Recap.....IPOH SPECIALIST...SLE....

Just woke up from a nap... suddenly I feel that I need to write about me as there's are so many questions posted to me via my mobile and as well as my FB which I think I owe you guys some explaination on what have happen to me for the past 10 days in hospital. Besides, it would really save my time from having to explain to everyone when I came back to work....

My admitance to Ipoh Specialist dated May 16, 2 am.

Actually, I have been having a breating difficulties almost 2 weeks from this date. But I was thinking it is just a normal fatigue or tiredness due to age catching up. But the difficulties is unbearable anymore for me to stand until I cud not sleep on wee hrs 16 May Monday. At this point in fact few days before I have experienced a swollen feet and my face was flaberry. My hubby noticed this as well. So, since I cud not sleep, we quickly go to the nearest panel but it was closed and we decided to go to Ipoh specialist instead. Doctor on call reached abot 2.30 am. I was asked several question on my health history.

I never have high BP, heart problem or kidney problem & I can feel the doc already hv had his hypothesis in mind, but need to check further on it. At this point my BP is 212/190. High enough to cause stroke. Thanks to God for our decision to come here and doc's fast action, I was transferred to HDU ward May 17 pm, immediate action from Doc is to assist my breath with Oxigen and nebulizer& recover the high BP on the 3rd day (Wed). The next day they taken blood test and revealed the most shocking news of my health history.

The diagnosis May 17.

The blood test was completed after lunch and doc shared with me & hubby that I am diagnosis to have an antibody problem. Antibody suppose to function as imunisation to yr body but for my case the antibody have confused my cells as a bad cells and start attacking it and by now it already attacked my kidney, lungs and heart. It attacked my kidney, causing kidney functional failure which caused water retention on my lungs and caused breathing difficulties. Breathing difficulties caused high BP hence caused swollen on my heart. Kidney malfunction have caused low protein, low red cells and have created a lot of urine problem blood discharged, bubbly urine due to high protein discharge instead of being processed. First stage was to reduce the BP & clear the water retention from my lungs and body; so that 2nd stage of medication can be started. BP and lungs cleared on Wed. My weight when admitted is 61.9kg. By Thursday, weight was reduced to 57.1kg. That's explained all the while on my doubts when friends keep mentioniong I slim down but my weight keep on increasing...Today my weight is 53.8kg. Well I reach my goal to have an ideal weight eventhough it was not the way that I wanted to ha ha. But doc said I need to maintain between 53-58kg. Anything more than 58kg, I need to be careful as it cud possibly lead to water retention again as my kidney is still not fully functional. I will continue to control my water in take at 1L/day.

2nd blood test May 20th.

With all the above problems on my kidney, lungs and confirmed that my level of antibody sickness is at stage 2. There are 6 stages for this sickness. Since I have confirmed at stage 2, I was given medication to reduce the impact for this stage. Another blood test was sent to KL Lab on May 17th. to check if there's any other antibody that might be affected. We are waiting anxiously for this results and finally it's revealed on Friday about 3 pm. Another shocking news...I was diagnosis to have SLE (Systemick Lupus Erythematosus). But do not know whether it is stage 3 or 4 or 5 or 6. To determine which stage and what is the perfect medicine regime, I need to undergo a Biopsi, simple procedure to take kidney sample for another test. Well what is SLE? You can find out more from the web...just google SLE, but briefly, it is chronic autoimun disease where a lot of blood protien which is the antibody that produced in my body without any reason and this antibody (which is bad) will react and attack my organ instead of protecting it. It can attacked any organ; skin, heart, lungs, kidney, joints, nerve or even brain. For my case, it had attacked my lungs, heart and kidney.

Root cause to SLE --- docs said unknown but it can be due to hormon instability, genetic, medication history, virus or even direct expose to sun light.

Biopsi May 23rd May

Since confirmed to have SLE, they have taken sample from my kidney to determine which stage. From thereon doc will outline the perfect medication regime for me to fight this sickness. The results will be out June 3rd. I will need to stay home till then before the next course of actions.

The medication regime- side impact

Be it stage 3-6, the strength of the SLE medication in terms of side effect is very much similar to the strenghtness of medication for cancer patient. Since the medicine will kill the bad antibody it will also end up killing the good ones, which will impact my other antibody system hence I will be easily expose to sickness & will gain weight as well as the medicine contain steroid. So guys...pls do not feel surprise if you will see me with facemask and with umbrella during sunny days and one time slim and another time chubby.....

Cure? - well unfortunately, there's no cure for this sickness. The medicine can only reduce the impact and deterioration that SLE caused to my organ.

I think that's all from me...I hope it somehow or rather clear the doubts in you about my condition. Not to worry, I am more than prepare now to face this most challenging experience of my entire life.

Your support and advise gives me courage to pull it thru...

Salam.....