Test Yourself for Lupus

 
1.  Have you ever had achy, painful and/ or swollen joint for more than three months?
2. Do your fingers and/ or toes become pale, numb or uncomfortable in the cold?
3. Have you had any sores in your mouth for more than two weeks? 
4. Have you ever been told that you have a low blood count(s) - anemia, low white cell count or low platelet count? 
5. Have you ever had a prominent redness or colour change in the shape of a butterfly across the bridge of your nose and cheeks?
6. Have you ever had an unexplained fever over 38 degrees Celsius for more than a few days?
7. Have you ever had a sensitivity to the sun where your skin "breaks out" after being in the sun (not a sunburn)?
8. Have you ever had a chest pain with breathing for more than a few days (pleurisy)?
9. Have ever been told you have protein in your urine?
10. Have ever experienced persistent, extreme fatigue and weakness for days or even weeks at a time even after 6-8 hours of restful night-time sleep?
If you answer "Yes" to at least three of these questions, there is a possibility you may have Lupus.
We suggest you call your doctor for an examination and discuss any questions you may have about Lupus.

 

Lupus Fact Sheet

A. Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease which causes inflammation of various parts of the body, especially the skin, joints, blood and kidneys.

The immune system normally protects the body against viruses, bacteria and other foreign materials.

In an autoimmune disease like Lupus, the immune system loses its ability to tell the difference between foreign substances and its own cells and tissues. The immune system then makes antibodies directed against "self"
B. Lupus is NOT infectious, rare or cancerous
C. LFA (Lupus Foundation America) research data show that between 1,400,000 and 2,000,000 people have been diagnosed with lupus. (study conducted by Bruskin/Goldring Research, 1994)
D. Although the causes of lupus is unknown, scientist suspect that individuals are genetically predisposed to lupus, and know that environmental factors such as infections, antibiotics, ultraviolet light, extreme stress and certain drugs play critical role in triggering lupus.
E. Lupus affects 1 out of every 700 Australian and strikes adult women 10 - 15 times more frequently than adult men. Lupus is more prevalent in African American and Asians.
F. Only 10% of people with lupus will have a close relative (parent or sibling) who already has or may develop lupus. Only about 5% of the children born to individuals with lupus will develop the illness.
G. Lupus can be difficult to diagnose as the symptoms come and go and mimic many other illness. Some symptoms of lupus can be transient joint and muscle pain, fatigue, a rash caused by or made worse by sunlight, low grade fevers, hair loss, pleurisy, appetite loss, sore in the nose or mouth or painful sensitivity of the fingers to the cold.
H. Although lupus ranges from mild to life threatening, the majority of cases can be controlled with proper treatment.
I. While medical science has not yet developed a method for curing lupus, new research brings unexpected findings and increased hope each year. 
L. Our mission is to work towards a world without Lupus and associated connective tissue diseases through support education and research into a cure. 
We provide an information and counselling support service for those who have recently been diagnosed as well as those who have been living with lupus for some time.