What Is Lupus?

Series Summary

Getting diagnosed with lupus can be a devastating day in the life of any human being. Knowing that it means possibly spending the rest of your life dealing with the symptoms of an autoimmune disease that can affect vital organs such as the heart, lungs or kidneys, as well as the skin and the nervous system, might be enough for anyone to get depressed and down. Though living with systemic lupus erythematosus can overwhelm you, that doesn’t mean that it should. There are plenty of people the world over who are leading productive lives while managing their lupus symptoms effectively. The key is to know yourself and recognize the ways that the disease affects your everyday life—not just your physical health, but your mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. The treatments for lupus are varied, then, from drug therapy and medication, to alternative medicine, stress management, meditation, exercise, good diet, and having a supportive group of friends.

In these free videos on living with lupus, learn how to deal with this disease effectively and continue to live a full life. Our expert, who was diagnosed with lupus at 14 years old herself, will talk about some of the things you’ll need to do to manage your symptoms, including finding a good doctor, dealing with fatigue and arthritis, how to mitigate weight gain from Prednisone therapy, what to eat and how to exercise, and how to manage stress effectively.

If you have lupus or know someone who does, check these videos out and see if they help.

Video Transcript

"Hi, this is Heather Kamins here for Expert Village. Lupus is an autoimmune disease, and what that means is, the body's immune system kind of malfunctions. Instead of attacking germs and other invaders to help keep you healthy, it actually attacks the body's own tissues and organs. It is not a terminal disease, but it is a chronic disease. That means there's not a cure, but it can be managed, and most people with lupus actually live a normal lifespan. A lot of people don't know what lupus is, but it's actually pretty common. The Lupus Foundation of America estimates that around 1.5-2 million Americans have it. And, it's actually more common than muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, leukemia and cerebral palsey."