Tips for patients with lupus erythematosus

The red wolf

Lupus erythematosus is also known as lupus, systemic lupus erythematosus, lupus disease, or systemic lupus erythematosus, which is a chronic and somewhat complex autoimmune disease. Where the immune system in the body attacks cells and organs in the body by mistake, and it should be noted that the inflammation resulting from lupus erythematosus can affect several different systems in the body, including joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart, and lungs. Noting that although coexistence with lupus may be difficult at times, it should not be an obstacle that prevents a person from continuing to move forward in his life happy, ambitious, and practicing his daily activities that he loves. With weakness and despair, he should get to know other infected people and follow the example of those who live a happy life full of various activities despite their illness.

Tips for patients with lupus erythematosus

Infection with lupus may make the life of the sufferer an exhausting challenge, as small tasks may seem very difficult, or even impossible during the period of disease flashes; That is, when the symptoms of the disease are active, such as: joint stiffness, pain, fatigue, lack of focus, or depression, and what makes the situation more difficult is that the symptoms of lupus are not visible to others, and only the patient himself feels them, which in turn is possible. It makes it more difficult for those around the SLE patient to understand his feelings, and it is important to stress that the first step to coexisting with SLE is not to neglect the challenges and difficulties that accompany him, but rather to identify them, and learn the steps and methods that help to cope with them, to maintain work, relationships with the patient, and activities. Which he loves to practice, and these steps will help the patient reduce the burden of the disease, and maintain a satisfactory life.

See your doctor regularly

It is recommended to see the doctor regularly, rather than just seeing him during periods of flare-ups and intensification of symptoms, because of the effectiveness of medical follow-up and adherence to the doctor’s advice in reducing the incidence of disease attacks and mitigating their severity. This chronic disease, and his question about the appropriate diet and exercise that help prevent complications of lupus erythematosus as well.

Learn more about the nature of the disease and treatment

It should be noted that the patient should learn and read as much as possible about lupus erythematosus, its medications, and his personal expectations regarding the development of the disease. He should also see a rheumatologist to reduce the exacerbation of serious health problems, and this allows the doctor to track the patient’s disease. , and changing the treatment when needed, and in the absence of a rheumatologist, the primary care provider must be reviewed to follow up on the disease in coordination with a rheumatologist.

Take medications as instructed by your doctor

It should be noted that the drugs prescribed by the doctor have an important role in improving the condition of the patient with lupus erythematosus, and in reducing the number of recurrences of the disease attacks, but sometimes it may be difficult for the patient to remember the medicine and take it at the specified times, especially in people who are not used to taking medicines In the following, we offer some suggestions that can help the patient remember to take medications according to the doctor’s recommendations and instructions:

• Taking the medication at the same time every day. It may help to associate taking the medication with another habit that the patient performs daily, such as brushing his teeth.
• Recording medication intake on a calendar or schedule in order to record and schedule medication intake, in addition to using colored pens if the patient uses more than one medication to control SLE.
• Use a pill box and fill it regularly.
• Use an email or phone reminder feature to remind the patient when to take medication.
• Constantly renewing the medication prescription, and making sure to buy a new medication a week before the patient runs out of stock.

exercise regularly

It is recommended to see a health care expert before starting exercise in order to assess the strength, balance, and flexibility of the patient, and then design a sports program that meets his needs and physical energy. Between 4-8 different exercises can be alternated between them, and it is advised to find motivation and exercise even if it is limited to practicing low-intensity exercises on a daily basis, and examples of easy and low-intensity exercises and effort: swimming, walking, and riding a bicycle, here are the basic reasons Which makes exercise for people with SLE very important:

• Maintain mobility, and delay or even prevent immobility and loss of self-reliance.
• Reduces exhaustion and physical fatigue associated with SLE.
• The patient's mood is improved by the release of chemicals called endorphins, which interact with brain receptors and work to reduce sensitivity to pain, in addition to reducing depression rates.
• It helps reduce muscle stiffness, improves physical strength, reduces stress, improves sleep pattern, works to prevent osteoporosis, and protects the heart and cardiovascular system.

It is worth noting that even if the patient does light exercises such as: stretching and prolongation exercises, he must practice some type of physical or motor activity daily, as sometimes it is difficult for the patient to exercise and adhere to it because of the pain and physical exhaustion he feels, but the more he moves The patient will feel a noticeable improvement with time, and the following are tips to maintain the motivation and enthusiasm to exercise and stick to it.

• Remember the goal and find inspiration: By thinking about what inspires the patient to exercise, such as: maintaining self-reliance in movement and self-service, and then focusing on these ideas, and bringing them up when there is no desire to exercise.
• Set achievable goals: Setting small goals and achieving them motivates a person to push himself to achieve more bigger goals later.
• Notation of self-development: Where writing down the developments of the patient's health condition, and seeing it always helps encourage the patient to continue exercising.

Maintaining a healthy diet

There is no healthy diet specifically for patients with SLE, but experts advise to follow good eating habits that contribute to maintaining the health of the body as much as possible, as SLE is a systemic disease; That is, it affects the entire body, and in general, doctors recommend a diet that includes 50% of carbohydrates, 15% of protein, and 30% of fat. It should be noted that there are other repercussions that must be taken into account when considering a diet for SLE patients, as they usually They suffer from weight loss or gain, infections, osteoporosis, kidney disease, high blood pressure, and atherosclerosis. It is also recommended to see a doctor when facing difficulties in choosing healthy food and maintaining weight, because it provides the patient with the necessary information that specifically suits him. He advises him to see a registered dietitian if he needs to. In addition to the above, a healthy diet should include fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. It should also be noted that there are some foods that are recommended to be avoided if suffering from complications of lupus, such as: high blood pressure. blood, kidney failure, or suffering from digestive problems. The following are tips for patients with lupus about the appropriate diet:

• Maintain a diet low in cholesterol and saturated fats.
• Maintaining a healthy low-sodium diet or salts (in English: Low-Sodium Diet) for people who suffer from kidney disease and high blood pressure; That is, their blood pressure is higher than 120/80 mmHg of people with lupus.
• Eat foods rich in calcium (in English: Calcium); Because it contributes to maintaining the health and strength of bones, such as: milk, yogurt, cheese, candy, almonds, broccoli, calcium-fortified cereals, oranges, soy milk, soybeans, navy beans, oysters, sardines, and spinach.
• Focus on eating whole grain bread, whole grains of all kinds in general, and low-fat protein sources such as: chicken and fish. You can also eat raw vegetables when you need a snack. Because it is low in sugar and calories, and it should be noted that following a healthy diet does not mean abstaining from the types of food that the patient loves, but it means focusing on healthy food as much as possible.

Minimize exposure to sunlight

One of the distinguishing signs of SLE is sensitivity to the sun, so intense exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun may lead to DNA damage, and increase the severity of symptoms, in addition to that patients may get sunburns that are difficult to remove, and it is worth Pointing out that the use of sunscreen is very important for patients with SLE; Because it helps to reduce irritation of disease symptoms and rashes, and it is recommended to use a sunscreen with a high protection factor, and sunscreen must be used even on cloudy days because there is still a risk of exposure to sunlight, in addition to that the sunscreen must be renewed during the day, and Wearing a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and clothing that covers the body contributes to reducing the risk of exposure to ultraviolet rays, it is also possible to shade car windows, and add a layer of protection from ultraviolet radiation to the windows of the house, and it should be noted that indoor lighting in homes may expose sensitive people Light (in English: Photosensitive) has health problems, so they are advised to use shades that block or redirect light, and to use low-wattage lamps.

Psychological support and control of stress and anxiety

It is recommended to practice relaxation exercises such as: meditation, deep breathing, yoga, and other activities that make the patient feel better and raise his mood, and it is important to build positive social relationships and obtain emotional support to help the patient overcome the ups and downs. Chronic illness and facing its difficulties, and in addition to sharing the conversation with friends and family, here are other ways to get support from outside the social circle of the injured person:

• Talking psychotherapy: This is in the event that the patient suffers from symptoms of depression and psychological anxiety.
• Online support group: An online support group may help the patient to engage with other sufferers and benefit from their advice as they are going through similar experiences.
• Bilateral therapy: Couples therapy with a partner may help both partners communicate and adapt to the disease.

Get adequate sleep and rest

Physical fatigue and exhaustion are among the most disturbing problems for people with SLE, and lack of sleep contributes to an increase in this problem, in addition to increasing the patient’s sensitivity to pain. It is worth noting that the individual needs approximately 7-8 hours of sleep at least every night, and he may need SLE patients need to sleep longer than that sometimes, and therefore it is recommended to sleep for at least seven hours a day, and to take a break during the day or even a nap if the patient can sleep during the day, but it is not recommended at all to spend the entire day in bed, but Sleeping enough hours and then getting up and moving to restore activity, and it is very important to get used to a healthy sleep routine, which contributes greatly to obtaining a good quality of sleep during the night, and here we mention some good sleep habits:

• Try to do something relaxing before you go to sleep, such as taking a hot bath.
• Avoid consuming alcoholic beverages.
• Limit the intake of caffeinated drinks after dinner.
• Avoid watching TV before going to bed, and you can read a book instead.

Quit Smoking

Smoking harms the health of the body, and worsens the symptoms of lupus erythematosus. It should be noted that quitting smoking is very important. If a person cannot quit smoking on his own, he should seek the help of a specialist to help quit smoking.

Reducing the risk of infection

Since SLE is an autoimmune disease, it increases the risk of infection and inflammation, which in turn leads to irritation and bouts of SLE symptoms. Here are simple tips to help reduce the risk of infection and inflammation for a person with SLE:

• self care In terms of eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and taking enough breaks.
• Prevention of infections due to the domestic pet; Where the domestic pet must be vaccinated to reduce infection, in addition to washing hands after touching it, especially before eating.
• Avoid eating raw food or undercooked eggs.
• Wash fruits and vegetables well before eating.
• Wash hands, cutting boards, countertops, and knives with soap and water.

Consult your doctor about appropriate birth control methods

Contraceptive pills that contain the hormone estrogen (in English: Estrogen) increase the risk of irritating symptoms of the disease in women with lupus, and it is reported that the other type of birth control pill is; Those that contain progesterone only without estrogen, or contain a small amount of estrogen are safer and cause fewer problems compared to the first type, and it is worth noting that the use of condoms or other barrier contraceptive methods in addition to spermicides (in English) : Spermicidal Agents) is the safest method of contraception for a patient with SLE, and it should be noted that experts advise to see a doctor in order to use contraceptive pills or alternative methods, and that the doctor must be aware of SLE, not just pregnancy planning.

Choose the best time to conceive

In the event that the patient wants to become pregnant, then the doctor helps her to choose the most appropriate and best time for that, for fear of the woman and her fetus from any irritation or flashes of symptoms. Medicines or with the use of only a small dose of Prednisone, and it should be noted that other drugs may be harmful to the fetus, and infection with SLE may increase the risk of premature birth, miscarriage, and some other health problems, so we stress the need Follow up with the doctor in case of pregnancy.