treatment however depends on the stage.
I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
