Achieving Balance With Lupus Medications - Molly's Fund Offers Insights On The Subject

PORTLAND, OR, March 28, 2013 (Press-News.org) Lupus is a painful auto-immune disease that manifests differently in each patient and requires varying treatment options for each individual depending on the signs and symptoms that are presenting. It is also important to understand that the treatment protocol may change once or perhaps several times during a lupus sufferer's lifetime. The goals of both patient and physician remain constant: To prevent and treat flares, and to prevent lupus and associated medications from damaging your body over time, plus maintain some balance in one's life. Molly's Fund Fighting Lupus offers detailed guidance on different treatments, resources, options and support in their bi-monthly blogs. Be sure to visit www.MollysFund.org to keep up to date on current lupus news and resources.

Finding the most effective treatment for each individual patient evolves over time through working at maintaining a balance between preventing flares and the potentially life-threatening organ damage they can cause, while maintaining quality of life and minimizing the side effects that can come from various medications is challenging.

This balance can only come from a constant monitoring of (and keeping good record of) the disease activity as well as recording any side effects that may be stemming from the medications. Molly (herself) created the Molly's Med Minder (order here at www.MollysFund.org/store) to help her with these tasks. It is vitally important to clearly and regularly communicate with your medical provider about your responses to the medications. This will help you and your physician devise the optimum course of action and make necessary adjustments to reach the best possible balance between lessoning your lupus symptoms and the side effects of medication.

Although there is currently no cure for lupus, today's medications can be very effective in helping people with lupus live longer, healthier lives, and new research holds hope for the future. For a current list of lupus medications and treatments please the Molly's Fund blog: http://blog.mollysfund.org/2013_03_01_archive.html

Note: The Lupus Research Institute and its National Coalition of state and local lupus organizations is dedicated to finding new and safer options for treating and preventing systemic lupus. Participation of people with lupus in clinical research is the way to make this a reality. For the latest lupus trials, follow these suggested links:

http://lupustrials.org/
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/search?term=lupus&submit=Search
http://www.centerwatch.com/clinical-trials/listings/condition/384/lupus

"Please do your part - don't be a passive patient. Learn as much as you can about lupus and work closely with your medical team to achieve a balance of medical care. Studies consistently show that taking an active role in your lupus care really helps," said Molly McCabe, co-founder of Molly's Fund Fighting Lupus.

Please visit www.MollysFund.org for more information.