Author Archives: Darla Gay

Lupus Plus Steroids Equals Weight Gain

I’ve been overweight most of my life. In high school, I thought I was fat! Looking back at pictures from that time, I wish I was that size again. Before my lupus diagnosis, I was 20-25 pounds over my ideal weight — I thought I was huge. Today, I would…

Lupus Has Made It Difficult to Work Full Time

Having lupus is hard enough, but when a full-time job is added in, it’s almost unbearable. Sleep is always an issue. It seems like we never get enough. And then taking a shower uses up what little energy we have left. We’re exhausted by the time we…

My Lupus Came with Depression, and Not Just the SAD Kind

I used to think winter was the most depressing time of the year. I hated to see the leaves fall off the trees. I couldn’t wait for spring when the flowers started blooming again.  Now that I have experienced true depression, I know the difference. There is a form…

I Was Blindsided by Lupus, but I Am Adjusting

I’ll always remember the day I found out I have lupus. It sticks with me like the memory of where I was the day Elvis died. It is a dividing line between the former “normal” days and my “new normal.” Everyone has different symptoms that lead them to make that…