Not only is lupus debilitating, but then you have people in Yahoo answers trying to sell you stuff or get you into pyramid schemes. 1. Apply for Social Security disability. It takes time and you will probably be rejected at least twice. They have changed the criteria for lupus recently. That might help. I suggest getting a SSD attorney to give you a free consult before you even begin. Some of them will do that. Keep calling until you find one who will. 2. Find out if there is an indigent health care program where you live. I know it sounds horrible. I, too, am college educated and had a wonderful career and ended up just about like you for quite while. Just do it. 3. Apply for food stamps. 4. See if there is housing assistance. 5. Look into the SHARE grocery program 6. Apply for meds with pprax or needymeds. If you make less than 200% of the poverty level you will most likely get assistance paying for your meds 7. When you see your doctors, make sure they write down the struggles you are having. Social Security will request copies of ALL your medical records. Make sure what s in them is in your favor. 8. You have lupus, it doesn t have you. Try to remember that. 9. About the one who said go off the chemo, I am assuming that s cellcept or imuran. Don t do it. That person has no clue. 10. You sound like you are a proactive person in a tough spot. Feel free to email me. Best wishes.
Hope you are still around to view this, as I see you asked your question awhile ago now. The key is to alkalize yourself and get rid of acid in the body. You ve already tried the conventional drugs, now it s time to look at alternatives. Diet plays a big part in the growth of Lupus and in the eradication of it. In fact, aside from a genetic factor if there is one, I think diet is the only other reason for the Lupus condition, A few pointers I have picked up from experience... Eat only alkaline foods. Fruit and Veg. are generally alkalizing. Avoid all junk food. Avoid all convenience food. Avoid sodas and drink only water. Raw sugars and yeasts are bad. Take apple cider vinegar in spoonfuls per day. Take a good vitamin D supplemenant and do this twice daily. Try to find one that is non-acidic and eat foods that are rich in vitamin D as much as possible. Do not do this half-heartedly or it simply won t work. You need to be serious about what you re doing in order to get serious results. I would lay off the chemo. if you pursue my suggestions. I amn t a big fan of radiation as a treatment anyways, despite what it is said to achieve.
This is a testimony of someone who working with my Nutritionist and the GNLD products had some excellent results, I have sent him your letter to see what he recommends, Please read and contact me at dhiner@gmail.com to learn more. PS this could also be the answer to your financial woes. Lupus Dear GNLD, I came to you February of Last year, after being referred to you by a friend. I had a diagnosis of Lupus and the physicians told me I needed to go on medication. I told them I did not want to because of the side effects. The Lupus was so bad I could not even go up or down stairs without serious pain. I could not sit down or kneel when I began the dietary changes and supplements you recommended. My wrists, elbows, knees and ankles were swollen. You were kind enough to spend time with me describing the nature of the problem. You encouraged me to make different dietary choices. I have avoided nightshade plants, dairy and sugar. I am also avoiding gluten. I had the mercury amalgams removed from my mouth. In addition, I began using Formula IV Plus, Vitamin E and Salmon Oil. These changes made a significant difference in how I felt. Within three months I was a completely different person. My ANA test results started to drop. By December of 1999 the test results were back to normal. At this point the doctors are telling me that my Lupus is in complete remission. I am continuing the same diet and supplement program. --Abby Comment Abby did a lot of work to improve her immune system, but she had a serious problem. Mercury bonds with sulfur bearing proteins in thetissue. We felt this could have been contributing to the problem in view of the large amount of mercury in the mouth. Sugar can also combine with tissues promoting auto-immune problems. Nightshade plants can create autoimmune-like problems for some people. Milk and wheat are common allergens. Salmon Oil decreases the likelihood of autoimmune activity. Vitamin E is necessary to prevent the oxidation of the Salmon Oil at the tissue level (possibly aggravating the problem).The Formula IV Plus was added to provide a “safety net” and also for the hormone nourishing grain oils. Anyone who has experienced a serious case of the flu has an idea of what if can feel like to suffer from fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue or chronic viral infections. Fibromyalgia is an autoimmune phenomena associated with widespread pain and aching of muscles. (“Fibro”—relationship to fibers and “myalgia”—pain in muscles.) Those who suffer with this problem experience aching, disturbed sleep patterns, fatigue, local tenderness, and morning stiffness. Symptoms are almost identical to chronic fatigue syndrome except that fibromyalgia is characterized by pain and chronic fatigue by fatigue. This is a relatively recent phenomena as evidenced by the fact that the term fibromyalgia was not adopted as a disease entity until 1990. Diagnosis Diagnosis of fibromyalgia is made with the observation of pain in 11 of 18 predefined tender point sites. The pain must be present for at least 3 months. This disorder is similar to rheumatoid arthritis, although it is not associated with the development of any deformity or inflammation of the joints. Fibromyalgia is often associated with abnormal sensations on the skin, headache, digestive and excretory abnormalities, depression, Raynaud’s phenomenon, grinding of the teeth, allergies, runny sinuses, bursitis, and sciatica. Most cases of fibromyalgia are found in middle aged women— 80-95% of the sufferers. One survey in Norway found that over 10% of the women evaluated suffered from fibromyalgia. Causes The medical community initially suggested that this problem was psychiatric. Subsequent studies have shown that the anxiety and depression associated with the problem are more a consequence of the problem rather than a cause. Abnormalities of central nervous system function have been observed with fibromyalgia. Function of the endocrine system is altered including hypothalmus, pituitary, and adrenal. Sleep disorders involve an interruption in stage-4 sleep. Low physical fitness levels may contribute to the problem. Both muscle strength and aerobic capacity are very low. Most nutritional investigators believe that the problem is associated with autoimmune activity. The precise reason for the autoimmune activity is debated. Nutritional Changes That Work A Vegetarian Diet A study of vegetarian diet provided improvement in 70% of subjects after only three weeks. This could be associated with reduction in the intake of inflammatory fats and increased intake of antioxidants from fruits and vegetables. Flavonoids are well known for their anti-inflammatory effects. Carotenoids have been demonstrated to protect the mitochondria from free radical damage. Cruciferous vegetables promote effective detoxification. Digestive Issues A study designed to reduce food allergy exposure, improve digestion and promote the detoxification ability of the liver resulted in improvement in 81% of patients in one study. Americans do not treat their digestive tracts kindly. Antibiotics can damage or alter the digestive lining. Overeating can pose an immune challenge since approximately ? of immune function is associated with protection of the integrity of the digestive tract. Nutrients important for healthy digestive function include acidophilus, fiber, and vitamin A. In some situations hydrochloric acid (Betagest) and enzymes are helpful as well. Allergic Responses to Foods Identification of foods or chemicals which can elicit immune responses and/or trigger autoimmune activity can be an important aspect of dealing with fibromyalgia. Foods which frequently create problems include milk products, egg, sugars, wheat, corn, chocolate, and nightshade plants. Any food can potentially create problems, especially if it is consumed frequently. Allergy testing can be confusing. The most frequently performed tests are scratch tests for immediate hypersensitivity. These tests do not effectively identify the majority of delayed food responses. Specialized testing such as the ELISA/ACT or ALCAT are necessary for this type of identification. Unfortunately, the tests are expensive and sensitivities can come and go depending upon levels of exposure. Physicians also have little incentive to run blood tests as they do not produce the income flow that in office tests do. Chemicals can also function as immune triggers. Many food additives can combine with tissues and initiate autoimmune attack against those tissues. This commonly happens with diabetics when sugar combines with kidney or other tissue and creates problems (glycation). Many food additives have similar potential. Reactions of this type have been referred to as hapten reactions. Avoidance is the best way to avoid these problems. Improved Liver Detoxification The liver detoxifies harmful substances in two steps. In Phase 1 detox, harmful substances are made more soluble and also more toxic in many instances. In Phase 2 detox, the harmful substances are carried out of the body. Any impairment in detoxification ability can have wide ranging implications. We are surrounded by a multitude of chemicals today including food additives, solvents, pesticides, herbicides, and heavy metals. Improper handing of these substances by the body can initiate autoimmune activity through complex mechanisms. Protective nutrients include sulfur containing proteins (Super Ease or Nourishake, Cruciferous Plus, and Allium Plus), B complex vitamins, phospholipids (lecithin and tre-en-en oils), and antioxidants (vitamins C, E, Flavonoid and Carotenoid). Hormone Balance Large numbers of individuals with autoimmune disorders are women. Excessive estrogen levels may contribute. Estrogen tends to switch on immune activity. Since fat cells release estrogen, excessive body fat can contribute to excess estrogen. Many pollutants in the environment are also of an estrogenic character. These include pesticides, herbicides, and some plastics. Physicians can compound the problem with administration of potent estrogens. Nutrients which promote more normal estrogen levels include some grain oils (Tre-en-en and Formula IV), B Complex vitamins, fiber, and acidophilus. A Program to Prevent Fibromyalgia 1. Get adequate sleep. Most Americans are chronically sleep deprived due to artificial lighting, television, computers and other sources of stimulation. Strong electromagnetic fields can also alter sleep and hormone chemistry (eg. Electric blankets). Lack of sleep changes hormone chemistry. Obtaining adequate sleep would tend to prevent some of the hormonal abnormalities associated with fibromyalgia. 2. Get regular exercise. Some believe that fibromyalgia is a disorder associated primarily with deconditioning of muscle due to lack of exercise. 3. Supplement. Support immune competence with generous intake of vegetables and nutrients including a quality multiple, omega-3 fish oils, and antioxidants like vitamin C, E, and Carotenoids. 4. Eliminate common immune triggers from the diet. This would include sugars, chocolate, milk products, and grains (especially wheat and corn). 5. If these measures do not succeed, consider a comprehensive allergy test.
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