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THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE in Ireland suffer from Lupus, but many people know very little about the condition.
Lupus Group Ireland is trying to change that with a new information video released to mark Lupus Awareness Month.
‘The Face of Lupus’ features people discussing their own experience of having the condition, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue.
There are two main types of Lupus: systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE).
SLE is more serious and usually relates to a person’s joints, skin and internal organs, while DLE only affects the skin. People can have one or both forms.
Symptoms include fatigue, rashes, swollen glands, migraines and joint pain. Many patients will also have skin lesions at some point.
Lupus is often misdiagnosed as symptoms may have multiple other explanations.
Jessica O’Bryan is one of the volunteers who run Lupus Group Ireland. The 29-year-old legal assistant was diagnosed with the condition three years ago.
After Lupus started to affect her kidneys earlier this year, Jessica underwent a series of chemotherapy from April-July.
I was very ill, I wasn’t able to hold down water. That’s when the doctors became concerned about my kidneys.
She had previously taken immuno-suppressants to help control her condition. This type of medication is not without its own risks and can lead to an increased chance of contracting infections.
Jessica told TheJournal.ie that chemo might not be a long-term solution for her as it may affect her chances of conceiving.
She got married last year and said “it’s just a matter of time” before she wants to start a family.
It’s a waiting game to see how it goes.
Her latest ‘flare’ of Lupus has been ongoing since January. Doctors at St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin are monitoring her condition.
The majority of Lupus patients will have some kidney damage, but only a small number develop kidney disease severe enough to require treatment such as dialysis.
The underlying cause of Lupus is not fully known, but an attack can be triggered by stress or exposure to sunlight. It’s thought hormones and genetics also play a role.
Jessica has very sensitive skin and has to wear factor 50 sunscreen, even on overcast days.
It’s like sea sickness. It’s like you’re constantly having the flu but you don’t … you’re so tired. You know when you have the flu and you’re on the couch and you can’t move? Then add joint pain and migraines.
There is no database for Lupus in Ireland, but it is thought that somewhere in the region of 4,000 people have the condition. The vast majority of sufferers are women aged 15-45 years.
During October, Lupus Group Ireland is encouraging people to ‘paint it purple’ and wear the colour to show their support for people with the condition.
More information on Lupus Group Ireland’s work, which is done on a voluntary basis, can be found on their website.
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Sure the funny thing is you think you’re Taoiseach already….
Enda Kenny pulled a master stroke by making Leo Varadkar minister for health…..
After the next election you’ll never work in politics again…
But you definitely will get a job in The Journal…
They Fecking love you….
Who’d want it now, that party is a busted flush!!
In 2010 after backing Richard Brutal for leader, Varadkar said it would be “very hypocritical” to take a spokesmanship job on the frontbench, under a man he had stood against (Kenny)
Didnt stop you taking a cabinet position under him though, did it Varadkar!
Leo the liar
Really getting great mileage out of that interview. The love affair continues.
Remember Leo even a turkey will fly in a hurricane,
He’ll be as relevant as Micky Martin
But Leo.
After the next general election, FG will be no more.
Leo couldn’t possibly answer a question about leadership ambition with the truth – besides the point that I don’t think he knows how not to tell porkies,
Stop trying to get us to like this clown.
Quick question, who are all these people that are linking Leo’s name to leadership of FG, no-one I know is?
I am.
That’s good Tap
They can all go down the same plughole.
I wonder what he is like as a doctor and would he be better off if he went back into that profession?
Some people like him others don’t, and maybe it would be better if he cut his losses while he is ahead. God knows there are enough young people wasting away doing things that are so far removed from the jobs they trained for. Many are lucky to even have a job because of this government’s arrogance and indifference to youth unemployment.
The economy is recovering. Taxes are reducing. Nice!
Okay Powerabbey where to start….
where to start….
So the government gave people e5 in the budget per week regardless of income to families then takes away e3-4 of that in water charges. While people on 100k or more got e700 of a cut plus this e5 on a children’s allowance payment from the social welfare. Yes the highest in society are claiming social welfare payments………….but thank you Jesus and all of the above (if you believe in that sort of thing, I do, many do not) for the e1 per week pocket money for all the plebs….
I’ll vote for the first party to come out and say that IW is being scrapped immediately..simple as that..
He won’t have a f****** job in the new year. the irish people are going to drop kick Enda Kenny through the goalposts of life. And i phone Joan will be on the touchline
Michael Martin current leader of Fianna Fáil, in spite of the comments of Fine Gael and Sinn Fein supporters on here, will be the next Taoiseach of this country of ours and he will lead this lovely country onto new prosperity and better living.
Gerrymiah wtf…… What’s Martin going to do different??? All plans water charges etc was agreed under the previous government with him, country is on the road to recovery… Europe controls is doesn’t matter wanta muppet in charge…. Don’t forget Fianna Fáil ruined this country had the people a short term memory????
Forget to take your medication this morning Jer.
gerry
You’re not fully awake yet lad, give it time you will come around, too much christmas pudding, fruit cocktail, pina coladas, and of course the one for the road, get plenty of water into you, then reassess you’re comment.
That is probably true as the electorate here have short memories. The electoral cycle goes: FF get into government, but then wreck the economy by buying elections, people then get fed up and put FG in to clean up the mess. When that is done, then FG gets turfed out of office on to the opposition benches with FF returned to power to wreck the economy again and they then get thrown out for FG to clean up the mess again, etc , etc
You ok Gerry? I do worry…..
Who gives a flying fcuk what this dipstick wants?
That’s what Frank Underwood said & look where it got him…
“Personal ambition is the last thing on my mind” Ha. Who are you trying to fool Leo?
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