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- WHAT ELSE SHOULD WE KNOW ABOUT LUPUS?
- There's far more undiagnosed lupus out there being 'put up with' and we have to increase awareness hugely if these people are to be diagnosed and then get some quality back into their lives. Lupus is usually 'for life' at present, having an ongoing impact upon the patient and also upon her or his parents, children, friends and colleagues.
- WITH MY LUPUS, CAN I USE THE PILL?
- A qualified yes - the majority of young women with lupus suffer no problems on the oral contraceptive pill. However, it is now recognized that those women with antiphospholipid antibodies are at increased risk of thrombosis or migraine when taking the pill. Perhaps surprisingly, hormone replacement therapy, often given to treat osteoporosis in post-menopausal lupus patients, is generally well tolerated with few side-effects.
- WHAT ABOUT THE NEXT TEN YEARS?
- Bold initiatives such as stem cell transplants are being experimented with, and the genetic background puzzle of lupus is gradually being uncovered. More significant developments are likely and new medications are gradually being introduced.
Medical knowledge increases all the time and there's no doubt that the lupus patient is having her/his illness under better control and management than ever before. Doctors are successfully tailoring medication now to individual patient need, and the future for the lupus patient looks ever more hopeful.
- IS THERE A STRONG MESSAGE FOR FAMILY DOCTORS?
- Emphatically yes! The many symptoms of lupus, differing from patient to patient, can easily cause the practitioner to lean towards a more comfortable or better- known ailment. Knowledge of the lupus condition is vitally needed for quick and accurate diagnosis that may prevent the onset of major organ damage.
IF YOU DONT KNOW ABOUT IT - YOU DONT DIAGNOSE IT......
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