Does Lupus physically affect the brain and cause depression?

Hi Hester:

That sounds like an interesting article. I have to say that lupus doesn't necessarily cause depression. I know lupus can cause problems with cognitive problems, strokes, seizures, and such things. I think being chronically ill can cause a lot of depression.

I've found that many people of the HW site have issues with depression. Having a condition where you hurt all the time and you're always taking a pill or seeing a doctor, takes a huge toll on us. I have to say I've struggled on and off with depression over the years. I can say my depression is about as low as it can be. I'm having feelings like I did when I was a teenager and ready to give up on life. I mean I'm not to thrilled about whats going to be coming for me in the near future. I will continue to fight and hang on.

I hope that if you're suffering from depression that you're able to get either a good therapist or an anti depressant that you can tolerate. You've come to the right place and we're all here for you.

Best Wishes,
Barbara

Hey Ginny and Barbarra Lee,

Two differing opinions, and would probably find this same thing in the scientific community.  I was hoping I guess that it is, and that maybe plaquenil, and prednisone would be able to help with the depression.  but even thinking it now, I realize it makes no sense. 

I too believe that Lupus affects our brain in ways that can result in depression, and mood swings.  But just one scientific paper is not going to find us any relief anytime soon.  And in this paper it talked about prednisone itself causing depression.

I take Doxepin every day Barbara Lee, 50 mg, four times a day.  I take it all at bedtime.  but after 22 years in therapy, I think  I am going to take a break from the therapy.

Many thanks to both of you for your response.

Hester

 

Hey Bill,

Thank you for your most informative response.  I registered at the sight that you provided.

I was surprised and encouraged by the following excerpt from the article.

Despite the variability in study results, it is now generally well accepted that cognitive dysfunction is a clinically important manifestation of SLE with many etiologic factors contributing to its presentation.

 

Hester

Hi Hester,

 

You got some excellent info from Bill.  He's a smarty .  Also, you mentioned prednisone as being a possible trigger for depression.  Abo****ely!  Prednisone, especially in the higher doses, will cause some or most people significant depression or anxiety. I"m one of them.  Cortisol, whether it's natural or synthetic, is the "fight or flight" hormone.  It will automatically cause anxiety if it's in abundance in the blood stream. That anxiety, will most often trigger depression at the same time.  I"m dealing with this right now, as we speak. I'm getting cognitive and drug therapy for it because it's so severe.

 

Ginny

Hey Ginny, Barbara Lee and Redrose,

Ginnny you said that you are getting the cognitive, and drug therapy for it.  What kind of treatment do they give you?

I have cycles of bad days, where anxiety is high, and depression.  the good days, I can think well, and feel normal.  Each cycle lasts about two weeks.

I was encouraged somewhat by those of you who spoke a while back, about experienciing missing time, and doing and saying things that you do not remember saying or doing. I experience these things too.  And just wondered if the cause could be found to be physical, and not just mental.  If Lupus affects the brain, Is it a physical effect that maybe presents itself mentally?

Bill's mental effect got better.  and that is a good sign.

Bill's findings also state that anxiety and depression are common complaints of people with Lupus. 

How do you cope with it?  What do you do during the bad days of high anxiety and depression.  for me it presents itself in cycles.  for about two weeks I am deeply depressed and feel like I have to hold myself together or I will fly apart.  and the other two weeks, I feel normal, and not anxious or depressed.

I have it written down to talk to my rheumy about it, when I see him on the 23rd.  In four more days.  I hate that my appointment is in the middle of these bad days, when I cant think well, and feel such high anxiety levels.

Thanks to all of you for your responses.

Hester

Hey Redrose,

I am not trying to be picky, just really want to understand what is going on with you.

What kind of cognitive symptoms do you have?  What kinds of mood issue  happens to you?  How did they find out that your cognitive and mood issues were related to Lupus, or caused by lupus?  do you lose the ability to think? to remember?  What kind of mood change do you experience?  Do you recognize it as it is happening, or do you suddenly find yourself, in a mood that is different to you immediately?

I apologize if I am pushing too hard to define your symptoms... It is important to me to understand.  Please tell me if I am asking too many questions.

Thank you for your response

Hester

redrose77 said...
Hester, what I am going through is a physical affect- the lupus is attacking my central nervous system. It is causing damage that presents itself as cognative and mood issues. Some of the damage can be reversed but some will be forever. So if they get it soon enough the symptoms might be reversable but the longer it goes on the more chance there is for serious damage no one can fix.

Thank you Redrose for your response.  I see the rheumy thursday.  I am going to ask him if it is possible that the mental episodes that I have is related to Lupus or Sjogren's.  I am wondering if Lupus caused the problems.  It would not bring me relief of course, but at least I would have an answer, and I have none at the moment.

I don't know that I have wild mood swings, but I certainly have opposite ones.  wake up one morning and depression and axiety are mine for two days, two weeks, or however long.  Wake up some other morning and the depression and anxiety is gone to be replaced with good days and ability to think, feel emotions, and speak well.  This happens repeatedly and has been doing so for several years.

I don't have much hope for the doctor responding to me positively on Thursday.  I don't even know how to proceed if he did want to pursue this avenue of tests.  But I am hoping that he will be open to my question, and be willing to proceed with it.

Thanks again RedRose

Hester

Hester, I would suggest a neurologist to test for cns involvement. My rheumy manages my meds but the neurologist has to manage the testing and such.

Hey Redrose,

I see my rheumy tomorrow and will ask him about referral to a neurologist perhaps, to determine if there is cns involvement.  I hate to add another doctor, but it sounds like good advice.

Thank you for your response

Hester

redrose77 said...
Hester, I would suggest a neurologist to test for cns involvement. My rheumy manages my meds but the neurologist has to manage the testing and such.

Hi, I am new to this post. I was diagnosed with SLE in Jan 2001. I went along ok until October of 07 when I had a major flare and ended up in the hospital in renal failure, with pericarditis and pleurisy. I have had problems with depression most of my life but after being on such high doses of prednisone for the last year. I have found that I am really depressed. I finally got a counselor. I have seen her 3 times. The last visit she informed me that she and her husband were being transferred to Boston. I am going to see her again one last time on Friday and she is going to give me some names for other people. Anyway. I do believe that lupus and depression go hand in hand. I have talked to several of my doctors about CNS and they were all wishy washy about it. I have short term memory problems. and speech problems and anxiety and tons of self loathing.With the prednisone I have had to deal with the moon face for the last year. It has been hard since I am 34 and single and my looks were the one thing I was always sure of. Anyway I spend most days alone until my son comes home from school and my mother comes home from work but they too have their own issues. Anyway it is nice to find other dealing with similar issues.

In some cases cognitive involvement does not show up in an MRI, thus there doesn't seem to be anything a neurologist can do. You can get an exam by a neuropsych - they have you perform tests (written, verbal, etc.) and can draw medical conclusions from that about cognitive involvement from the AI disease. Despite a clear MRI, I was able to get a neuropsych test that proved to SSD that I have actual cognitive issues that prohibit me from working. Of course, that has nothing to do with depression -- I know we usually have depression along with chronic disease, but I don't have any evidence that an actual mental change in that area is cause by lupus itself -- basically since we don't know how to slice & dice the brain yet to see where depression comes from, I don't think we have the technology to determine if they're related or not.

Thank you for sending this response.  I feel for you and wish that I could do something for you.  your lack of memory sounds like me.  but it comes and goes for me.  some times I can think pretty good, and remember things, and other times I can't.

I think maybe that enough research into Lupus causing mental problems has not been done.

this is a day of not being able to think well.  My mind seems flighty unable to focus on things.

thanks again Hippie

Hester

oldhippyrebel said...
Hester
My Dr, told me that my lupus had caused my depression. It was a very, very dark place I've been in treatment for a little over a year & half. My lupus has been attacking my nerous system. I had gone back to school after being laid off, making the honor role then it got to the point I couldn't tell you what I had just read, let a lone remember when I had test.

I had to make list of thing to remind me of what I needed to get done around the house. I've also changed in what I've focused on around the house. I'm 57 years old and I grew up on a farm but mowing the yard was all we ever did and that is all I ever did in my yard but this summer I got to where I would see something out side and I had to go take care of it and fix it up. I had to pull of a chair but I keep after it. I really don't understand it. There were things I could do in the house but I had to be out pulling weeds, triming bushes and all that kind of stuff. I don't understand why I've gotten so focus on that stuff, I couldn't stop myself. Still can't I just don't understand it.