It started with the bleeding. At first I thought I had leukemia, I'm not kidding. If I pressed my thumb somewhere on any part of my body like my calve or my arm, even just lightly, it would leave a big blue bruise. I bled from my gums. Of course I was scared. Then I discovered the bleeding would stop if I stopped taking NSAIDs like aspirin. Good. Problem solved.
But. There were other little niggles too, like the unexplained low-grade fever attacks that would hit me any time of day, which my friends put down to "hot flushes". I knew it wasn't that, but I left it at that. The ulcers in my mouth. The tiredness which I translated into laziness, as I'm a sloth at heart. The headaches and the heartburn, and other "allergy" problems that involved my digestive system.
I would get up in the mornings with stiff and sore ankles, and would hobble around for a while before it would let up a tiny bit. Which my friends put down to gout. I knew in my heart it wasn't gout, either. But I left it at that.
And then, one day in 2011, I had it : the famous butterfly (malar) rush on my cheeks. And I knew immediately. It was lupus.
(Yes, that's my rash, all right. Sometimes it was much worse, but I never thought about taking another photo, pity about that. Fortunately I haven't had a rash in a while as I start with my protocol soon enough)
It was confirmed: I suffer from SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus). It is an inflammatory disease, wherein the immune system attacks its own tissues - in other words, it's an autoimmune disease. And no, it's not because your immune system isn't working properly. It is because it is working too well.
After my diagnosis, I was started on a Prednisone protocol, which to me, is a miracle pill. A life saver.
Now, when I'm having a flare up, I take the Prednisone and within a few hours I feel better, and the pain is just about gone. I can move. I'm actually having a flare-up right now, but it's under control. This time it was my right knee.
My triggers are stress and heat. Stress I can't escape from, but try to limit it. My body doesn't like heat but this I can deal with. I always underdress, and I always have water with me. It helps a lot to keep me cool. A third trick I've learnt, is not to listen to your friends. They mean it well, but they don't really know it all. Believe me. They don't.
There are lots of articles available on lupus. Here is one link:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/lupus
I'm actually, despite having to keep my eye on the wolf all the time, leading a healthy and happy life. But it helps to be informed. Know your body, and listen to what it's trying to tell you. Be in tune with yourself.
Take care!