http://www.tuuktukk.com/Documents/Gallary/20124282113274-Hit%20the%20nail%20on%20its%20head.jpg

Everyone has their own definition of what Lupus, or any illness, feels like to them. Following the logic then, there are also many analogies on the internet for what it is like and how it makes you feel. Sometimes we lack the vocabulary and effort to create our own, so we share one someone else, more articulate, has written that we find. This is one of those latter types. 

I came across this weeks ago during a random search, you know the type you write into your internet search whilst waiting for the train. I found it to be a quite concise method of describing why treatment is so swift and aggressive. If you haven’t noticed by now how so many doctors seem to jump straight in with a dose of steroids (what I consider to be a valuable but more extreme drug to take too regularly). It is only after the steroids indicate they are working that doctors try out more plausible long-term solutions, if this is necessary. Have you ever felt like people that don’t understand this concept? Have you ever wondered if they have fully grasped how much you need to have your body back in balance as soon as possible? Yes I am worried about too much corticosteroid medication, but I am worried about my body destroying itself more.

Anyway, bringing myself back on topic, this analogy (courtesy of rheuminfo.com) is ‘tickle-me-fantastic’ in providing reliable imagery for why chronic illnesses are treated ‘top-down’ or from the most severe symptoms and then traced to the root causes.

Just an FYI I would highly recommend this page to readers, it is simple to read, accurate in it’s information and covers a range of topics and treatment options. 

Why is it important to treat lupus early?

If you have lupus, your immune system is activated or “turned on.” This can cause chronic inflammation. Over time inflammation can damage the body. An important goal of treatment is to get the inflammation under control as soon as possible to prevent damage from happening.

Here’s an analogy.  Imagine you are sitting in your living room enjoying a nice cup of coffee. You look over to the kitchen and see a fire burning on the stove. What do you think you’ll do? One option is to just sit there and wait until the fire gets worse and spreads to the walls or the ceiling. The second option is to grab the phone, dial the fire department, and grab the fire extinguisher. You can think of lupus like a fire in your body. You want to get that fire put out as quickly as possible so it doesn’t damage your body.

Why is it important to treat lupus aggressively?

Using the same fire analogy, we’ve decided to call in the fire department. Now we need to make sure we have the right tools to put out the fire. We don’t want a bucket and water. We want a fire truck with a big hose. We might even want more than one fire truck. The faster we can get that fire out the better things will be in the long run. 

Text is taken directly from:

Rheuminfo, Treatment-Systemic Lupus-Erythematosus, http://rheuminfo.com/diseases/systemic-lupus-erythematosus-sle/treatment-systemic-lupus-erythematosus-sle, Copied June 11 2015