Lupus

Has anyone tried high-dose Vitamin D supplementation?

I supplement Vitamin D carefully due to lupus — sun exposure risks are real so I'm always deficient. 2000IU keeps my levels in range and I do feel better for it. Whether that's the…

Has anyone tried hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) for lupus?

HCQ has helped with the joint pain and rashes but I've had really bad GI side effects — nausea and stomach pain even after taking with food. My rheumatologist split the dose to mor…

Has anyone tried hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) for lupus?

Hydroxychloroquine is basically non-negotiable for my rheumatologist — almost every lupus patient here is on it. For me it took about four months to feel the difference but it's be…

How do you tell the difference between lupus fatigue and just being tired? And has anything helped manage it specifically?

What are your most unpredictable symptoms — the ones that are hardest to plan around or explain to people?

Sun protection as a lifestyle, not a chore

I fought the sun avoidance thing for two years. Felt like losing something fundamental about summer. Then I reframed it: I'm not avoiding the sun, I'm choosing when and how I engag…

Flare warning signs I wish I knew earlier

Before a flare I always get: a weird metallic taste, joint pain that moves around, and I become weirdly emotional for no reason. Took me years to connect these. Now I rest pre-empt…