Stress and Lupus

As a child I worried about everything!  I feel like I was always stressed.  Stressed about school, my teachers, family, friends, health, and teammates (Cross Country and Track).  I was always concerned at what people thought and I feel like I am still that way today but in a smaller sense.  This stress caused me to get shingles at age 18.  I was miserable and it affected my left arm and to this day I have nerve issues in my left side of my neck and arm. 

I started with small Lupus like symptoms starting at age 21 and then it progressed to many symptoms that I just couldn’t ignore at age 23.  I was having pain in my joints; I had a low-grade fever that just wouldn’t go away.  My stomach was a wreck none of the food I ate were properly digested, it felt awful.  I also had a rash above my nose, I was tired all of the time and struggled to speak properly.  I explained it one time that it was like Pictionary.  I could picture the look of something but couldn’t remember the name of it.  For instance, a patio or a fence I could visualize them but couldn’t come up with name of it.  I ignored these symptoms for as long as I could and then headed to a general practitioner’s doctor’s office.  He ran many tests (CBC, ANA(Anti-nuclear Antibodies), urine tests, platelet count, and some kidney tests.  Most of these tests came back to him abnormal.  The one thing about Lupus is it is extremely hard to diagnosis.  He diagnosed me with mixed connective tissue disease.  I went to a couple of rheumatologists to hear other things but not Lupus.  I assumed I had Lupus especially after the symptoms and having the rash above my nose.  I did a ton of research because I felt I needed to be my own health advocate.  A year later I found Dr. Daniel Wallace in Beverly Hills.  I got an appointment and made the drive a few days later. 

Dr. Daniel Wallace was a life saver he took all of my lab results and after looking them over and looking me over he said, “okay you have Systemic Lupus”.  Wow, I knew it, but I got so much of the run around that I was a little shocked!  That started me on the track to figure out what was ahead of me.  I started eating better and tried to manage my stress level.  My medication at the time was high dose steroids and once that got all of symptoms and Lupus activity under control, I started taking Plaquenil (Hydroxychloroquine). 

I feel stress played a major part in the reason I have Lupus and I try to watch it, but it is extremely hard to stop being stressed.  It almost seems like a part of me, like I can’t turn it off.  I have bought a few books on reducing stress, so I try to put it into action when I remember.  I have also downloaded a meditation app called Calm and a breathing app too.  These are great stress reducing tools.  Walking every day and working out a few times a week also help with stress reduction.