LIVING WITH LUPUS

WHAT IS LUPUS?
Lupus is a disease where the body’s cells that fight off sickness end up
attacking healthy cells in different parts of the body like the skin, kidneys,
lungs, and heart. Lupus will look different for each person and lasts for life.

WHAT CAUSES LUPUS? HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE

No one knows what exactly causes
lupus. Scientists think a person’s
genes, hormones, and outside
influences like viruses, cigarettes,
certain medicines, some sun rays,
and stress may put a person at risk
of getting lupus.
LUPUS?
Every year in America, 16,000
people are told they have lupus. In
the world, there are 5 million
people living with lupus.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE WHAT SHOULD I BE ON THE

LUPUS?
You will need to meet with your
doctor in order to know for sure if
you have lupus. People with lupus
usually show some of these signs:
 Butterfly rash on the face
 Sensitive to the sun
 Rashes in the form of a disc
 A sore in the mouth
 Joint pain
 Irritation of heart or lungs
 Problems with kidneys
 Seizures
 Blood problems
 Have certain parts in your
blood called antibodies that
are not normal
LOOK OUT FOR IF I HAVE
LUPUS?
Each person with lupus is different.
If you have lupus, you may feel
more bad on some days more than
others.
People with lupus can have a
butterfly rash on their face and
have other rashes over their body.
Mouth sores can also form. You
may also feel tired, have a fever,
and get dry eyes. Depending on
your lupus, you may also have
problems with your kidneys,
stomach, lungs, heart, or blood.
You may also feel nervous or feel a
change in mood.

WHAT KINDS OF LUPUS EXIST?

There are 5 kinds of lupus:

1. Systemic lupus – may affect different organs in your body
2. Cutaneous lupus – affects the skin after being in the sun
3. Drug induced lupus – caused by certain medicines but this goes away
after the medicine wears off
4. Neonatal lupus – affects babies for up to 6 months
5. Discoid lupus – marked by a red rash that does not disappear

Ricardo D. Ramirez, OTS

 LIVING WITH LUPUS

CAN I GET MORE HEALTH HOW DOES LIFE WITH LUPUS

PROBLEMS BECAUSE I HAVE
LUPUS?
Yes. You may be more likely to
have infections, cancer, and
have problems with pregnancy.
You may also experience some
death of bone due to blood
problems.
LOOK LIKE? WHAT CAN I DO
TO MAKE A LIFE WITH LUPUS
WELL?
Most people with lupus live a full
life! If you follow your doctor’s
orders, take your medicines, and
get medical help when you don’t
feel well, your chances of having
problems because of your lupus
will go down. Try to exercise,
avoid stress, and have people
who will be there for you.

IS THERE A CURE FOR LUPUS? WHY DO I HAVE TO GO TO SO

MANY DOCTORS?
As of right now, there is no cure for lupus. Since lupus can affect
different parts of your body, you may need different doctors to look at
your joints, lungs, heart, lungs, kidneys, skin, or blood in order to take
care of your lupus. You may need to take different pills to reduce your
symptoms such as pain and fever.

HOW WILL MY LIFE CHANGE BY HAVING LUPUS?

Your life will change depending on your kind of lupus. You may feel
tired or your joints may hurt when you move. Because of this, you may
need some help with doing different activities like cooking, shopping,
cleaning, and laundry. You may also need to change parts of your job
if you feel like your lupus is making it harder than usual to work. Since
lupus symptoms come and go, you may need to change your routine
depending on how you feel.

WHAT SHOULD I NOT DO? WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE?

You should not put any part of
your body under ice packs or
receive ice massage. This
should be avoided in order to
make sure all parts of your body
get the blood they need.
Learn more about other people
living with lupus at
http://www.lupuscanada.org/pers
onal-stories/. Check to see what
is being done in America for
people with lupus at
https://www.cdc.gov/lupus/funde
d/index.html.

Ricardo D. Ramirez, OTS

 LIVING WITH LUPUS
References

Connolly, D., McNally, A., Moran, D., & Ryan, M. (2014). Fatigue in systemic lupus

erythematosus: Impact on occupational participation and reported management

strategies. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 77(7), 373–380.

https://doi.org/10.4276/030802214X14044755581862

Fortuna, G., & Brennan, M. T. (2013). Systemic lupus erythematosus: Epidemiology,

pathophysiology, manifestations, and management. Dental Clinics of North

America, 57(4), 631–655. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cden.2013.06.003

Lupus Alliance of Long Island/Queens. (2015). Secondary conditions. Retrieved from

https://lupusliqueens.org/lupus-info/secondary-conditions/

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2018). Lupus. Retrieved from

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lupus/symptoms-causes/syc-

20365789

The National Resource Center on Lupus. (2018a). What is lupus? Retrieved from

https://resources.lupus.org/entry/what-is-lupus

The National Resource Center on Lupus. (2018b). What causes lupus? Retrieved from

https://resources.lupus.org/entry/what-causes-lupus

The National Resource Center on Lupus. (2018c). What doctors look for to confirm for a

diagnosis. Retrieved from https://resources.lupus.org/entry/what-doctors-look-for

The National Resource Center on Lupus. (2018d). How lupus affects the renal (kidney)

system. Retrieved from https://resources.lupus.org/entry/how-lupus-affects-the-

renal-system

Ricardo D. Ramirez, OTS

 LIVING WITH LUPUS
The National Resource Center on Lupus. (2018e). Lupus facts and statistics. Retrieved

from https://resources.lupus.org/entry/facts-and-statistics

The National Resource Center on Lupus. (2018f). Prognosis and life expectancy.

Retrieved from https://resources.lupus.org/entry/prognosis-and-life-expectancy

U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2016). Lupus. Retrieved from

https://medlineplus.gov/lupus.html

Wietlisbach, C.M., & Blade Branham, F.D. (2014). Physical agent modalities and

biofeedback. In M.V. Radomski & C.A. Trombly Latham (Eds.), Occupational

therapy for physical dysfunction (7th Ed.) (pp. 558-588). Baltimore, MD:

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Visuals retrieved from:

https://thenounproject.com

Ricardo D. Ramirez, OTS