What Are Considered Vital Organs? Vital organs refer to organs essential for survival, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, and brain. Lupus is a systemic autoimmune disease. By damaging the immune system, antibodies may now recognize parts of your own body as foreign. No two cases of lupus are alike, and because of its complexity any… Continue reading What Affect Does Lupus Have On Your Organs?
Tag: lupus awareness
What are the Early Signs of Lupus?
Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that can affect various parts of the body, including the skin, joints, kidneys, heart, lungs, brain, and blood cells. It primarily affects women, typically in their childbearing years, though it can affect anyone, including men and children. Lupus is characterized by periods of flare-ups and remission, where symptoms may… Continue reading What are the Early Signs of Lupus?
Lupus Weight Gain: Q&A with the founder of Making Lupus Look Good
Alyshia Merchant knows first-hand how lupus can affect you inside and out. After her diagnosis in 2012 and struggles with visible symptoms and self-esteem, she launched an organization called Making Lupus Look Good, which provides wigs and “glam sessions” to people with lupus-related hair loss and other symptoms. The organization currently serves people in Alyshia’s home… Continue reading Lupus Weight Gain: Q&A with the founder of Making Lupus Look Good
Age-By-Age Guide To Navigating Reproductive Health With Lupus
Lupus can affect your reproductive health in a variety of ways throughout your life and can raise the risks of complications during pregnancy. Thanks to medical advances, the chances of having a safe pregnancy have improved — the key is careful planning. Check out this timeline of gynecological and reproductive health considerations when you have… Continue reading Age-By-Age Guide To Navigating Reproductive Health With Lupus
Lupus flares: Stats and infographics based on the PatientsLikeMe community’s experiences
Lupus flares are hard to define. In fact, there wasn’t a clear clinical definition of flares until 2010 (and even that definition is pretty broad). If you’re living with lupus, how would you define a flare? What do you experience during one? To gain a deeper understanding of flares from the patient perspective, the PatientsLikeMe research team… Continue reading Lupus flares: Stats and infographics based on the PatientsLikeMe community’s experiences
Instagram star Jokiva Bellard on living out loud with lupus: “You have to love yourself – you have to put yourself first”
Jokiva Bellard’s old wardrobe: Hoodies, jogging pants, loose clothes, long sleeves. In a word? “Tomboy. I didn’t want anyone to notice me.” She was covering up skin plaques caused by discoid lupus – which routinely brought stares and prying questions from the public. Then came the facemasks. The model, who hails from New Orleans but… Continue reading Instagram star Jokiva Bellard on living out loud with lupus: “You have to love yourself – you have to put yourself first”
Bright ideas: Members share 7 head-to-toe tips for sun safety with lupus
With summer just around the bend, we’ve rounded up PatientsLikeMe members’ sun-safety and photosensitivity tips for people living with lupus. Photosensitivity is increased sensitivity to sunlight and other sources of ultraviolet (UV) light, sometimes causing a rash or other skin reaction. On PatientsLikeMe, thousands of people with lupus say they’ve experienced photosensitivity – more than… Continue reading Bright ideas: Members share 7 head-to-toe tips for sun safety with lupus