depressed … depressed SLE can cause some women do not know if the deal with the disease.
Awareness of the disease Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) or Lupus short name is still very low among the people of this country.
In fact, the disease is three times more common among Asian populations and in Malaysia, and the youngest patients suffering from SLE was recorded only eight years old. About 90 percent of those who have lupus are women, while the rest were men, and children.
/> SLE in women usually begins at a young age and very much alive during the high estrogen in the body also plays an important role contributing to the problem.
President of the Malaysian SLE Association, Assoc Prof Dr Esha Das Gupta, said that SLE is an immune system disorder in which the patient’s own immune system had become confused and against healthy body should be protected.
He said he can attack several parts of the body such as joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lung lungs, blood vessels and brain.
“SLE is a complex disorder and the cause is unknown. The root cause of this disease can be caused by a combination of genetic, hormonal factors and environmental estrogens such as exposure to sunlight.
“If SLE only attack the skin, it is not too dangerous to attack internal organs, but if it becomes a chronic disease which can cause death, “he said.
Dr Esha said, every patient showed symptoms of SLE are quite different, with some common signs such as swollen joints, unexplained fever and extreme fatigue.
He said there are patients who show symptoms such as severe skin rash in a butterfly-shaped face, across the nose and cheeks.
“Some of the patients had chest pain, unusual hair loss, anemia, mouth ulcers, headaches, dizziness, depression, confusion and seizures, “he said.
According to Dr. Esha, one test alone can not determine whether a person suffering from SLE but laboratory tests should be conducted to identify auto-antibodies There are often specific in SLE patient’s body.
For example, tests antinuklear antibody (ANA) is usually performed to look for auto antibodies that act against the nucleus of cells, before the doctor to see an overview of patient medical history, symptoms and test results, to determine whether a person is suffering from SLE.
Dr Esha said, no way to identify or protect themselves from contact with SLE but someone that just knows when it has already affected SLE disease. ” br />
There is no medication that can cure the disease, but in line with the progress of medicine, there are medications that can control the severity of SLE, allows the patient a normal life without any problems.
“Women who SLE also can still get pregnant and have children, but if SLE involving vital organs such as kidneys, are advised to avoid pregnancy for fear of his health, “he said.
According to him, even if a person is diagnosed with SLE, there hope for him to lead a normal life, but must abide by the advice of doctors, take medicines to be disciplined and avoid exposure to sun light.
He said, important to SLE patients seek medical help because if it is left without any treatment in the long run, it can become chronic and cause death.
“Before, when modern medicine is not there, SLE patients have very short life expectancy of five years. This is because patients with SLE also susceptible to infection as a weak immune system.
“In addition to specialist care, support from families and couples are also very important to strengthen the spirit of the patient because it causes a feeling of a more sensitive and depressed, “he said.
SLE patients, Arpan Milawati Molana, 32, said in 2006 after a year of marriage, he suddenly fell ill and suffering from fever, skin rash on the face of serious, hair fall heavily, sweating hard and swelling throughout the body including the hands and feet well turned yellowish white eye.
Following that, he had to make inspections at the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) and SLE have informed the swelling of his heart.
“At that time I have never heard and know anything about the disease SLE.
At that time I just remember going to die because the doctor said it can not be cured, I thought it was like cancer.
“As a result I became depressed and irritable and he did not want to do anything and just sad.
” I have been getting treatment from a medicine man-made thinking and when thinking back, how little I know about this disease at the time.
“Fortunately I have a husband who gave strong moral support to find a variety of information about SLE to read and try to strengthen my spirit to encourage me to participate SLE associations in order to meet the same fate, “he said.
He said his illness took two years to be controlled and in the period, he had difficulty moving up to dipapah as intense pain in the joints.” br />
Milawati said he was very fortunate to support her husband, Mohamad Faisal Ibrahim, 35, he became more eager to deal with the disease SLE and when this situation is under control suffered.
“If it was during the early to SLE, I have to eat 18 eggs a day steroids to control it until the body into fat, but because it is under control, I just need to take a steroid just a day now,” he said.
At the beginning of treatment, doctors do not allow pregnant for a while but he confirmed pregnant at the time, but its contents fall before pregnant again after her illness was controlled. Milawati />
now six months pregnant is also a mother to son A healthy and active, Ammar Mohammed Rayyan, 3.
“Most importantly, my advice to other SLE patients are listened to doctors and take medications as directed. Although no side effects at first, but an important disease is under control and can be done before normal life.
“We also have to think positive all the time and happy to help yourself deal with this disease,” he said.
Meanwhile, Jean Chan, 55, said he did not expect to be exposed to any dangerous disease because of his health that is always at an optimum level.
In 1994, he was diagnosed as having SLE disease after a checkup health when suddenly the whole body pain, weakness, extreme hair loss, rashes on the scalp, loss of appetite and fever for five weeks.
He said, after two months of the examination, he was diagnosed as having SLE but lucky it did not attack the internal organs at the time.
“But in 2007 and 2009, I confirmed inflammation of the kidneys due to SLE and to date, although it is under control, I need to take various types of drugs to continue to control it.
“As a result, lower the body’s immune system and I am susceptible to various infections and other health problems such as chronic anemia, hypertension, pneumonia, insomnia, depression and osteoporosis,” he said.
He said the continued support of family and children to strengthen the impetus to continue to fight the health consequences are confronted with SLE.
Jean said, SLE patients have to accept as well as having positive attitudes and increase knowledge about the disease to improve their quality of life. />
Meanwhile, to increase awareness of lupus and raise funds to help other patients, PSLEM will host the event on foot, Walk-a-Umbrella on May 20 2012 from hours of 7 am to 12 noon. Details can be found in www.lupusmalaysia.org website.
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