@babybb you can also get 1st hand support from SLE patients at http://www.lupusmalaysia.org

The skin rashes can probably be helped by steroid-based creams to reduce the inflammation, but see the doctor first. This is a chronic illness (don't think it's curable using current medical tech) so it's important that the patient has a long term trusting relationship with the doctor.

Collodial oatmeal bath lotions help eczema patients, so should
help SLE too.


http://www.rakuten.com.my/shop/caringpharm...SC0002_0116671/



http://www.lef.org/Protocols/Immune-Connec...t/Lupus/Page-02

http://www.lifeextension.com/Protocols/Imm.../Lupus/Page-les

http://www.lef.org//Magazine/2014/3/Safely...iseases/Page-01



Peony.

Clinical study of total glucosides of paeony in patients with
systemic lupus erythematosus.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/21608216


http://www.iherb.com/Life-Extension-Peony-...ggie-Caps/55657



You could try my schoolmate, Yap Boon Hung, rheumatologist at Tung Shin.

The clinical effect of dietary supplementation with omega-3 fish oils
and/or copper in systemic lupus erythematosus.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/15290734/

Thanks sah! I will run a quick search on that.

Thanks Tham! I heard of vitamin D3 are benefit with lupus patients as well. Not sure wanna recommend my mum have it as a supplement anot.



This post has been edited by babybb: May 2 2015, 09:13 AM

@babybb let us know what medication the rheumatologist prescribed once you've seen. Please note that supplements are just that - SUPPLEMENTS and they're not supposed to replace the prescribed medications. I've heard about a lot of SLE patients who went off their medication when they feel that the supplements are helping. They did not survive very long

@sah147, no problem I will share the update at here. Are you having lupus as well? Well we know that lupus are non curable but if there is really a supplements that can help to reduce lupus rashes / itchiness we don't mind trying it even the chances are slim. Who know that miracle do happen sometime. I'm not praying to god to take the lupus away from my mum because I not its not curable but pls at least do take away the itchiness so my mum could have a good night sleep.

Its sad to see a 62yrs old elderly person to scratch them self to sleep and itch non stop for 24/7. Hope I can help my mum as much as I can. My mum follow on time to eat medicine and hope can find a supplement to help with the lupus.

The autoimmune pathways involved in SLE are quite complex, but
SLE is basically an autoimmune disease with inflammatory components.

Initially it was thought that SLE was mainly a Th2-predominant disease,
however, studies showed that Th1 is also upregulated, particularly
in CNS lupus.


What is the Role of Th1 and Th2 in Autoimmune Disease ?

http://autoimmune-paleo.com/what-is-the-ro...immune-disease/



Interferon gamma, produced by CD4 (T-helper cells) and macrophages,
is implicated.


The role of IFN-gamma in systemic lupus erythematosus:
a challenge to the Th1/Th2 paradigm in autoimmunity.

http://arthritis-research.com/content/3/3/136


Th Subset Balance in Lupus Nephritis.

http://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2011/980286/




Effect of rituximab in refractory SLE: inhibition of Th1 ?

http://rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/con...45/1/121.2.full

Peony, mentioned earlier, looks promising.

I think your mum should try it out.


Anti-Inflammatory and Immunomodulatory Effects of
Paeonia Lactiflora Pall., a Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3108611/



Therapeutic effect of total glucosides of paeony
on lupus nephritis in MRL/lpr mice.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/21515463


The PDF of the full text of the above study is in Chinese.
Print it out and show your mum.

http://www.j-smu.com/pdf2/201104/201104656.pdf




Total glucosides of paeony induces regulatory CD4(+)CD25(+)
T-cells by increasing Foxp3 demethylation in lupus CD4(+) T-cells.


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/22406048/




Effect of total glucosides of peony on expression and DNA methylation
status of ITGAL gene in CD4(+) T cells of systemic lupus erythematosus.


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/22659657/



The full text here is also in Chinese.

http://www.csumed.org/xbwk/fileup/PDF/201205463.pdf

Peony prevents bone loss in rheumatoid arthritis.

Total glucosides of paeony prevents juxta-articular
bone loss in experimental arthritis.


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3728075/



Peony in inflammatory bowel diseases - ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

Paeoniflorin abrogates DSS-induced
colitis via a TLR4-dependent pathway.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3920084/

If your mom has SLE, i would suggest to bring her to hospital selayang for further follow up, as it is the national rheumatology center in Malaysia and it's a government hospital, where treatment fee will be minimal.

However, since it is a referral center, u can't just walk in and get appointment. It's better for u to walk to green zone in A&E hospital selayang first, get a referral letter to rheumatology then get an appointment from rheumatology clinic.

SLE is a multisystem disease, where it can affect most organs in the body. So it's better to act fast.

The mainstay of treatment is immunosuppression. First line drugs will be a combination of hydroxychloroquine and prednisolone. Vitamin D3 itself doesn't help in treating the disease. However, it is usually given along with calcium supplement to counter the effect of osteoporosis caused by long term use of steroid (prednisolone).

Try not to take any supplement especially herbal based product as so far no concrete evidence that it will help in the management of the disease. Also, many of these products in the market right now contain steroid (LCW also kena). Thus it is not recommended as the doctors will be giving u steroid as part of the initial treatment, and excessive steroid consumption can cause unwanted effects such as osteoporosis, cataract, gastritis, obesity, diabetes melitus and hypertension.

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2014/08/how...immune-disease/

Found tis article

Thanks hypermax. Any particular rheumatology doctor should look for at hospital selayang? Not sure if fish oil can help with lupus flare.



This post has been edited by babybb: May 9 2015, 11:47 AM

Sah, any good rheumatologist can recommend at tawakal?

This post has been edited by babybb: May 9 2015, 02:23 PM

@uglyduckling, is this the UM doctor that you are seeing now? Is he good? Dr. Sargunan Sockalingam

Yes. I heard he is good. Fyi I see him twice only....

Dr Abdul Shukor Abu Bakar, I recommend

Thanks! I will google about the doc later. Have you heard of Dr. Benjamin Cheah Tien Eang? Which happen to be in UM and currently he was the President of the Malaysian SLE Association. Just 1 more question @uglyduckling, if I want to bring my mum to see Dr. Sargunan, do we need to take referral letter from the outpatient dept of UM & then insist on seeing Dr. Sargunan? Is it the correct procedure?



Thanks sah! I will find more detail on the mentioned doctor!

This post has been edited by babybb: May 10 2015, 12:28 AM

Sorry I dunno the Dr Benjamin. As I say I'm a new patient. Yes u do need a referal letter and u need wait few months only can see the doctor. I'm not sure u can insist seeing Dr Sargunan but I see if sle mostly is seeing him as he is the Prof there in sle Clinic.

Hi, can i know what is the different between "Rheumatology" and "Nephrology" ? if for SLE

Hi sorry I don't really know but from google Rheumatology is study of rheumatism, arthritis, and other disorders of the joints, muscles, and ligaments.
Nephorology is refer to kidney problem.

You may ask your doctor about this two.