Question
QUESTION: I am diagnosed with Rupus, what are main symptoms?  How effective is treatment and how effective is treatment with antibiotics versus Rituxan?

ANSWER: Stephanie,

Here is a link to out page that explains the symptoms of lupus.

http://arthritis-symptom.com/lupus/lupus-symptoms.htm

The effectiveness of treatment depends on the type of lupus and the severity of it. There is a link on the page listed above that talks about treatment.

There is not much research to back up the use of antibiotics in the treatment of Lupus. The theory that it is based on lacks credibility. Yet many people find benefits from this type of treatment. It is a fairly safe treatment protocol.

Rituxan is a newer treatment for lupus. This drug was developed for the treatment of some types of cancer. Research was begun about 8 years ago into treating autoimmune diseases with it. There are some studies that show good results. It is still new and a lot of rheumatologists are not prescribing it yet. This is probably because of the side effects. There are many potential side effects some serious.

Antibiotic therapy and Rituxan are hard to compare because they are completely different ways of treating the disease. They are similar in that there is not much research and many people who use them find beneficial results. They are different in the risk factor. Antibiotics are fairly safe in the short term and can have potential problems when taken for years. Rituxan not nearly as safe.

It is best to talk to your rheumatologist about your treatment options.

Rusty

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I asked my question about Rupus which is RA & Lupus.
I am familiar about Lupus as I have lived with it for years.  Please let me know about Rupus, and treatment of it.  
thank you

Answer
Sorry for the confusion. Rupus is not a disease. It is a slang term for the combination RA and Lupus and one I have never heard in the profession.

The answer to your question is still the same you ask about antibiotic therapy verses Rituxan.

The answer to the treatment of this combination depends on the severity of one or the other or both.

Again the best thing is to work with your rheumatologist in finding the treatment combination that is best for you.

Rusty