Thank God...I'm Still Alive!!

Assalamualaikum...

It's been 2 years after I had my terrible nightmare that might killing me. This happened during my 2nd day of Industrial placement.

I've been hospitalized because of SLE. Yup, maybe you didn't know what kind of disease was it, right? :)

Actually, SLE is Systemic lupus erythematosus and also called Lupus


Lupus, also called systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE, is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects tissue and organs throughout the body (e.g., joints, kidneys, skin, heart)

SLE most often harms the hear, joints, skin, lungs, blood vessels, liver, kidneys, and nervous system. The course of the disease is unpredictable, with periods of illness (called flares) alternating with remissions.

The disease occurs nine times more often in women than in men. Although SLE is not considered curable, I still can doing  periods of extended remission with virtually no clinical activity
 

 

Symptoms

    * Fatigue
    * Fever (usually less than 39°C)
    * General feeling of being unwell (malaise)
    * Hair loss
    * Muscle pain
    * Nausea and vomiting
    * Rash (commonly a "butterfly" rash across the cheeks and under the eyes)
    * Sensitivity to sunlight (called photosensitivity)
    * Sore or lesion (ulcer) in the mouth or nose, usually painless
    * Swelling and pain in the joints (e.g., hands, knees)
    * Swollen glands

    * Weight loss

Complications

Lupus, as well as medications used to treat the disease, may cause a number of complications. These complications, some of which can be severe, include the following:

    * Kidney damage (kidney failure is a leading cause of death in lupus patients)
    * Nervous system damage (headaches, dizziness, memory loss, seizures)
    * Cardiovascular damage (inflammation of the heart and blood vessels; increased risk for heart attack)
    * Lung damage (pleurisy; increased risk for pneumonia)
    * Damage to bones (avascular necrosis caused by diminished blood supply to the bones)
    * Increased risk for cancer (e.g., non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, lung cancer, liver cancer)
    * Increased risk for infection (caused by the disease as well as the medications used to treat the disease)

Diagnosis

SLE is diagnosed if more than 4 of the following are present.

    * Malar rash (butterfly-shaped rash across the cheeks and nose)

    * Rash (raised red patches on the skin)
    * Photosensitivity (rash caused by exposure to sunlight)
    * Mouth or nose ulcers (usually painless)
    * Non-erosive arthritis (does not destroy the bones surrounding the joints), which occurs in 2 or more     joints and causes tenderness, swelling, or effusion (increased amounts of fluid)
    * Cardiopulmonary involvement (inflammation of the lining around the heart [pericarditis] and/or the lungs [pleurisy])
    * Neurological disorder (seizures, psychosis, cognitive dysfunction)
    * Kidney (renal) disorder (excessive protein in the urine [proteinuria], cellular casts in the urine)
    * Blood disorder (e.g., hemolytic anemia, low white blood cell count, low platelet count)
    * Immunologic disorder (antibodies to double stranded DNA, antibodies to Sm, antibodies to cardiolipin)
    * Antinuclear antibodies (ANA; positive test in absence of drugs known to induce a positive test)

Treatment

There is no cure for lupus, and the goals of treatment are to minimize symptoms, to reduce inflammation in the body, and to maintain function. Because the course of the disease varies from patient to patient, there are a number of different treatment plans.

It is important for patients with lupus to avoid excessive sun exposure, wear sunscreen regularly, and avoid taking Echinacea (herb that stimulates the immune system).

It also is recommended that patients:

    * Avoid smoking
    * Have regular medical checkups
    * Limit alcohol intake
    * Take medication as prescribed

Medications
The types of medications used to treat lupus depend on which organs are affected and on the severity of symptoms. Medications that are commonly used include the following:

    * Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs; e.g., aspirin, ibuprofen [Advil®, Motrin®], naproxen [Naprosyn®], indomethacin [Indocin®])
    * Acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol®)
    * Corticosteroids (e.g., Prednisone®)
    * Antimalarials (e.g., chloroquine [Aralen®], hydroxychloroquine [Plaquenil®])
    * Immunomodulating drugs (e.g., azathioprine [Imuran®], cyclophosphamide [Cytoxan®])

Fuhh...after a long time typing about SLE Hmm....I hope you'll understand the disease I had just now and I'm really glad after a year of treatment since that day, now I can continue my normal life as before and now I'm proceeding my studies in Bachelor of Mechatronics at Terengganu Advance Technical Institute of University College.


 Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah!!




I'm really glad because our God gave a chance to me to continue my life as human being by always keeps and improves my Iman for Him.