
Today is World Awareness Lupus Day; so, what do you know about Lupus?? Systemic Lupus Erythematosus or SLE can affect any organ in the body and may cause a wide range of symptons.
Lupus is a Complicated, Unpredictable Disease
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I have Lupus SLE and I never know when symptoms will
strike or how long a flare will last. I have been in
a flare for the last 18 months. Over time, SLE can lead
to organ damage, I have stage 3 kidney failure, so
it is very important to keep track of all my symptoms,
even if some symptoms might not have anything to do
with Lupus. And, I keep a record to share with my
doctors!
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Common Lupus Symptoms
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I am listing some of the most common
symptoms that I have below:
- Extreme fatigue that doesn't go away with rest
- Joint pain, stiffness and swelling in two or more joints
- I run fevers over 100 degrees
- I have muscle pain and most recently I have been
leg pain.
- I use to have very thick and and curly hair, but
I have lost a lot of my hair and now it is thin
and straight. - I often get what is called a "lacy rash" on my
- legs and arms.
- I have the common butterfly-shaped pattern
across my face, cheeks and nose. - I also get skin sores a long with the rashes.
- I suffer with nose sores and even had a sore break
through the septum of my nose.
(What is the septum? It is the cartiledge that
divides the nostrils) - I also get mouth and gum sores and I use a
medical swish to help with these. - I have to be very careful when I am out in the sun,
- because it causes even more rashes after
exposure. - I am anemic with a low red blood count.
- My Immune System is Null & Void
When I go out of the house I very easily pick up colds, flu or viruses. So I must be careful aboutwho I am around.
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Lupus Is Just One Auto-Immune Disease
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I won't go into them today because it is
Lupus Awareness Day
But, I also have:
- Sjogrens Disease
(it causes dry mouth, throat and eyes) - Psoriatic Arthritis
(It causes Severe Cervical and Lumbar Back Pain) - Osteo Arthritis
(I have it on the palm of my hand near the thumbs) - Rheumatoid Arthritis or RA
(It causes the top part of my fingers to turn sideways)
I am on many medications that help to slow down the
symptoms I have... We'll talk about that another day.
If you have any any symptoms and the doctors don't
understand what is causing them,
TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR!!