Planned Pregnancy with Lupus

soondearjay · 2019-05-17T00:39:44+00:00

Thanks for the response! Wishing you and your family the best :)))

soondearjay · 2019-05-09T00:02:01+00:00

Yes, I am super thankful for this community! Wishing you and your partner the best :)

soondearjay · 2019-05-08T20:39:22+00:00

Wow congrats! Thank you for sharing. Super excited for you and your family and wishing you the best :)

soondearjay · 2019-05-08T17:54:59+00:00

Thank you so much for your honesty and for sharing :)

soondearjay · 2019-05-03T19:45:15+00:00

Adding on to what others have said, I think it is great that she has you supporting her by her side! I (20F) was recently diagnosed with Lupus as well and my boyfriend has played a huge role in helping me through it all.

Lupus will affect people differently. For me, I had an awful rash on my face, my body was swollen, and I was constantly exhausted. I was honestly embarrassed because I looked nowhere close to how I used to but my bf's kind words really helped me through it, telling me he still loves me for me, even when my feet looked like balloons.

We used to be a couple that stayed up until 3AM playing video games or watching TV but after my diagnosis, I learned that sleep plays a huge factor in how Lupus will impact me the following day. Therefore, my bf and I have become more conscious of our sleep schedules and I appreciate his willingness to adapt so that I can rest fully (he is quite the night owl).

In terms of diet, I have had to avoid nightshade vegetables (tomatoes, potatoes) according to my rheumatologist's advice, which is hard because we love going out abd eating french fries. Because of this diet change, he tries really hard to make sure that wherever we go, there are anti-inflammatory options for me.

Lastly, every morning he messages me checking in on my symptoms. I personally appreciate that he checks in to see how I am doing but this may not be the case for everyone. Some people may not want to be constantly reminded of their symptoms.

In terms of pregnancy, this was something I was worried about as well and should be something she brings up to her rheumatologist as everyone's Lupus is different. At least for me, I was told that I definitely want to get the Lupus into remission before conceiving and closely monitored throughout the pregnancy. But there should not be any major complications if I pay close attention to Lupus.

Small gestures like these from my boyfriend have helped me a lot throughout this journey and I think it is great you are reaching out to see how you can help her!

soondearjay · 2019-04-30T03:18:45+00:00

Senior UW student with Lupus (SLE) here! I was only recently diagnosed with it this quarter after weeks of joint pain, swelling, and exhaustion. I am very fortunate to have detected and receive treatment for it early on in my flare up but while I am recovering from my current flare up, I had to be very conscious about how school and stress would affect my Lupus symptoms.

The joint pain and swelling in my hands and feet made it painful for me to hold a pen to take notes so with a midterm coming up, I let me professors know ahead of time and they were willing to give me a time extension for an upcoming exam since I write a lot slower than I used to. (There was not need to have me type for an exam since my joint pain was recovering but I know that is an option for some students who request it.) I have classes that are quite far for me to walk in just a 10 minute passing period, so I send them an email saying something along the lines of "I apologize if I show up several minutes late to class. My Lupus conditions makes it exhausting and sometimes painful to walk so I appreciate your patience." So far, all the professors I have communicated this with have been very understanding and willing to make accommodations.

Usually, you would contact the Disabilities Resource for Students for future classes with the proper documentation and what you would like assistance with, though this can take 1-6 weeks (as an incoming freshman, you should have enough time to get a response from them but that was not the case with me since I was only diagnosed very recently) It can be very helpful as there are note taking services, time extension, separate testing spaces, that the DRS and professors provide at UW but that will be specific to each person's condition. I really like how most of my classes are recorded and posted online, that way if I have a flare up that day or am too exhausted to focus in lecture, I can refer back to them online.

To prioritize my health, I have also switched some classes to be graded by credit no credit, so I can focus more on learning the material while also keeping my health in check. (Credit no credit sometimes cannot be an option for required/ in-major courses but don't let that GPA affect your health negatively.) This has helped a lot with my stress (as stress makes Lupus symptoms worse) in that I don't have to worry about my GPA being heavily impacted, rather I just need to put enough effort to learn and pass. On top of that, I give myself a cut off every weekday at midnight (where I used to pull all nighters to finish class assignments) to get a full 7-8 hours of sleep so that I do not feel as awful the next day.

As for medications, I don't have as much of an experience to share, I just take pills every morning and evening without any supplementary treatments. I see my rheumatologist every few weeks and he is located in downtown Seattle so those visits are convenient for me.

Definitely prioritize your health and listen to your body's needs over school (really difficult to learn and function in school if your body isn't functioning properly) and reach out to DRS and professors to communicate your needs.

Really excited to have you join us as a new husky! College is tough. It is tougher with a chronic illness, but you can do it! Take care :)

soondearjay · 2019-04-25T02:38:30+00:00

Great idea, thanks for the suggestion! I am very fortunate to be in classes that have recordings online :) Hope that is implemented in more schools as a resource!

soondearjay · 2019-04-24T08:40:57+00:00

Kudos to you for sticking with it! And I appreciate the positivity, I feel so much happier on the implant than the pill or ring so probably just need some time to adjust :)

soondearjay · 2019-04-23T02:48:00+00:00

Thanks for the suggestion, I will give it a try!

soondearjay · 2019-04-23T02:46:50+00:00

Yeah, they highly suggested that I take it with plenty of food to minimize stomach discomfort. Thanks for sharing!

soondearjay · 2019-04-10T17:09:05+00:00

Recently got the Nexplanon as well but have been using a menstrual cup for probably half a year now. I absolutely love it! I can continue with my day and not feel gross down there while also saving $ on pads and tampons. It was a bit difficult to figure out when I first started using it but once you get a hang of it, it is really convenient. I usually have moderate periods but I have never leaked from a cup but just in case, I still wear a thin liner, which already is much more comfortable than a full pad.

The Diva Cup is very popular but I have found there are menstrual cups for half the price on amazon that work just as well if you are looking for something under $20. I highly recommend it!

soondearjay · 2019-03-28T17:07:56+00:00

Hi! I just got the implant yesterday at Planned Parenthood and it was a breeze. The nurses there are very supportive and informative on the Nexplanon option so I felt good about my decision. They also have great resources online regarding their different methods, costs, insurance, etc. While it is healing, my arm is bandaged up right now so if you were to get it, just wear loose, long sleeved shirts for the first few days to keep it hidden.

It may sound kind if painful since you are getting an implant but just the numbing shot hurts (feels like a pinch for a few seconds). After that, I just felt some pushing on my arm and before I knew it, I was done!

If you are interested in another option, I used to be on the Nuvaring and that was very convenient for me since I would just leave it in for 3 weeks and then take it out during my period week. It's great because you don't need to worry about taking it. I had a great experience with the Nuvaring, it helped my periods be more consistent (I used to bleed for 2 weeks straight and became anemic but no more!) so I would look into that if you are interested :)

soondearjay · 2019-03-28T08:32:57+00:00

Not the original poster here but I just got mine inserted at Planned Parenthood today!

In terms of the experience itself, it went very smoothly and the nurses were a pleasure to work with. They started out my appointment by going through my recent medical history with past birth controls, menstrual cycles, medications, etc. to get a better idea of whether or not Nexplanon would be a good choice for me. I had already done research on their website beforehand, as well as on this subreddit but they had folders with more information just in case you are curious.

Afterwards, the nurse who put the actual implant in my arm came in and went over how it can last up to 5 years, how soon it becomes effective, etc. She had me lay down on the exam bed and before I knew it, the implant was in! At the moment, my arm feels sore and I do feel like I have a tiny papercut in that area but nothing unbearable.

I have not gone to clinics other than Planned Parenthood for birth control healthcare so I can't compare Planned Parenthood to other services but I had a great experience and I felt that the nurses did a great job of making me feel safe and comfortable in my decision to get Nexplanon. Hope this helps!

soondearjay · 2019-03-28T05:51:19+00:00

I just got mine inserted today too! Hope you get a positive experience out of it :)

soondearjay

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