New meds.....

Unfortunately a flare is different for every person. Worse, you can have a mild flare and acute flare depending on how things are going. You can also have a constant low level of activity or constant high level of activity with flare ups that make it worse without ever truely having the symptoms go away for any period of time. I wish I had a better answer for you. How a flare goes for you depends on what your disease is like, your other conditions, and chance. Yep, not all flares are alike even in the same person- though you can have many flares that are nearly identical you will sometimes get the oddball flare that is nothing like the others.

I personally haven't had fluid drained from my heart, but my grandpa was on lasix due to congestive heart failure towards the end and that involves fluid around the heart so maybe the lasix will help some. If you have to have the fluid drained understand that may be scary but dying would be worse and if the fluid stays there it could kill you depending on how bad it is.

I have not had the dubious pleasure of being on cell-cept but I know it is a chemo drug- Imuran used to be a chemo drug but now it is used more for transplant patients and autoimmune patients because they found better drugs for cancer. I suggest you buy THE LUPUS BOOK by Dr. Wallace as he gives valuable info. My copy was stollen (yeah I know who steals a book about lupus and whomever did must have needed it a lot more than I did since that was all they took) so I need to replace it. Be sure you get the most recent copy as it is updated when new information/meds come out.

I wish I could help you more, all I can do though is tell you what little I know and remind you I am not a medical professional, I have just watched family members die over the years- some from AI diseases like lupus, some from cancer, and others from age or some unknown cause. Always verify information given with your doctor just to be safe. I hope things improve soon.

Hi Donna,
I was only diagnosed with Lupus in January 2006 but had been suffering with symptons for several years without being aware of it. I do take Cell Cept I have been taking it for several monthes my doctors strated me at the dosage you are currently on but my dosage had to be increased because I had a lot of swelling and fluid in my lungs and I had to have it drained several times. As the dosage has increased I have not had to have an more thorancentis( I had fluid on your lungs because of all of the pain and shortness of breath. I defintely think the Cell Cept will help you. I also took Lasix before the increase in Cell Cept. The Cell Cept msy make you nauseated so you may have to take something for nausea.

What kind of meds are you taking, Shellybooboo?
You've only mentioned pain meds, but if you are having lupus, the rhumty should prescribe you some other meds for lupus instead of pain med. Usually if you are on a flare, a common solution for a rhumty will be increasing the dose for a period of time and then taper it down (if you are on Prednisolne).