At the age of 28, I was diagnosed with a severe case of lupus. In addition to the renal effects, my lupus began to attack my central nervous system, including my brain. My cognitive function, memory, and mood were greatly affected and made it difficult to do my normal job.
I always believed I could understand the feelings of anxiety and depression that plague some of my loved ones, even though I never had experienced them. But in the weeks before my diagnosis, lupus gave me a small preview of what it’s like to have those two…
While the “rebellious phase” more often than not takes place in most people’s teenage years, I made it from the age of 13 all the way into my 20s without feeling the need to channel my inner rebel. Although I once believed that I just didn’t have…
Dealing with an illness isn’t easy, and going through it alone can make things more difficult. Support is one of the most important aspects of dealing with any disease, including lupus. While family and friends can be a crucial part of your support system, it helps to seek advice from…
When I was diagnosed with lupus, I hadn’t cut my hair for more than five years. It had grown so long that I almost could sit on it, and it was one of the things I truly loved most about my appearance. But six months into treatment,…
We get hungry, we eat. That’s what I thought of food before getting lupus. I know that sounds pretty basic, but that’s how it goes. We may complicate things by asking what we…
This past weekend, I went on vacation for the first time since I started working full time a year-and-a-half ago. I have used all of my paid time off for doctors’ appointments, which has been very frustrating, especially when I hear about all of the wonderful things that my similarly…
Being diagnosed with lupus made me aware that my body was self-destructive. Coming to terms with my illness was made harder because I couldn’t pinpoint a cause, and therefore had nothing to blame but my own body. When it comes to writing about my body, it often comes from…
Work and chronic illness is a tricky combination; for many of us, our minds are often raring to go, but our bodies can sometimes stop us in our tracks. Over the years (through LupusChick), I have met thousands of lupus patients and people with other illnesses who are having…
In the wake of the opioid controversy, it’s important to understand that some patients will do just about anything to resolve their pain. Without stronger medications, most will suffer in silence. Some are even being told to take Tylenol for pain that was once treated with much stronger drugs. The…