Lupus is an autoimmune disease which may affect the whole body

Lupus is an autoimmune disease which may affect the whole body. It is called the great pretender because lupus may seem similar to many other illnesses. It may take many years before lupus is diagnosed. Lupus affects all ages but the disease typically peaks in the 15 to 40 year-old age group. It primarily affects women. Lupus is an autoimmune disease which means the body begins to attack itself. The kidneys, heart, lungs and blood systems may all be affected. Hallmarks of the disease include skin rashes and the malar (butterfly rash) found across the nose.

Lupus patients generally have a variety of doctors, including a rheumatologist (for joints). It is essential that you keep your doctors well informed. If you don't get along well with one doctor, then find one that you do get along with.

Ask your doctor lots of questions and read up about it online. A good website to start is the Lupus Foundation of America, as listed below.

Get enough sleep. Drink enough. Eat enough. Remember to take some time to relax.

Learn to recognize signs of flare ups. If you start to feel ill, try to figure out what is causing it (sun? stress? working too hard?) so that you can avoid it. Also, if you recognize that you are having a flare, you can tell your doctor so that it gets under control before it gets out of hand.

If you have questions or concerns, call your doctor. Don't worry about "bothering them over something minor", you have a serious illness and it's their job to help you with your health. It is better to ask too often than not enough.

The majority of lupus patients are photosensitive (sensitive to UV or sunlight). Wear sunscreen and avoid excessive sun exposure.

Try to take things one step at a time and not overdo it.

They may have a difficult time understanding the disease and coping with the fact that you have it. Try to keep them well informed.

It is common that people have a hard time understanding that you are ill. Try to educate them about lupus. Send them a link to a lupus website or give them a book about lupus to read.

If you are having difficulty coping, you may want to consider seeing a psychiatrist, joining a support group (internet based or in real life), and talking to your doctor about it.

If you don't want them telling everyone about it, tell them so. It is normal for a person to want to keep his/her medical information private.