Rheumatologist. This is the main specialist that lupus patients should be seeing regularly. They are experts on joints and muscles and autoimmune diseases such as lupus and will be the doctor that makes the diagnosis of lupus. They may need to refer you to doctors in other specialities (as in the list below) when needed.
Nephrologist. They are kidney specialists. Lupus can affect your kidneys and this is known as lupus nephritis (LN). About 1 in 3 lupus patients have LN at the time of diagnosis and up to 5 out of 10 patients will develop LN over time.
Immunologist. This doctor diagnoses, treats and manages patients with disorders of the immune system. While rheumatologists treat diseases of your musculoskeletal system, immunologists focus on your immune system.
Cardiologist. This doctor is an expert in heart and blood vessel diseases, not every person with lupus needs to see a cardiologist. A cardiologist may order special tests to see how well the heart is working. Together with the rheumatologist, they decide if you need any medicines to prevent or treat heart disease.
Dermatologist. This doctor specializes in diagnosing and treating skin diseases. Most people with lupus get skin problems like sores and rashes. They will also be the doctor patients with discoid lupus will see.
Neurologist. This doctor specializes in diseases of the nervous system, which includes your brain and spinal cord. They’re one type of specialist -- along with rheumatologists, psychiatrists, and neuropsychologists -- who can find out if you’re having nervous system problems, which affect some people with lupus.
Gastroenterologist. This doctor diagnoses and treats diseases of the digestive tract and liver. It’s common to have digestive system problems with lupus. Some are caused by the disease itself, while others can be due to things like treatment side effects and infections.
Obstetrician. This doctor specialises in care during pregnancy, labour and after birth. Whilst patients with lupus can have healthy babies lupus raises the risk of complications.
Pulmonologist. They are the lung doctors. There are various problems with the lungs caused by lupus such as: pleuritis, pneumonitis, interstitial lung disease and a rare problem called pulmonary hypertension.
Haematologists. This is a doctor who specializes in blood disorders. Haematologic abnormalities are common in systemic lupus erythematosus, these abnormalities can be caused by the disease itself or by medications used to treat it.
Psychiatrists. Unlike other mental health professionals, such as psychologists and counsellors, psychiatrists must be medically qualified doctors who have chosen to specialise in psychiatry. This means they can prescribe medication as well as recommend other forms of treatment. They are critical in helping with neuropsychiatric lupus.
Vascular surgeons. These are doctors that diagnose and manage conditions affecting the circulation, including disease of the arteries and veins. They may see lupus patients with arterial disease.
Endocrinologists. Doctors who specialise in diagnosing and treating health conditions related to problems with the body’s hormones, hormonal glands and related tissues. They can see lupus patients when they have co-existing diseases such as autoimmune thyroid disease.
ENT specialists. It’s not often that we need them but some lupus patients can get autoimmune hearing loss.
Retinol Screening. About 10% of people with lupus develop retinal disease, which can lead to vision loss and blindness. It is known that some people who take Hydroxychloroquine for more than five years and/or in high doses are at increased risk of damage to their retina, the light sensitive layer of cells at the back of the eye. For this reason, patients taking HCQ who qualify for regular eye health checks on the NHS will be offered them. Some patients may have to pay for this service privately. If you have questions regarding the screening please consult your doctor.
Angie Davidson
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