Re: systemic lupus erithrotosis

In Reply to: systemic lupus erithrotosis posted by martha evans on January 25, 1999 at 05:31:41:

What kind of information do you need? I have discoidlupus and was diagnosed in 1986. There are two types of lupus---systemic and discoid.
I get more tired than normal people. I have the butterfly rash across my cheeks and nose but also get it all over my body. I itch constantly. I have arthritis associated with lupus as well as spondylolithesis and a bulging disc due to an on the job injury. I am a nurse in a nursing home, or was before my injury.
Lupus can mimic many diseases and causes organs to shut down for no apparent reason.Systemic can be life threatening also. For me it is mostly the rash and itching, but I am lucky. I am allergic to everything---soap and lotions, perfumes, makeup, clothing, and I just tell everyone I am basically allergic to myself.
To put it in easy to understand language-----lupus is an autoimmune disease. Basically lupus thinks that other cells in your body are foreign and attacks them. You can have symptoms of say heart attack but they can't find anything wrong. There is more and more info on this disease everywhere as it becomes more and more known. It attacks mainly females, however men can get it too. they aren't sure how you get it but some theorize that it is heredity. For more detail info you can go to the site of the Lupus Foundation of America at: www.lupus.org/lupus/
I hope this answers some of your questions.