Lupus 101 - There are four types of lupus, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), Cutaneous or Discoid Lupus Erythematosus, Drug-induced Lupus Erythematosus and Neonatal Lupus. More than 1.5 million Americans have some form of lupus. I have SLE and a mild case of Cutaneous Lupus Erthematosus.
Systemic lupus is the most common form of lupus, and is what most people mean when they refer to "lupus." Systemic lupus can be mild or severe. Some of the more serious complications involving major organ systems are: Inflammation of the kidneys (lupus nephritis), an increase in blood pressure in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension), inflammation of the nervous system and brain, inflammation in the brain’s blood vessels, which can cause high fevers, seizures, behavioral changes, and hardening of the arteries (coronary artery disease).
The symptoms for lupus are the same for females and males and numerous. In fact, lupus is sometimes called "the great imitator" because its symptoms are often like the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, blood disorders, Fibromyalgia, diabetes, thyroid problems, Lyme disease, and a number of heart, lung, muscle, and bone diseases.
Bottom line I'm a walking time bomb. My disease started off with my hands and arms swelling, and then I got angioedma, swelling of the lips, eye sockets and the whites of my eyes. Then I walked around with 2/3 of my lung collapsed for 10 months until I had surgery. I still have a partially collapsed lung....go figure. Then my kidney went to hell and a hand basket. Now I'm on a medicine that cost $2,500 a month...thank God for Tricare insurance.
I have over 10 aliments, 14 surgeries since 1998 till now, 13 medications I take daily and 14 specialty doctors. Scheduling is hell for me when a last minute meeting gets thrown on my plate.Be happy to go to the dentist twice a year and seeing your PCM only when you need them. Many of us Lupies (what lupus patients call ourselves) see twice as many physician than I see, they are or have lost their hair (me too), are on chemo treatment and in a wheelchair.I just found out that I will go through another kidney biopsy which will result in a 6-month trial of chemo. I won't have to take any other lupus meds and I can get a guaranteed 7-8 hours of study time :) you got the look at the bright side.
Time for pain killers.......
Down2earthlupie
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