DIAGNOSED: 27th of May, 2017

A lot of people asked me about my illness. Some of their questions include:
- "What is lupus?",
- "Is lupus curable?",
- "How does it affect you?",
- "Can you normally live with that kind of illness?", and,
- "Is your illness contagious?".Living with an incurable illness is not as easy (as you might think). I encounter those kinds of questions sometimes, and I have difficulty explaining the nature of my condition because they cannot understand what it is. People will only understand you if they are in the same situation as if they are also in your shoes.

So, what is lupus? And what is it?

Lupus was tied down to identify several immune diseases having similar clinical presentations and laboratory features (Herndon, 2020), but the most common type is SLE, which affected me.

SLE, or Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, is a chronic, inflammatory, variable autoimmune disease of the connective tissue that occurs chiefly in women, characterized by fever, skin rash, fatigue, joint pain, and often disorders of the blood, kidneys, heart, lungs, and brain (Merriam-Webster).

According to the Lupus Foundation of America, at least 1.5 million Americans are living with diagnosed lupus. The foundation believes that the number of people having the condition is much higher and that many cases go undiagnosed.

Symptoms

Other symptoms include:

SLE can also affect cognitively, manifesting symptoms such as:

Lupus symptoms can mimic symptoms of many other diseases, which makes the diagnosis tricky (Cojocaru et al., 2011). Signs and symptoms may develop abruptly or gradually, mild or severe, and temporary or permanent.Most people with lupus have milder diseases characterized by episodes called flares (or flare-ups), when signs and symptoms get worse for a while, then improve or even disappear thoroughly for a time (Mayo Clinic, 2022). The exact cause of SLE is unclear, but several factors could be associated with the disease (Herndon, 2020).

Laboratory Tests

*I did not encounter this laboratory test in my diagnosis, apart from the former two mentioned, as suggested by my doctor.
*Depending on whether my doctor will request us to include urinalysis every time I have my laboratory tests. During my last check-up, he did not include urinalysis testing.

SLE is incurable, but there are some medicines that patients can take to control the "flares."

My Medications*

*These are just a list of medicines I have taken before, as prescribed by my doctor. I never take most of the medications now, and I only take those currently prescribed by my doctor.

Medications include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids/steroids, immunosuppressants, hydroxychloroquine, and methotrexate (Wikipedia, 2023).SLE affects people differently. You must make an appointment with your doctor if you develop any concerning symptoms (Herndon, 2020).

Living with a chronic condition can be difficult. You cannot do some activities that you love because your illness is "controlling" you. There are also some instances wherein you cannot enjoy living as ordinary people do.But whatever those are, don't let it affect you. It is like what my doctor and other people advise me, "Don't stress yourself too much." Take life easy and slow down. Life is too short, so you must enjoy every moment because every moment counts.