QUICK FACT 18

In approximately 10 percent of all lupus cases, individuals will have symptoms and signs of more than one connective tissue disease. A physician may use the term "overlap syndrome" or "mixed connective tissue disease" to describe this condition. 

Depending on how lupus affects their body, some people with lupus may need additional care from specialists, like a dermatologist for skin problems, a nephrologist for kidney disease, or a cardiologist for heart complications.

Depressed? What to do?

    
     Depression affects millions of people. There is no single cause that has been identified.  It seems to be interactions between genetic, environmental, biochemical and psychosocial factors that play a role.  Those of us with lupus or other chronic illnesses may suffer from depression due to a number of reasons. 
     I personally take medication that causes depression. I also get down about how lupus has negatively affected my life. I had to realize that I was depressed and try to "snap out of it!"  We must remember that depression is NOT a personal weakness or a condition that can be wished away.  It is a real illness, but it can be successfully treated.
    Treatments include medication, psychotherapy, and other natural remedies. If you know or think you are depressed you can try these tips for a natural approach to promote healthy living. Maintain proper sleep hygiene as advised by your health care professional, Eat a well-balanced diet, Manage anxiety as advised by your health care professional, Participate in a structured and supervised exercise program as advised by your health care professional, Set realistic goals for yourself, Create small and manageable tasks & Let others you can trust such as family and friends help you.


Here are some other ways to get rid of your depression on your own.

• Do not make important decisions while depressed.
• Try to avoid stress.
• Take care of your body.
• Eat regularly and with pleasure.
• Avoid negative thoughts.
• Communicate with friends and family, even overcoming yourself.
• Report any changes in your health to your psychotherapist.
• Do not take drugs or alcohol.
• Do not abuse hypnotic drugs.

Information from www.pristiq.com and www.depressionam.com

Also remember that it is always a good idea to consult your doctor about depression and its treatments. ☺

QUICK FACT 15

Systemic lupus is the most common type of lupus. Systemic lupus can affect any organ system of the body, including the heart, kidneys, lungs, blood, joints, and skin.

Men's Health and Lupus

10 Foods to Boost Men's Health 

~ Oysters   (high in zinc)

~ Bananas   (high in potassium)

~ Fatty Fish   (high in Omega 3 fatty acids)

~ Broccoli  (heart disease and cancer preventing nutrients)

~ Brazil Nuts   (high in magnesium and selenium) 

~ Whole Grains   (high in fiber and Vitamin B)

~ Plant Stanols   (lower blood cholesterol levels)

~ Soybeans   (high in isoflavones) 

~ Berries and Cherries   (high in anthocyanin) 

~ Red-Orange Vegetables  (high in vitamin C and beta-carotene)

This week is National Men's Health Week, well depending on the source it is National Men's Health Month. This is the perfect time to address Lupus in Men.  Many think of Lupus as a women's disease.  Men can and do suffer from Lupus as well.  It can occur in men of any age, just as with women.  I have come across several men of various ages and ethnicities who have Lupus, and they have the same issues that women have. 

Before puberty, about 1 male will develop Lupus for every 3 females.  In teens and adults, 1 male will develop Lupus for every 10 females.  After the age of 50, 1 male develops Lupus for every 8 females.  These gender differences are seen in only systemic lupus, not in cutaneous (skin) Lupus.  

Males have similar symptoms as females, including joint pain, skin rash and extreme fatigue. The clinical course of Lupus is about the same in both genders.  Males are treated with the same therapies as females.  Some researchers have found that later manifestations of the disease differ between sexes.  Studies have found more severe kidney, nerve and blood vessel disease in males with Lupus compared to females with Lupus. However, there is no great evidence to support a significant difference in severity of Lupus in males and females.  

Researchers are now studying Lupus in aging males.  Young men with Lupus have normal levels of hormones.  Their Lupus activity is usually much worse than older men. Late-onset Lupus may depend on lower levels of male hormones.  (LFA)

Quick Facts:

~ Young men with Lupus have normal reproductive histories.

~ Lupus should not affect their ability to be sexually active.

~ Men with Lupus may not be able to continue working to support his family.

~ They may have difficulty with tasks requiring physical labor.

~ Stress may be caused by the inability to carry on the traditional male role.

~ Men can have hair loss, weight gain and skin rashes.

~ Men are more concerned with loss of job and change of job.

~ False sense of "loss of masculinity" and loss of independence is difficult. 

Sun Safety Myths

Protecting ourselves from the Sun is very important.  These myths are not true:

☼ A beach umbrella keeps you safe from the sun.
Not true. A large percentage of ultraviolet (UV) light bounces off the sand onto your skin, even if you’re under an umbrella. Water and snow have the same reflective effect.
☼ Building a "base" tan protects against sunburn.
There is no such thing as a "safe" tan that will offer protection later. Exposure to UV rays increases your lifetime risk of skin cancer and other skin damage.

☼"Self-tanning" products help protect against sunburn.
These products may be perfectly safe and may be a good way to make yourself appear tan without having actual sun exposure. But be aware that the dyes in self-tanning lotions and sprays don’t offer complete UV protection. 

☼Only the people with cutaneous lupus, or with systemic lupus and photosensitivity, need to worry about UV protection.
No matter how lupus affects you, you need to be aware that certain medications can make you unusually reactive to UV light. Called "chemical photosensitivity," this can result in sunburn or rash after even brief sun exposure. The drugs known to cause this type of skin sensitivity are antihistamines, diuretics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics, including tetracycline or"sulfa" drugs. Sunscreens offer only limited UV protection for anyone taking these medications.
(Lupus Now Magazine 2005)


     












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Depending on how lupus affects their body, some people with lupus may need additional care from specialists, like a dermatologist for skin problems, a nephrologist for kidney disease, or a cardiologist for heart complications.

Why Does the RAIN bring the PAIN?

Many of us with chronic illnesses and/or inflammatory diseases can serve as amateur meteorologists.  We can feel the rain coming in our bones.  I know I can.  When it is raining or about to rain, I feel joint pain.  The more it rains, the more pain I feel.  Sometimes my whole body feels tired and bogged down.  When I was young, I really didn't believe the old ladies when they said that their arthritis let them know when it was going to rain.  Now that I have my own inflammatory disease I totally understand.


So why does the rain bring the pain?  Well,  it is less about the rain and more about the barometric pressure.  As barometric pressure decreases, usually clouds begin to form bringing the rain or wet weather.  As barometric pressure decreases it also has an affect on the body.  If a joint is already inflamed, swollen or abnormal then the decrease in barometric pressure causes the gas and tissues to expand.  This is felt as more pain to us.


The body's joints have sensory nerves called baro-receptors that respond to changes in barometric pressure.  When the barometric pressure drops or is low, it signifies that the air has become moist.  This usually means that the rain is not too far behind.  People with arthritis feel the change more because they have less cartilage cushioning their joints.  It is true that people with joint pain know the weather before it occurs.  When the barometric pressure goes down right before a storm, their pain goes up.  The American Journal of Medicine found a correlation that supports this theory.  


Well, I know that I cannot stand moist, rainy, cold weather.  It makes me feel bad.  But at least now we all know why we feel this pain.  Unfortunately, there is nothing that we can do about it.  So my suggestion is to use a rainy day to relax, sleep and enjoy a nice cup of cocoa while watching your favorite movie.


Wishing you many Sunny days,
Simmi

FLASHBACK #3

I am just thinking about my last flare up.  How long was it really going on?  I was diagnosed with pneumonia twice and given 5 different antibiotics within 4 months.  Only to find out it was NOT pneumonia. I had terrible allergic reactions to all those drugs for NOTHING.  This was very frustrating.  What do we pay these doctors for? 


Anyhoo, I was in really bad shape.  I could not do anything for myself for a long time.  I was not eating or moving at all.  I just stayed in bed. Some days I could barely walk.  It was terrible.  Finally after not going into work, not calling in and not answering when they called, I was rescued.  My co-workers came and took me to the doctor, and then eventually I was admitted into the hospital. I really didn't want to go, but it was the best thing for me.  When I get there the nurses didn't believe I was the patient.  They said that their patients usually don't walk in.  I guess I was the lucky one.  :-/


When in the hospital they removed 730ml of fluid off of my right lung (the surrounding sack).  The fluid on left lung would be resolved with Prednisone (YEAH!). This fluid was not a result of pneumonia, it was a flare up.  It seems like my rheumy could have figured this out before I was half dead, but obviously that is not in his job description.  


As a result of this most painful situation, I had to take 4 months off of school and work.  I could barely go back in January.  I still missed about 2 weeks worth of work, because I still not feeling well. (BTW it's May and I am still having chest pains smh) Lupus can really put a wrench in your plans I tell you.  I am happy to be alive and well (for the most part).  I have learned to really appreciate every good day and make the best of the bad ones.  It can always be worst!!  


Lupus Awareness and Fundraising is so very important.  We need better treatments and programs.  Most importantly We need a CURE!! Spread the word about Lupus, even if you don't know anyone affected by it (Hi my name is Simone...now you do).  Cherish your life and the people in it!!  I know I do!!


With Love ღ
Simmi

QUICK FACT 6

✔ Types of Lupus:

     ☞ Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (the most common) affects many parts of the body

     ☞ Discoid Lupus Erythematosus - causes a skin rash that doesn't go away

     ☞ Subacute Cutaneous Lupus Eryth. - causes skin sores where exposed to the sun

     ☞ Drug-Induced Lupus - can be caused by medications

     ☞ Neonatal Lupus - a rare type of Lupus that affects newborns

   












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May is Lupus Awareness Month!!

While most Americans are aware of the signs and health risks of breast cancer or heart disease, relatively few are aware of another significant health problem that disproportionately strikes young women between the ages of 15 and 45. The disease is lupus. Lupus is caused by an unbalanced immune system that can be destructive to any major organ or tissue in the body. Lupus can be very unpredictable and is potentially fatal. 


While more than 1.5 million Americans have lupus, many individuals still are unaware of the potentially disabling and life-threatening health effects of lupus. The disease is two to three times more common among African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Asians, and Native Americans than among Caucasians – but no one is safe from lupus.


What is most troubling about the lack of awareness of lupus is that early recognition, diagnosis and proper medical care of lupus often can prevent or reduce serious health complications, such as heart disease, strokes, seizures, and kidney failure. 


May is National Lupus Awareness Month. Now in its thirty-first year, Lupus Awareness Month is observed to disseminate medically sound information about lupus, increase public understanding of the physical, emotional, and economic impact of the disease, and provide support, services, and hope to all people affected by lupus. (Washington, DC – LFA)


So lets band together and Spread Awareness.  We need support and a CURE!!!
To Join the Band go to http://www.lupus.org/newsite/pages/lupus-awareness-month.html


 











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QUICK FACT 5

✔ Neonatal lupus is a rare condition that affects infants of women who have lupus and is caused by antibodies from the mother that affect the infant in the womb. With proper testing, physicians can now identify most at-risk mothers, and the infant can be treated at or  before birth. (LFA)

What's Love Got To Do With It??

Sex and Love.  How does your condition affect those aspects of your life?  Well, Lupus and other auto-immune diseases definitely have a significant impact.  Tiredness and pain is common for many Lupus patients.  This can affect our relationships with the people in our lives.  Romantic relationships being the most involved, are the most affected by these conditions.  


Our romantic relationships are sometimes strained when we can not do all of the things we want and need to do for our significant other.  Lupus can affect our behavior and appearance.  Some of us may be sensitive to these changes and feel that our partner doesn't understand.  The most important thing to do in this situation is to communicate effectively.  Make sure your partner knows and understands how you feel physically and emotionally.  You should also know exactly how your partner feels as well. I had trouble with the communication thing at first.  I have always been a very private person, so expressing those feelings even to someone I care about was difficult.  I didn't want to be a burden, or make anyone worry, let alone my partner.  I eventually learned that expressing my feelings and condition would make me feel better, as well as my partner.  Talking it out is helpful. 


Your sex life and closeness in the relationship can also be affected. Physically you may have pain and fatigue that can prevent you from enjoying lovemaking.  You should try to reduce pain with painkillers, warm baths, massage and other various relaxation techniques.  In order to counter fatigue you should make love at the time of day that you feel the least tired.  For example, if you feel exhausted at night, you should make love in the morning or afternoon.  Again, you have to communicate.  If you do not feel like or do not want to make love, then let your partner know and also explain why.  If they love you, then they will understand.  If not, then tell them to hit the road, because they don't deserve you!!!  


Remember that being close to someone in their arms can also be a loving experience! And it will sometimes be more comfortable for you.  Take care of yourself and express how you feel.  It will make life much easier.


With Love ❤

Fatigue!! ☹

Well, I know many of us have feeling of exhaustion, sleepiness, etc...  Well I found a wonderful blog that I think you should check out!! There is a lot of good info there.


"Fatigue that is often severe, persistent and disabling is a common problem for lupus patients. A sense of exhaustion which interferes with normal functioning is an experience that affects as many as 70% of people with lupus. We all appreciate that illness of many types is associated with extreme tiredness. Fatigue is frequently the first symptom of common illnesses such as viral infection." Click to read blog


With Love ღ
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