Good days are here.. Part 2

If you have been reading my blog, or just crossed it sometime... There was this part when I thought that that the "good days" are here... by just drinking pain relievers in the morning, like Aleve or Tylenol, for my arthritis. Unfortunately, I was wrong.

I WAS SO WRONG!

Since I've drank steroids, Prednisone, I have been allergic to Aleve. I feel little ants crawling up my leg but in a bit painful way. A little like, maybe, restless leg syndrome (!?!). I'm not sure. It was annoying, painful and I wanna scratch it but it seems so much under the skin. So, Aleve for my arthritis is not an option anymore... :(

One drug down.

Next.

So since I can't tale Aleve, the other pain reliever that I want to take or the only thing that I like was Tylenol. I really like acetaminophen compared to ibuprofen, it works better for me. I even saw on the news at least only a month ago, that compared to other pain relievers, Tylenol or acetaminophen has less damaging effect to people who are pregnant or who want to be pregnant. And if you are a girl, this is important.

So, I thought I made the right decision. So, I thought I was being smart about this. I was wrong.

I wasn't addicted to the pain relievers. Because, when there are days that I don't feel pain, I don't take it. But it was the effect of the pain reliever and an empty stomach that got me. Not only do I have Lupus, I also have GERD. Its Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, it's like heartburn but in the very worst of it. I also drink coffee in the morning, regularly. Just a cup, nothing more. But those were a bit of a NO NO.

Those doesn't cause Ascites though, which was the reason for my 1 week hospital hopping. I still need to find out how I had that. But at least, because of the GERD, I am now getting checked and have a primary doctor. Will be in touch with them soon. :)

"So, no more pain relievers for me, I can't have them since I am back on Prendnisone. I am taking 30 mg daily, unlike before which are like 10 only... sucks, they have to wean me down or else my body might go into some other kind of shock which is very dangerous. I hate being sick. So everyone else, take care OK? It's hard being sick."

i still need a title...

Although I am a bit of a scatter brain regarding this blog. I was thinking of slowly easing it out to something about my life and lupus. But still, I want this not be taken over by my Lupus stories and stuff and i would also like to have it more about my life in general. I have Lupus, but it won't take the best part of my life, living, away from me.

I have am in no grave danger as long as I am in my medications and been seeing the doctor regularly, which is very important you people!!! Don't take your medical appointments for granted!!!!!!! I did, and I felt the most horrendous pain in my entire life ever! for a freaking week!!!! So, be careful out there...

STILL NEED OF A TITTLE!!! SUGGESTIONS!!!! COMMENT BELOW!!


"I will be doing some research regarding my medicines so I would know more about it. Like side effects and what they were really made for... so maybe this will be more educational for all of us reading my blog. I am so happy that I am actually having traffic on my blog, it might still be less than 20 but traffic is traffic. As I have told my friend, Steph, baby steps... "

maybe i will just change the title of this blog or at least the description. it's kinda hard letting go of something you come back to every now and then when you need a way out... :D

it's not always good to end...

I think I will be changing the description of my blog pretty soon... for right now, I have something more important than the randomness in my blog.

I have Lupus, and its very important to approach this matter head on. I just realize that not a lot of people know about Lupus. Yesterday, I went back to work. I told some people that I have Lupus, most of them would reply what is that? What kind of disease is that?

I think now I know my purpose, God doesn't give us problems we couldn't handle. He gave this to me because I am strong and I could do something better about this. I think I have this blog, and this ability to write (even with a few grammatical errors) to let a whole lot people, of my generation, that there is some disease called Lupus, which is weird and doesn't even have a cure, or known cause why people have it.

For a disease to be so unknown, means its getting a little help. But this is real, this affects a lot of women... it is affecting me and it might affect you.

I'm sorry, but maybe this random blog needs to end, and my Journey with Lupus will begin...

It's hard...

I think my poor eyesight is getting worse by the minute because of all this medicine and side-effects it cause. I can't see that much anymore. I mean, I do have poor eyesight, but this hasn't been this bad before. Need to have my eyes checked again.

My poor arms are still sore from all the blood samples they have to take from the 3 different hospitals I was in. Not only did it suffer almost every hours of blood pressure check-ups and heart monitor clips on my finger, it's bruised and have lots of puncture marks. I look like an effin addict. And on both inner elbow pit. (I searched what it is called without going scientific and it is called an "elbow pit", according to urbandictionary.com)

Since I have been back from the hospital I sense a weird cramping my by knee pit. If I try to walk a little bit faster, it locks it self and I feel cramped. But it will be gone in a few seconds. It's so weird. I think I need to talk to my doctor about it. Maybe, its a weird side-effect of one of the medicine I am taking. Huff... I'm  tired... :( I need to go to sleep. No energy yet. And I still have that weird taste in my mouth that I had when I was in the hospital. I hope it's not something really bad.

Lupus and Me... yes me...

Hi, I am Joan Paula Ocol-Abella. I am 27 years old. I have been divorced for 3 to 4 years now. And I have Lupus.


I think I should write that every time, what do you think? I should I should own it. Remember that I do have it and it will be a long way and struggle to be better. I have lupus, lupus doesn't have me. OK, I might have gotten that from some cancer survival thing from long time ago, but whatever keeps me going right? Support guys. :)


First, this is what you need to know about Lupus. It is an autoimmune disease which no one knows why it happens to certain people, and how to end it.

Second, there are different kinds of Lupus, some minor or mild, some very aggressive and makes a lot of people very sick. I unfortunately, have the most common kind but if not followed up or treated right could make me end up in a very bad state. I have, wait for it, Systemic Lupus Erthematosus (SLE).


So, who does actually have Lupus? I know no one in my family having it. As I have researched before, here are the most common people who could have Lupus:

• women
• ages 25 - 40
• asian, hispanic, african american

And I was like, "WHAT THE HECK?!? Is this disease targeting on me or what?"

this is what it said according to womenshealth.gov 

Anyone can get lupus. About 9 out of 10 adults with lupus are women ages 15 to 45. African-American women are three times more likely to get lupus than white women. Lupus is also more common in Latina, Asian, and Native American women. Men are at a higher risk before puberty and after age 50. Despite an increase in lupus in men in these age groups, two-thirds of the people who have lupus before puberty and after age 50 are women.

So dear women of the world, be careful. You may think you are very healthy but is not. 

Unlike other people, I have only been recently diagnosed with Lupus. Some people who had suffered great pain as they were growing up because of this disease have been living a normal life now, most probably. You see, Lupus is and will always be there, I was just diagnosed later or my "Flare ups" came in a little late. Maybe its the stress, maybe its the change of conditions in my surroundings. For the past year, there has been a lot of changes in my life, some good, some bad but it's a change. I think Lupus was my body's response to this change that this change is wrong for me.

I am Joan Paula Ocol-Abella, I am 27 years old. I have Lupus at the peak of my life.


Links/References:

1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001471/
2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0004008/
3. http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/lupus.cfm#b