10 Lupus Tips on May 10th!

On World Lupus Day, we were joined by Dr. Don Thomas, Board Certified Rheumatologist and author of The Lupus Encyclopedia. In his presentation, he gifted us with some incredible pearls of wisdom, which we entitled "10 Lupus Tips on May 10th."

The information was too good to leave there, so we thought, why not assemble a blog with all 10 tips and a link to the LIVE broadcast?

Enjoy!

Disclaimer:

Please understand that the opinions shared today are purely for informational purposes and do not replace the medical advice and/or opinions of your doctors.  If you are experiencing lupus, lupus nephritis, or lupus overlap symptoms, it is important to follow-up with your doctor, and to seek the treatment that is best for you.  Our panelists are qualified professionals; however, they are not liable for their comments, since they are not acting as your personal physicians or health advocates.

TIP ONE:

• Family members can reduce their chances of developing an autoimmune disease by avoiding triggers: take vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, get more than 7 hours of sleep, UV light protection, etc.: https://www.lupusencyclopedia.com/how-to-prevent-lupus/

TIP TWO:

• The vast majority of SLE patients can have a successful pregnancy if planned properly: https://www.lupusencyclopedia.com/successful-lupus-pregnancy/

TIP THREE:

• Keep all records of all labs, doctor notes, test results, and biopsies. ANA becomes negative in 20% of well-treated patients and it can look like you don't have lupus if you get a new doctor.

TIP FOUR:

• Ask your doctor to check a fasting lipoprotein level (a bad cholesterol). If higher than 180, it should be treated with monoclonal antibodies or niacin

TIP FIVE:

• Eat a healthy, anti-inflammatory, plant-based diet: https://www.lupusencyclopedia.com/latest-anti-inflammatory-diet-for-lupus-and-other-autoimmune-diseases/

TIP SIX:

• Always carry on you an up-to-date med list and drug intolerance list and include sulfa antibiotics in the intolerance list since they can flare lupus: https://www.lupusencyclopedia.com/why-include-sulfa-antibiotic-allergies-in-your-lupus-medication-list/

TIP SEVEN:

• Get a home BP machine and check it several times before all doctor visits and give the results to your doctor = more accurate than office visit results

TIP EIGHT:

• Infections are the 2nd most common cause of death, and most are preventable with vaccines. Get all vaccines: RSV, Shingrix, Gardasil, flu, COVID, Prevnar-20, Hepatitis B

TIP NINE:

• Most SLE patients should be on vitamin D. It helps reduce disease activity. Your goal is a level of around 40 ng/mL. Ask your doctor to check it regularly

TIP TEN:

• Ask your doctor to check a whole blood hydroxychloroquine drug level every blood draw. Our goal is 750 - 1200 ng/mL. This level reduces disease activity, flares, hospitalizations, and HCQ eye problems

Thank you, Dr. Thomas, for these amazing 10 tips on May 10th.  Please come back every day to More Than Lupus and The Lupus Encyclopedia social media pages during May for all the Lupus Awareness Month posts!

Check out Dr. Thomas's blog www.lupusencyclopedia.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.