Whether it is a fellow lupus patient, or a person who knows a lupus patient, or just a stranger who is curious about LUPUS, they have one similar question — WHAT MEDICINE AM I TAKING ?
Well, from the time I was diagnosed with LUPUS I have took a lot of medicine. Different shapes, sizes, colors and even prices. haha. There was a time that my daily medicine intake amounted to Php 200. Many were telling me that I make the drug store owners richer. lol.
Medicines have good and bad effect. For example, PREDNISODE (steriods), prolongs intake of said medicine can cause heart disease and osteoporosis. But its the only medicine I can take to control my LUPUS. There is another medicine plaquenil but when I took, I experience some more joint pains so my rheuma told me not to take it. To lower the side effect, my rheuma told me to drink milk, take calcium supplement. Now, he advised me to loss some weight to avoid heart disease.
But because I will forever have LUPUS, drinking medicine takes a toll on me sometimes. Once, I decided to stop drinking prednisone. I even stop going for check up. I don’t have any reason. It just that I grew tired of it all. I was fortunate that when I decided to see my rheuma it was not yet too late. The urinalysis have already shown some protein leak and my rheuma is already telling me that I might be subjected to chemo. I was just blessed that my rheuma decided to give me another month of observation coupled with a high dose of prednisone.
That time I learn my lesson. I accepted the fact that I have LUPUS. And having LUPUS, I should take my medicine regulary. I have to see my rheumatologist on the scheduled date. If not, I might be a lUPUS casualty.
One thing that have always stick in my mind. A line that my rheuma uttered when he was scolding me. ‘Once you’re kidney got a scar it is IRREVERSIBLE, so better take good care of it.’
Now, I am taking 5 mg of PREDNISONE (MWF) and COUMADIN for prevention of blood clot plus CALVIT (calcium supplement). And I decided to add 1000mg of POTENCEE daily to boost my immune system.
1:17 am
Thank you for sharing your story. You make a very good point–with the disease of Lupus it is so very important to listen to the doctor, attend appointments, take medications as prescribed, etc. However, you should not be taking anything that boosts the immune system. That is the exact opposite of what you want to do. During a Lupus flare, your immune system is overactive, so you would not want to take anything that boosts it even more. That is why people with Lupus are given immunosuppressants during flares (to suppress the immune system). I wish you much success!