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What about arthritis?
Arthritis is an autoimmune condition that causes inflammation in the lining of the joints.
People with RA often develop anemia.
Or diabetes?
Anemia is a common condition in people with diabetes.
Arthritis as in Osteoarthritis, is not an autoimmune condition. However Rheumatoid Arthritis and Psoriatic Arthritis are considered to be autoimmune diseases.
I forgot about those threads.....Trying to deduce a common explanation for all this. I suspect Floorist's CRF is worse than she realizes. One is not usually followed by a nephrologist for mild CRF, nor does the mild stage produce severe anemia requiring EPO or secondary hyperparathyroidism.
In people on dialysis, anemia is treated with drugs called erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs).
ESAs replace the EPO that is low in people with kidney failure, so they can make red blood cells. EPO is a growth factor used to treat low red blood cell counts in patients with CKF or patients receiving dialysis.
Don't want to click on the links?
Here is a brief summary:
COMMON side effects:
Bone or joint pain, constipation, tiredness, heartburn, itching at the injection site, loss of strength, muscle aches, shivering, skin pain, stomach discomfort, and weight loss.
LESS COMMON:
Anxiety, change in skin color, change in vision, dizziness, double vision, fainting, fast heartbeat, migraine headache, pain in the arms, jaw, back, or neck, pain in the chest, groin, or legs, pale skin, partial or complete loss of vision, skin rash or hives, slurred speech, sore throat, sudden and severe inability to speak, sudden loss of coordination, sweating, and temporary blindness.
Most medications have side effects. And this list doesn't mean that you will experience many of them. Your reaction will be individual and not really predictable in advance.
However, if EPO is going to save your life and recommended by your doctor, you should consider it, regardless of the side effects.
I have very mild psoriatac arthritis and plantar facilitis. Not RA. I have had the blood test for RA. My kidney disease is stage 2, very mild. Normal for a 76 year old man. You don't have to have severe kidney disease to need EPO shots according to my nephrologist.
Besides what I asked was " has anyone had EPO shots and if so what side effects did you have?". I will no longer respond to anyone who does not answer that question.
You may not care, but others may want to learn something.....
Psoriatic arthritis is Rheumatoid arthritis + skin involvement (or is RA really PA without skin involvement?)... It's a clinical diagnosis ie- based on signs & symptoms, not blood tests. Blood tests support the diagnosis and can be used to follow the course. The so called Rheumatoid Factor is a protein we all make and it goes up with age, but it's usually much higher in those with various autoimmune diseases.
80% of pts with RA/PA get anemic. The bone marrow gets depressed and they also have Fe absorbtion and metabolism problems. They can also get hemolytic anemia. Going below 8gm of Hb is unusual but not unheard of. Degree of anemia correlates highly with disease activity and prognosis.
Your Stage II CRF is probably also affecting your anemia...As stated earlier. EPO is used when Hb keeps falling below 8 to avoid using up precious blood supplies for repeated transfusions.
In regards your original question-- it makes no difference what others experienced. It's you that counts. Elnina's post gives you the best info on the subject about what could happen. You gotta try it to find out your results.
You may not care, but others may want to learn something.....
Psoriatic arthritis is Rheumatoid arthritis + skin involvement (or is RA really PA without skin involvement?)... It's a clinical diagnosis ie- based on signs & symptoms, not blood tests. Blood tests support the diagnosis and can be used to follow the course. The so called Rheumatoid Factor is a protein we all make and it goes up with age, but it's usually much higher in those with various autoimmune diseases.
80% of pts with RA/PA get anemic. The bone marrow gets depressed and they also have Fe absorbtion and metabolism problems. They can also get hemolytic anemia. Going below 8gm of Hb is unusual but not unheard of. Degree of anemia correlates highly with disease activity and prognosis.
Your Stage II CRF is probably also affecting your anemia...As stated earlier. EPO is used when Hb keeps falling below 8 to avoid using up precious blood supplies for repeated transfusions.
In regards your original question-- it makes no difference what others experienced. It's you that counts. Elnina's post gives you the best info on the subject about what could happen. You gotta try it to find out your results.
Teach me something....Which part? I'm always willing to learn something new. Maybe they've changed something about the basic science since I passed the Specialty Board exam 45 years ago.
When i was a med student I complained to the school librarian that all the anatomy books there were over 50 yrs old..."So what? They haven't added any new parts since then, have they? " she snapped back.
Last edited by guidoLaMoto; Today at 10:10 AM..
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