What Doctors Don't Tell You
Lupus can be triggered by a wide variety of medicines including:
Hydralazine
Steroids: procainamide and prednisone
Anticonvulsants: phenytoin, hydantoin, primidone
Isoniazid
Chlorpromazine
Antibiotics: penicillin, Septrin, Septra
Practolol
Antithyroid: propylthiouracil, methylthiouracil
Methyldopa
Certain other factors can cause lupus flare ups. These include:
Exposure to sunlight (including sunbeds)
Birth control pills containing estrogen
Colds and flu
Pregnancy
In cases of active lupus, a patient may be treated with some or all of the following drugs:
Non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs for symptomatic relief
Antimalarial for rashes, arthritis and malaise
Steroids for severe flare ups and in low doses for maintenance
Immunosuppressive drugs in conjunction with steroids for “maintenance”
In addition, a patient may receive anti hypertensives, antibiotics, anticonvulsants, and antithrombosis drugs.
Daniel Redwood DC
Tom Ferguson MD
