Recently my friend was diagnosed with Lupus Have you heard of it?

Question

I'd like to be able to help her out with anything she might need from me yet I know nothing about the desease, I believe if I knew more about the illness I would have more to offer in my helping her to cope with her illness thank-you in advance for your knowlege I hope you can help me help her.

Answer 1

Lupus is an autoimmune disease, which basically means the body attacks itself. This link gives a good explanation of this disease. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupus_erythematosus

Read everything you can about it and remain supportive of your friend, especially on her bad days.

Answer 2

First Lupus is not cancer, it is an auto-immune disease. It is not contagious. People with Lupus can have a wide variety of symptoms, or go through periods of no symptoms at all. She possibly won't know how she is feeling from one day to the next, depending on how she feels when she wakes up in the morning! If she has been diagnosed since you last saw her, and you won't see her again for a few days, chances are she will look and feel no different when you see her next than she did when you last saw her, just a few weeks older!

Answer 3

Lupus is an autoimmune disease, which means that the body's natural defense system (immune system) attacks its own tissues instead of attacking foreign substances like bacteria and viruses. This causes inflammation. Inflammation causes swelling, pain, and tissue damage throughout the body. If you develop severe lupus, you may have problems with your kidneys, heart, lungs, nervous system, or blood cells. Lupus is the common name for systemic lupus erythematosus, also called SLE.

Although some people with lupus have only mild symptoms, the disease is lifelong and can become severe. But most people can control their symptoms and prevent severe damage to their organs. They do this by seeing their doctors often for checkups, getting enough rest and exercise, and taking medicines.



I hope this helps.... im sorry about your friend

Answer 4

Yes, I have heard of it. However, my knowledge is extremly limited, because the first time I heard about it was when they talked about it breifly on Americas Next Top Model. Err... here's all I can tell you

Right now, give her your love and support. Research it along some websites, and again, love and support

I'm sorry I can't be of more help.

Answer 5

ive heard of it-one of the girls off on Americas Next Top Model had it. and try going to webmd.com and reading up on it. hope that helps a little :)

Answer 6

Pray for your friend--and always be there, so she won't feel alone on what's sure to be a dark, scary road leading to death---which Lupus takes it's victims to.

This will be a tough journey for your friend....and for you, for being her friend. But the Angels will bless you for being this girl's friend.

As for more info on Lupus, I'm sure scads of medical info sites on Lupus are out there. Log online and surf out for them.

And good luck to both your friend and you.

Answer 7

Check this out this will help you
http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/lupus/tengo/english.htm

Answer 8

Yes I have and there are 2 different kinds:

One is life threatening and one is not

here are some of the symptoms about LUPUS either way

If you have lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE), you may be extremely tired, have skin rashes, or have joint pain. If the disease is more serious, you may have problems with your kidneys, heart, lungs, blood, or nervous system.

Lupus symptoms depend on what body organs are affected and how seriously they are affected.

* Fatigue: About 90% of people with lupus have mild to extreme fatigue.4 Even mild cases of lupus cause an inability to engage in daily activities and exercise.5 Increased fatigue is a classic sign that a symptom flare is about to occur.
* Joint and muscle pain: About 95% of people with lupus have joint pain (arthritis) at some time. About 70% of people with lupus report that joint and muscle pain was their first sign of the disease.4 Joints may be red and warm, and may swell. Morning stiffness may also be felt. Lupus arthritis often occurs on both sides of the body at the same time, particularly in the wrists, small joints of the hands, elbows, knees, and ankles.6
* Skin problems: Most people with lupus develop skin rashes.6 These rashes are often an important clue to the diagnosis. In addition to the butterfly rash over the cheeks and bridge of the nose, other common skin symptoms include skin sores or flaky red spots on the arms, hands, face, neck, or back; mouth or lip sores; and a scaly, red, or purple raised rash on the face, neck, scalp, ears, arms, and chest.
* Sensitivity to light: Exposure to ultraviolet light (such as sunlight or tanning parlors) typically worsens the skin rash and can trigger lupus flares. Sensitivity to light affects more than 50% of those with lupus, with fair-skinned people with lupus tending to be more sensitive.4
* Nervous system symptoms: The majority of people with lupus develop nervous system problems, most commonly headaches, depression, or anxiety. Memory loss is less common.
* Heart problems: People with lupus may develop inflammation of the heart sac (pericarditis), which may cause severe, sudden pain in the center of the left side of the chest that may spread to the neck, back, shoulders, or arms.
* Mental health problems: People with lupus may develop problems such as anxiety and depression. Such problems can be caused by lupus, the medications used to treat it, or the stress of coping with chronic illness.
* Fever: About 80% of people with lupus will sometimes have a low-grade fever related to the disease. Over a third of people with lupus report that fever was a first sign of the disease.4
* Changes in weight: About 60% of people with lupus lose weight when their disease is active (flaring).4
* Hair loss: Up to 50% of people with lupus experience periods of hair loss, either in patches or spread evenly over the head. This hair loss is usually not permanent.6
* Swollen glands: Up to 50% of people with lupus eventually develop swollen lymph glands during a flare.4
* Raynaud's phenomenon: This condition is present in about 20% of people with lupus.7 It affects the small vessels that supply blood to the skin and the soft tissues under the skin of the fingers and toes, causing them to turn white and/or blue or red. The skin affected will feel numb, tingly, and cold to the touch.
* Inflammation of blood vessels in the skin (cutaneous vasculitis): Inflammation or bleeding from the blood vessels can lead to small or large blue spots or small reddish spots on the skin or nail beds.

Hope this helps you understand better what your friend has - my best advice is be there for her - support her - never leave her side your friend needs you - there are so many people that walk away form the ill so be there for her all the way.

Answer 9

try lupus.org you can find out everything you need to know there you can even find a support group

Answer 10

Yes! do not put other objects in your ear, my sister got infected with it, and her ear turned red, all red, but it will stop, you need to stop, i mean really, dont do it.