Lupus and Bowel Bleeding

[chezevo]

Hi all, my daughter was diagnosed with Lupus last December and it has been a rollercoaster journey. She has had Rituximab and cyclophosphamide infusions been on steroids, the lot.

She is now taking the following medication: Fluconazole, Omeprazole, Aspirin, Mycophenolate, Hydroxychloroquine. Because she is taking Mycophenolate she has to have regular blood tests and her last bloods showed low iron and B12 so our GP requested more bloods and a stool sample.

Our GP called us on Thursday to confirm low iron so she has to take iron supplements but they have also said there is a bleed from her bowel.

Could the bleed be caused by any of her medication? Any advice would be appreciated xx

[PMRpro]

Aspirin, even at low doses, can associated with bowel bleeding - usually from the stomach.

[sharonmac99]

Hi chezevo, of course I can only speak for myself, but I found omeprazol to be an awful drug. It gave me a dreadful time with stomach pains and diarrhoea now I have Crohn's

[Chicky12]

Hi, I’m sorry she is having such a rough time. My experience of cyclophosphamide was over 20 years ago. I was also on aspirin, heparin injections, thyroxine and steroids. I don’t remember having any issues with my bowel. Aspirin and heparin are both blood thinners as lupus is associated with ‘sticky blood’ . My advice would be ask your daughters specialist. I hope you gets some answers soon. X

[Chicky12]

I take enteric coated aspirin, because of the risk to the GI system.

[ez2nvmorgan]

Hi, I was on hydroxychloroquine for many years with no problems. But, about a year ago the lupus affect my lung and I was place on mycophenolate. I started having dizziness and feeling very weak. I called the specialist nurse and a blood test was requested. My haemoglobin (HB) dropped to 7.5 with no obvious bleeding. I then saw my rheumatologist who told me it wasn't the mycophenolate as low HB is not one of it's side effects. She started me on iron tablets. But, my HB was not improving. I insisted it only began after start taking the mycophenolate and it was stopped. My HB returned within the normal range in about 4 weeks of stopping it. I then had 2 of ritazamub with no problem.Medication affects individuals differently. I hope your daughter feel better soon.

[Freckle1000]

Hi Chezevo. I developed a B12 Deficiency due to the lupus attacking the lining of the stomach which meant I couldn't secrete intrinsic factor which is needed to digest and absorb b12. If this is whats happened to her - its important that she gets b12 via regular injections as apposed to supplements as the nervous system can suffer badly from a protracted deficiency of this.

As for iron deficiency - this is probably due to the bleeding from the digestive tract somewhere ? - stomach - bowel or intestine ? They will have to figure out where this is originating from to fix it - but in the meantime its important that she has regular iron infusions and perhaps take strong iron supplements to keep herself healthy. With lupus its often a case of getting the proper treatment - before finding the exact cause.

I had a long iron deficiency - and found myself to have a normal everyday benign bleeding polyp in the bowel - and then when the Doctors thought they'ed figured it out - they had to track down another one in the small intestine (found by a pill cam) - I'm on asprin - so they really bled. I don't know if lupus or medications make us prone to these polyps ?

I hope you're daughter starts feeling better soon.

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