LUPUS AND THE LATES INFORMATION
I have set this page up for the latest up dates from the Lupus Foundation. It is about what they have found out about the disease and info on the latest updates. Also info on the goverment and there involvement with lupus. There will be updates as often as possible with all the new emails I get.
The following news release was sent out this morning, March 30th, over the U.S. Newswire to their 10,000 subscribers. Subscribers include major broadcast networks, daily & weekly newspapers, radio & television stations, free lance journalists, internet news services and members of Congress and the Administration.
Subject: Health, Women
1.4 Million Americans Have Lupus, Many Others Don’t Know They Have It Don’t Be Fooled By Lupus -- National Lupus Alert Day is April 1 Contact: Duane Peters, Director of Communications & Advocacy, Lupus Foundation of America, 301-670-9292, ext. 17
Lupus is a devastating autoimmune disease that fools patients and doctors alike. Unlike the harmless pranks that occur on April Fool’s Day, lupus can have life threatening consequences. The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) has designated April 1 as National Lupus Alert Day and urges all Americans to take the Lupus Self-Screening Test.
About 1.4 million Americans -- mostly women -- suffer from lupus, a disease that causes the immune system to attack the body’s own tissue. Unfortunately, lupus can be difficult to diagnose and often is called “the great imitator” because symptoms mimic less serious illnesses.
Are you being fooled by lupus? If you have noticed achy, painful or swollen joints for more than three months; unexplained fever over 100 degrees lasting more than a few days; persistent, extreme fatigue, exhaustion and weakness even after restful sleep; skin rashes, especially in the shape of a butterfly across the nose and cheeks; sensitivity to sunlight; or pain in the chest on breathing deep, then you could have lupus.
The eleven question self-screening test can help determine if a person should consult with a doctor about lupus. In addition to mimicking other illnesses, lupus fools its victims by going into periods when no symptoms are present. Lupus fools doctors because there is no definitive test that can tell if a person has the disease. Lupus can also fool a victim's family because sufferers show few physical signs of this chronic illness. Some women with lupus even are accused of being hypochondriacs. Medical researchers still do not fully understand what causes lupus and a cure remains elusive.
Lupus can have life-threatening consequences if left undetected or untreated. Early diagnosis and treatment of lupus are key to reducing tissue damage and preventing serious organ failure. For a free copy of the Lupus Self-Screening Test, and a brochure about the disease, call the Lupus Foundation of America's
information hotline at 1-888-38-LUPUS or check your telephone directory for the LFA chapter serving your community. Information about lupus is available on the Internet from the Lupus Foundation's web site, www.lupus.org.
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