Pregnancy and Contraception for Women With Lupus

Women with lupus can and do have healthy babies. There are a few things to keep in mind if you are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant:

•     Pregnancy in women with lupus is considered high risk, but most women with lupus carry their babies safely.

•     Pregnant women with lupus should see their doctors often.

•     Lupus can flare during pregnancy.

•     Pregnancy counseling and planning before pregnancy are important.

Women with lupus who do not wish to become pregnant or who are taking medicine that could be harmful to an unborn baby may want reliable birth control. Recent studies have shown that oral contraceptives (birth control pills) are safe for women with lupus.

Anyone can get lupus but women are most at risk.

If you have lupus, your immune system attacks healthy cells and tissues by mistake. This can damage your joints, skin, blood vessels and organs. There are many kinds of lupus. The most common type, systemic lupus erythematosus, affects many parts of the body. Discoid lupus causes a rash that doesn't go away. Subacute cutaneous lupus causes sores after being out in the sun. Another type can be caused by medication. Neonatal lupus, which is rare, affects newborns.

Anyone can get lupus, but women are most at risk. Lupus is also more common in African American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American women. The cause of lupus is not known.

Lupus has many symptoms. Some common ones are

1. Joint pain or swelling

1. Muscle pain

1. Fever with no known cause

1. Fatigue

1. Red rashes, often on the face (also called the "butterfly rash")

There is no one test to diagnose lupus, and it may take months or years to make the diagnosis. There is no cure for lupus, but medicines and lifestyle changes can help control it.

What causes lupus?

Although doctors are do not know exactly what causes lupus and other autoimmune diseases, most believe that lupus results from both genetic and environmental stimuli.

Since lupus is known to occur within families, doctors believe that it is possible to inherit a genetic predisposition to lupus. There are no known genes, however, that directly cause the illness. It is probable that having an inherited predisposition for lupus makes the disease more likely only after coming into contact with some environmental trigger.

The higher number of lupus cases in females than in males may indicate that the disease can be triggered by certain hormones.

Physicians believe that hormones such as estrogen regulate the progression of the disease because symptoms tend to flare before menstrual periods and/or during pregnancy.

Certain environmental factors have been known to cause lupus symptoms. These include:

•     Extreme stress
•     Exposure to ultraviolet light, usually from sunlight
•     Smoking
•     Some medications and antibiotics, especially those in the sulfa and penicillin groups
•     Some infections, such as cytomegalovirus (CMV), parvovirus (such as fifth disease),              hepatitis C infections, and the Epstein-Barr virus (in children)
•     Chemical exposure to compounds such as trichloroethylene in well water and dust

The Key to overcoming adversities such as lupus,chronic illness,self-esteem is Personal Development

Lupus- Grieving Is Important & Normal

Lupus can really be a deliberating disease that can cause disruption in everyday
life. It can make you feel loss of yourself emotionally, and feeling like you don’t
own control over your very own health and body anymore let alone your life.
Most people who live with lupus have the challenges of learning to do things in a
total different way if not being able to ever do it again because lupus robs them of
the ability and mobility to do so. Participating in Activities and being able to set
our own standards and limits is a plus, however when you have lupus being able to do
so becomes a struggle in itself, for just the normal things you used to do. This kind of
struggle makes someone with lupus feel inadequate because they feel defined by
those activities like, playing sports, spending time with friends and family, goal
and ambition building amongst many more. It’s a sense of normalcy for people to
change their lives on their own and to grow or transform, but in the lupus world
most times you don’t have that decision to make. This seems like a
setback.

Even though some of these feelings are of an emotional nature one need not to
think that this process of grieving is any less devastating than the loss or death of
someone you love. See all these emotional feelings are people who have lost the
ability to do certain things they are used to doing and maintaining most of their lives.This loss of control of their appearances, images, health and body, and loss of opportunities can be devastating. All this causes a grief process to begin and it is normal. Most people think that a grieving process only comes to pass when there is death, this is true however non-death experiences brings about grieving as well. When you define grief you will find
many definitions however it can be defined as an emotion of great sadness
associated with loss or bereavement. Loss, meaning anything not just death. Loss
of abilities and normalcy like what lupus causes. You miss what you don’t have any
more weather it has been taken away abruptly or over a period of time. Its ok to
grieve so don’t ever disregard your feelings, talk to someone, your support system
or even your doctor or therapist. Don’t take grief likely or for granted. Although
normal you don’t want to find yourself grieving more than the illness is physically effecting you itself. The grieving process is for the newly and
veteran diagnosed. 

Life After Diagnosis
The importance of grieving is part of your coping and what I call your healing
process. Lupus has different faces, but the emotional anguish we all have that in
common. It’s important to grieve and to go through this process so that you can
move forward. This is when life after diagnosis really begins.
Even though you are going through a grieving process doesn’t mean life is
over. Life can be just beginning for you. Now you are forced to learn new things to
do to replace activities you cannot do anymore. (Can be exciting to embark on
new things) You may even discover things about yourself you didn’t know. Better
yet, it will be an everlasting experience to train yourself how to be
comfortable being uncomfortable just for a while. Limitations won’t seem like
limitation if you find substitutes. The key is not to give up no matter what your
situation looks like. Life just has new meaning that’s all. This all is a process
because after 23 years living with lupus myself I had to grow into a new me. I do
miss my old life but I don’t stay stuck. I even grieve sometime but again I don’t
stay stuck. Again if you are grieving its normal I see a mental health therapist who
helps me with all my mental health challenges surrounding my grief. However you may want to research grief counselors in your area if your therapist doesn’t provide this type
of service. Be mindful you only get one life to live however the type of life you
have can be many, so whatever the case or wherever you are at in your lupus
battle make the decision to live your life after diagnosis.
BY Coach Kisha Johnson McRae

Disclaimer- I am not a doctor or a medical professional. The information contained in this blog is
based on personal experience and professional training. Any information, suggestions or advice is not to
be replaced for medical treatment. This blog was intended to help those who grieve with lupus
understand the normalcy of it. I will not be held responsible for anyone using any such information for
the purposes that this blog intentions are not serving. Self-help and awareness of the grief that lupus
can bring.