I knew psych meds had a wide range of problems, but I didn’t know about drug-induced lupus until I heard this story from my friend and board member Margaret Hensley. This is how she discovered and worked through her drug-induced lupus:

Last fall she developed severe pain in her peripheral joints, was fatigued and had loss of appetite. She was so sick that when she drove up into the Colorado mountains one time with her husband to look at Aspens, she could barely walk or press the button to release her seat belt. She was using a wheelchair by the time she was able to see a rheumatologist.

The blood tests prescribed by the rheumatologist revealed positive markers for lupus, and prednisone was prescribed. A week later, Margaret’s daughter, who did medical transcription, and was aware of other patients who had had similar syptoms from drug use, suggested that the statin for cholesterol that Margaret had been taking for several years might be causing the symptoms. Margaret stopped taking the statin, and within 36 hours the pain had greatly subsided. But the lupus has already done some damage, and for two months she suffered from pleurisy.

Margaret said, “When I put my story out to my friends online, of course right away some people sent me their ‘magic bullet’,” from energy potions to detoxification to a special dried fish from Asia.” But lupus is an autoimmune disease so these were not the solution. She had relief from the extreme pain and fatigue and loss of appetite when the rheumatologist started her on an immune-suppressant medication. But her supressed immune system allowed an infection of toxoplasmosis in her eye, which has resulted in some blindness. She is grateful for the help from her husband for daily needs during those early months, and focuses on removing stress, keeping up hope and positive attitude, prayer, and knowing that there was a reason that all this was happening .

Margaret has been free of the lupus symptoms for several months now, though she is still on the immune-suppressing medication. If she remains free of symptoms after that medication is discontinued, it will be a positive indication that her lupus was probably drug-induced. Maybe she could help someone else get through drug-induced lupus later.

It also turns out that many medications may cause lupus, including medicines used to treat: heart disease, thyroid disease, hypertension, neuropsychiatric disorders, and certain anti-inflammatory agents and antibiotics. At least 38 drugs currently in use can cause DIL. However, most cases have been associated with these three: procainamide (Pronestyl), hydralazine (Apresoline), and quinidine (Quinaglute).

Here is a partial list of what may cause Drug-Induced Lupus:

Chart from the Lupus Foundation of America:

Do you have a story about drug-induced lupus?