Yesterday, singer and Disney star Selena Gomez shared a very personal health condition; namely that she had successfully undergone a kidney transplant due to Lupus during the summer.
Selena Gomez revealed that longtime co-Disney actress and friend Francia Raisa was the donor for transplant.
The world is definitely shocked at the revelations! and that is not us being melodramatic. We are also inspired by her disclosure.
Firstly, how did she managed to keep the surgery so secret, for so long? Kudos girl, for taking care of your own narrative.
Secondly, by sharing her news, Selena has helped bring an awareness to a health issue that many people are blissfully unaware of. So yes, we can talk about it now, even if only for a limited time. In all probability, the present writer would not have dealt with the subject at this time, but for Selena’s disclosure. Thank you Selena. So it’s a positive, inspiring and bold step that was taken by the singer and actress. Thank you also to Francia Raisa for being such a wonderful friend.
Sweet friendship. Selena Gomez and friend during her kidney transplant.
So I dig around some health websites to find out what this disease is all about, in the hope that information might help someone out there. The information presented below is condensed from the website of National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease (NIAMS). It’s a US government agency and you’ll find the link at the end of the article. The website presented the information in an easy to understand manner, and I have also cross-checked the information with other websites such as Healthline, NHS, Medical News today and Mayoclinic.
Things to Know about Lupus
Lupus is a kind of the body’s defence mechanism when the immune system is impaired. I know, it’s kind of counter-productive. It’s like this: The immune system is designed to attack foreign substances in the body. If you have lupus, something goes wrong with your immune system and it attacks healthy cells and tissues. This can damage many parts of the body such as the: joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels and brain.
The most common type of lupus are:
Some lupus can affect many parts of the body, some cause chronic skin rash skin (that doesn’t go away) or sores on parts of the body exposed to the sun and there are some that affect even newborns called Neonatal lupus.
This picture of face rashes was shared on the NHS website.
Women are most at risk of getting lupus, especially black women.
Anyone can get lupus, but it mostly affects women. Lupus is also more common in women of African American, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American descent than in Caucasian women.
No one knows what causes lupus
The cause of lupus is not known. Research suggests that genes play an important role, but genes alone do not determine who gets lupus. It is likely that many factors trigger the disease.
What Are the Symptoms of Lupus?
Symptoms of lupus vary, but some of the most common symptoms of lupus are: pain or swelling in joints, muscle pain, fever with no known cause, red rashes most often on the face, chest pain when taking a deep breath, hair loss, pale or purple fingers or toes, sensitivity to the sun, swelling in legs or around eyes, mouth ulcers, swollen glands, feeling very tired.Less common symptoms include anaemia (a decrease in red blood cells), headaches, dizzy spells, feeling sad, confusion and seizures.Symptoms may come and go. The times when a person is having symptoms are called flares, which can range from mild to severe. New symptoms may appear at any time.
Swelling on the lower abdomen. Photo: Selena Gomez on Instagram
How Is Lupus Diagnosed?
From the myriad of symptoms listed above, it’s not surprising that the diagnosis of the disease is neither a simple nor a straight forward matter. Information on the NIAMS website states that “There is no single test to diagnose lupus. It may take months or years for a doctor to diagnose lupus.” Furthermore, the website added that one “May need special kinds of doctors to treat the many symptoms of lupus.” For example, rheumatologists—doctors who treat arthritis and other diseases that cause swelling in the joints.
For diagnosis, doctors rely on the following:
Medical history
Complete exam
Blood tests
Skin biopsy (looking at skin samples under a microscope
Kidney biopsy (looking at tissue from your kidney under a microscope).
Treatment
To treat the disease, your doctor will develop a treatment plan to fit your needs. You and your doctor should review the plan often to be sure it is working. You should report new symptoms to your doctor right away so that treatment can be changed if needed. Treatment seeks to prevent/reduce flares, reduce organ damage, boost the immune system, balance hormones and treat symptoms. Sometimes other medications are needed for problems related to lupus such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or infection.
What about pregnant woman
Women with lupus can and do have healthy babies. There are a few things to keep in mind if you are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant. Pregnancy in women with lupus is considered high risk, but most women with lupus carry their babies safely.
Pregnant women with lupus should see their doctors often.
Lupus can flare during pregnancy.
Pregnancy counselling and planning before pregnancy are important.
Women with lupus who do not wish to become pregnant or who are taking medicine that could be harmful to an unborn baby may want reliable birth control. Recent studies have shown that oral contraceptives (birth control pills) are safe for women with lupus.
More information is available on the NIAMS website.
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