~: September 2009

Friday, September 4, 2009

Been awhile since I have posted. Just came off a horrible flare in which both ankles and feet were swollen. Called the Lupus Center and we adjusted my medication. One week later the swelling finally went down. Today very nauseous and joints are very sore; no swelling...NICE! The fatigue is level 8. I have been getting sufficient rest but sometimes the fatigue is not the "lack of sleep fatigue"; just simply Lupus. You know you are not well when everyone says "are you okay? You look very pale". Of course I look pale, I am never out in the sun for fear of a rash or flare! Going to get rest tonight so I can prepare for my picnic on Sunday.

About Lupus

What is lupus? Lupus (LOO-puhss) is a chronic, autoimmune (aw-toh-ih-MYOON) disease that can damage any part of the body (skin, joints, and/or organs inside the body). Chronic means that the signs and symptoms tend to last longer than six weeks and often for many years. In lupus, something goes wrong with our immune system, which is the part of the body that fights off viruses, bacteria, and other germs (“foreign invaders,” like the flu). Normally our immune system produces proteins called antibodies that protect the body from these invaders. Autoimmune means your immune system cannot tell the difference between these foreign invaders and our body’s healthy tissues (“auto” means “self”). In lupus, our immune system creates autoantibodies (AW-toh-AN-teye-bah-deez), which attack and destroy healthy tissue. These autoantibodies cause inflammation, pain, and damage in various parts of the body.
When people talk about “lupus,” they usually mean systemic lupus erythematosus (ur-uh-thee-muh-TOH-suhss), or SLE. This is the most common type of lupus. Studies suggest that more than 16,000 new cases are reported annually across the country.
Although lupus can affect almost any organ system, the disease, for most people, affects only a few parts of the body. For example, one person with lupus may have swollen knees and fever. Another person may be tired all the time or have kidney trouble. Someone else may have rashes.
Normally, lupus develops slowly, with symptoms that come and go. Women who get lupus most often develop symptoms and are diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 45. But the disease also can develop in childhood or later in life.
For most people, lupus is a mild disease. But for others, it may cause serious problems. Even if your lupus symptoms are mild, it is a serious disease that needs treatment. It can harm your organs and put your life at risk if untreated. It is also helpful to arm ourselves with the correct information, find out all we can about lupus in order to fight the this "wolf". The butterfly symble represents the butterfly rash that some lupus patients have on their face.

Friday, September 4, 2009

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