Is this related to Lupas

[Katrinapidd]

Hi have come up with little red dots on my skin all sudden like bit blood there. Anyone with Lupas have this? I have another autoimmune disease called ankylosing spondylitits. My doctors think I have Lupas but rhematolgists don't. Tested ana positive and double standed dna posive also with blood pattern homogenous.

[lupus-support1 Administrator]

Welcome to LUpus Patients Understanding & Support (LUPUS) at HealthUnlocked.

It is difficult to see in the picture. Are the spots/blister-like, raised and seem to be filled with blood? They may be cherry angiomas, which are common skin growths that can grow on most areas of your body. They are also known as senile angiomas or Campbell de Morgan spots, and they are usually found on people age 30 and older. The broken blood vessels inside a cherry angioma give them a reddish appearance.

Or, are they flat, not raised, but look as if there is bleeding under the skin? They may be petechiae. Purpura is a purplish discoloration of the skin produced by small bleeding vessels near the surface. Purpura may also occur in the mucous membranes, especially of the mouth, and in the internal organs. Purpura is not a disease per se but is indicative of an underlying cause of bleeding. When purpura spots are very small (<1 cm in diameter), they are called petechiae or petechial haemorrhages. Larger, deeper purpura are referred to as ecchymoses or bruising.

Vasculitis, the imflammation of the blood vessels, may be seen in patients with lupus but is also an autoimmune condition in its own right. Looking at your arm, there does not appear to be many of these "dots". There are different types of vasculitis: small vessel; medium size vessel; and large size vessel vasculitis (eg aorta). Certainly, the small size vessel vasculitis can be associated with SLE, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's Syndrome, inflmmatory bowel disease etc (collagen vascula disease).

One further question. It is very difficult seeing the photograph, but I wonder whether you have what looks like a lattice-like rash on your body? Do you suffer from the cold or have Raynaud's Phenomena ie circulation problems. This rash is called "levido reticularis" eg it looks like this: medicinenet.com/image-colle...

If you are concerned, show them to your doctor who will be able to explain what they are and reassure you that they are not sinister.

The ANA and dNA blood tests, while important, do not necessarily mean a diagnosis of lupus. Lupus is diagnosed based on clinical observations, sometimes over time. Even the so-called "Criteria" was not intended to be used for individual clinical diagnosis, but was originally designed so that the same kind of patients will form part of a clinical study. Sometimes a diagnosis can take months or even years. Despite this difficult, what is important are the symptoms which can be treated regardless of a diagnosis.

Please note: I am not a medical doctor. I am not claiming you have any of the above. I am not trying to worry or cause you anxiety and my recommendation will always be to see your own physician who is the only person who can tell you what is going on in your body.

What is the difference between your "doctors" and your rheumatologist? The person best able to tell you what is going on is your rheumatologist. Having said that, some rheumatologists are not expert in lupus and may have never treated lupus patients. My advice is always to find a lupus specialist ie a doctor/rheumatologist who regularly sees and treats lupus patients in hospitals and clinics.

We also have another website called the LuPUS Message Board where you can also post questions and talk to other people. Registration is FREE and we offer free information and free online psychological support. We specialise in psychological support with our own counsellor/psychotherapist available.

By becoming a Member, you will have access to the private forums and because they are private, only Members have access and even bots and search engines are forbidden.

When you register, please use the following format for entering your date of birth: nn-nn-nnnn where n=number. Please use the "-" separator and not "/".

Finally, please go to: lupus-support.org/LuPUSMB and Sign Up.

I look forward to talking with you more!

Sometimes we need to talk to people who understand and who are not family or friends.

With good wishes!

Ros