Can a man who has lupus father a child? Could medications that he is on cause birth defects?
— Thomson, GA A man with lupus can father a child. Men are thought to be less likely to contribute to birth defects than women, because drug exposure to the fetus can occur at very vulnerable periods in fetal development. Nonetheless, it depends what medication you are taking, and certain medications such as cyclophosphamide can affect sperm counts. Talk to your doctor about these medications to be safe. How does a person with lupus arthritis get the pain relief that I need without taking pain medications? I do water exercises and that helps while I’m in the water, but as soon as I am out the pain comes right back. — Garden Grove, CA Someone with lupus arthritis can generally get relief from non-narcotic medications, including anti-inflammatory medicines and low doses of prednisone. Some lupus patients have an overlap with fibromyalgia and have widespread pain not directly related to their lupus. You can read more about pain and musculoskeletal system issues associated with lupus on
