        Welcome To Our Website

Skip To My Lupus, Inc.
is a service-disabled veteran-owned Christian non profit organization
founded in 2006 by a mother-daughter
duo living with lupus.

Our mission is to provide
comprehensive support and advocacy
services to people affected by lupus
and other auto-immune disorders.

By educating people about the facts
of living with auto-immune disorders,
they are free to make environmentally
conscience choices in their daily lives
to improve their health, their quality of life
and the lives of their loved ones.

~ Se Habla Espanol ~

1.5 Million People Affected In The
United States
1.5 Millon Personas Impacto En Los Estados Unidos

Eleven Cardinal Symptoms

Have you ever had achy, painful and/or swollen joints for more than three months?
Have you ever had sores in your mouth or nose that lasted more than five days, or sores on your skin that would not heal?
Have you ever had chest pain while taking deep breaths?
Have you ever felt persistent, extreme fatigue and weakness for days or weeks at a time, even after plenty of sleep?
Have you ever had a seizure, blood clot, heart attack, stroke, miscarriage, or unexplained confusion that lasts for more than an hour?
Has the sun ever given you a rash that is not sunburn?
Have you ever had sudden unexplained hair loss?
Have you ever had a fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit for more than a few days?
Have you ever had redness or rash in the shape of a butterfly across your nose and cheeks?
Have you ever been told you have anemia, low white blood cell count, or low platelet count?
Have your fingers and/or toes ever become red or blue, or felt numb or painful?

If you have had any symptoms like these, especially if you have had several, talk to your doctor about lupus. Early diagnosis and proper medical care are vital.

Skip To My Lupus, Inc.
Augusta, Georgia
(706) 496-2558
FAX (706) 496-2559
TOLL-FREE (866) 849-STML
www.skiptomylupus.org

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Lupus?

Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body (skin, joints, and/or organs inside the body). Chronic means that the signs and symptoms tend to last longer than six weeks and often for many years. In lupus, something goes wrong with your immune system, which is the part of the body that fights off viruses, bacteria, and germs ("foreign invaders," like the flu).

Is Lupus contagious?

Lupus is not contagious, not even through sexual contact. You cannot "catch" lupus from someone or "give" lupus to someone.

Is Lupus hereditary?

Lupus is not hereditary in that the disease itself is passed from parent to child. It is hereditary in that a predisposition to developing the disease is passed down from parent to child. It is important to recognize this distinction. Not everyone with a parent who has lupus will develop the disease itself, and children can develop the disease even if neither of their parents has lupus.

Is there a cure for Lupus?

At present, there is no cure for lupus. However, lupus can be effectively treated with drugs, and most people with the disease can lead active, healthy lives. Lupus is characterized by periods of illness, called flares, and periods of feeling better or remissions.

How is Lupus treated?

The most common treatment for Lupus is the use of corticosteriods such as Prednisone. Other treatment methods include chemotherapy and immune system modifying drugs. Proper diet and rest are essential in maintaining healthy blood levels.

Where does Lupus come from?

The cause of Lupus is unknown, although it can sometimes be caused by certain drugs. Lupus is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system cannot recognize it's own tissue from disease causing agents and so attacks itself.

Who does Lupus affect?

Lupus is more prevalent among African-American, Greek, Hispanic, and Asian women, though some men have lupus, as well. The problem with lupus is, people can't tell how sick you really are. That's one of the reasons lupus doesn't get the respect it deserves. One of the major things that happens in lupus is chronic fatigue, and there is no way to measure that.

How many people are affected by Lupus?

Ten percent of lupus patients are male. The composition of lupus patients changes depending on what area you are in. It is more common in African-Americans and Asian-Americans in the United States. That probably represents genetic issues that are not yet understood. An average patient in the U.S. is diagnosed in their 20's and 30's. In Canada the age of onset might be a little bit later. In Sweden, for example, the age of onset for lupus is late 30's, early 40's. There are currently an estimated 1.5 million people in the United States living with Lupus.

When you develop lupus, you make antibodies against self. Your immune system goes doubly wrong when you have lupus because not only are you making antibodies against yourself, but your immune system doesn't work as well against infection. It's very unfair! But that's what lupus is all about antibodies against self. Now, your doctor measures those antibodies when making a diagnosis; complementC3, C4 and total complement, because the complement proteins are used up in the blood when you have immune complexes. So, when your antibodies against yourself bind to your cell proteins, they form the "immune complex", and that complex activates complement. As complement is used up, the complement levels become low, causing inflammation. Inflammation can be present without pain or other abnormal feeling. This is why ongoing surveillance is so essential when you have lupus. Physicians recommended that if you have lupus, you should be seen about every three months, even if you're feeling well.