Wednesday, August 22, 2012

LUPUS ARTICLE

Someone sent me an article, in the San Francisco Chronicle (Prescription for Obesity)  about a girl named Jena Graves who has Lupus.  She has had lupus since she was 12 years old.  The article talks about Jena being on large doses of Prednisone and her weight gain.  She gained 140 pounds on prednisone.  She spoke about standing in front of the refrigerator and eating everything inside.  She had gastric bypass.  It was horrible reading this article.  She is so young.

I felt for her.  I remember having the unquenchable hunger.  I still have nights where I go to bed hungry.  It isn't real hunger, I know it.  It is my brain saying I am hungry, not my stomach.  I have given my body plenty to eat but for some reason my brain is saying I need more.

The huge amounts of prednisone caused Jena to have broken bones, memory problems.  She has been on as many as 25 medications.

It is tough having autoimmune illnesses.  It is not just the illness but the medications, weight gain, depression and fatigue.  Doing it at 12 years old must be very difficult.

Until tomorrow...


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