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What
is Lupus? - Lupus is an
autoimmune disease
in which the body's immune system can attack any part of the
body. more...
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Is Lupus Rare? - No, it is estimated that 1.5 million
Americans suffer from Lupus, that is 1 out of every 185.
It is more common than multiple
sclerosis, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, AIDS, cystic
fibrosis, and sickle cell anemia COMBINED.
more...
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Who gets Lupus? - 90% of Lupus patients are women.
African-Americans are 3 times more likely to develop Lupus than
Caucasians. Hispanics, Asians and native Americans are
also more likely to get the disease. 80% of people who
develop Lupus do it between the ages of 15 and 45.
more...
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What Causes Lupus? -
Researchers have not found a definitive cause
for Lupus yet. It is believed that there is a genetic
component, perhaps in combination with environmental factors.
more...
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What are the
Symptoms of Lupus? - Lupus
symptoms are different for every person but
some of the more common ones are: arthritis, unexplained fevers,
malar or "butterfly" rash on the face, photosensitivity,
ulcers
in the mouth or nose, and extreme or prolonged fatigue.
more...
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What are the
Treatments for Lupus? - The first line of
defense is usually
Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
(NSAIDs) aimed at reducing
inflammation and pain. More
aggressive
treatments include
corticosteroids
and
immunosuppressive drugs
that suppress the body's immune reactions. Many of these
treatments have debilitating side effects.
No new
treatment has been approved by the FDA for
Lupus in 40 years. more...
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Is Lupus
Life Threatening? - A Lupus
diagnosis is no longer a death sentence, with
proper
treatment many Lupus patients can live nearly
normal lives, however people do still die from the disease.
more...
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How does Lupus affect Pregnancy? - Most pregnancies
of mothers with Lupus are normal but there are increased risks
and considerations. Lupus carries a much higher risk of
miscarriage than in the general population. Lupus also
carries a higher risk for pre-term birth. Pregnancy can
bring on a Lupus flare in the mother. Pregnancy in Lupus
patients should be timed during periods of remission whenever
possible and should always be closely monitored.
Treatments used for Lupus can cause
infertility and many of the
medications used to treat Lupus are not
suitable for pregnant or nursing mothers. Please discuss
pregnancy and complications from Lupus with your Ob/Gyn and
Rheumatologist before becoming pregnant.
more...
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How
can I connect w/ other Lupus patients in my area? - Most
areas have at least one support group. You may want to
call your doctors and local hospitals and ask if they know of
any local support groups. The Lupus Foundation of America
also sponsors support groups in many areas.
more...
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How
do you break the cycle? - The cycle of pain, depression,
anxiety, sleeplessness, etc that can come with a flare or just a
bad day needs to be dealt with as quickly as possible to keep it
from robbing you of more time than it needs to.
more...
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Can
somebody with Lupus get a Tattoo? - A person with
Lupus interested in getting a tattoo needs to take into
consideration the normal risk of infection, increased healing
time and risk of infection if taking immunosuppressive drugs,
very small risk of a reaction to the dye, and an increased risk
of bleeding if on blood thinners.
more...
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My
doctor says I don't have Lupus, but I have a lot of the
symptoms, Should I believe them? - This is a VERY
common question we get. If you are ever uncomfortable with
a diagnosis or lack of
one, we always recommend a second opinion, or even a third.
Your doctor should be able to show/explain to you, in words that
you can understand, why they made the decision they did.
There are so many doctors who are undereducated or even mis-educated
about Lupus. Lupus can also be so different from one
person to the next and many times
diagnosis is difficult.
Early Lupus diagnosis
can help prevent tissue damage.
more...
