Pain Management

For the pass couple of weeks my Lupus has been causing me all types of pain. Some days I can function and just work through the pain but other days I have to take my painkillers and just sleep. My muscles and joints feel like they are on fire sometimes or I feel like I just got hit by a truck. How do you deal with your lupus pain? What meds do you take for your pain management?

Fatigue and Lupus

This week has been a challenge dealing with the heat and feeling exhausted. Last weekend was a bust for me. I had been invited to a housewarming and a few cookouts and I was unable to attend these events due to extreme fatigue. I have been tired before but never like this. A friend of mine who has lupus gets shots of B 12 to deal with her fatigue, I have been considering getting one to see if it would make a difference and give me some energy. What do you do when you are suffering from being fatigue?

Alcohol and Lupus

To drink or not to drink? Before being diagnosed with lupus I loved having a night out with my girls indulging in cocktails and having a few laughs. After my diagnosis I still enjoy a night out but I've changed my alcohol intake do to the disease. I usually drink a glass or two of wine now. Every now and than I may have a dirty martini but I limit myself to one. My alcohol intake depends on what medication I am taking. Most lupus medication you are not suppose to consume alcohol while taking it ( It is not recommended to consume alcohol with any medication). What do you think about alcohol and lupus?

Environmental Factors That Trigger Lupus

Environmental factors are known to trigger lupus along with genetic predisposition. Some enviromental factors that may trigger lupus are, stress (extreme), pregnancy (hormones), antibiotics, infection, certain foods, and certain drugs. Recently I read a book called, The Lupus Recovery Diet, by Jill Harrington. Harrington believes that your diet is the first step in recovering from lupus. She has been in remission for 12 years now and swears by a vegan diet. Since I've had lupus I have changed my diet drastically, I no longer eat land animals and I work hard at only consuming foods that are free from preservatives. When I first started the diet I felt great! I stop taking all of my lupus medication ( not recommended by my doctor) and I was hopeful that this was the "answer" to lupus. A few months later my health started to decline and I had to get back on my lupus medication. I still believe in maintaining a healthy diet and exercising. Do you think a better diet can improve your lupus condition?   

How do you explain lupus to a child?

Life with lupus is challenging. You have your good days, bad days and the dreaded awful days. I have a three year old son whose life revolves around playing with trains so on my good days with lupus, I am super mom! We are in full play mode running aroumd the house, having a great time. On my bad days I can't do much running around but I am still able to fake it and smile through the achy joints. My awful days are when I can barely get up out of bed. On those days I completely shut down mentally and physically. I don't want to get into the habit of telling my son, "Mommy's sick." I want to know from you, how did you tell your child about lupus?