Lupus Flare???

Just have my routines check up every quarterly (on Monday) at Specialist Outpatient Clinic. Quite disappointing with my blood test result, WBC and RBC are lower than average and my ESR increased. I know it is quite difficult to explain what is the caused...perhaps due to stress, environmental, infection, etc...

I still remember in mid march (last month) , I felt my joint is killing me (fingers, knee, ankle, elbow...etc..everywhere pain), fatigue, lethargic..then encountered hair loss....really start to feel panic and worrysome. I have suspect my lupus may flare again..Then my fingers start to get swollen and the swollenness goes off and on at times. My daily activities was kind of affected as I can't move freely and steadily (as usual) and I cannot concentrate well. I feel bothersome because of the pain and achyness all over my body!

I was in hestitation to contact my doctor as I know all they can do is to put me back to steriods. It will be a long recovering process and the impact (side effect) for taking steriods. I decided to seek help from my chinese physician.  My condition did improve within the seven days. I started to feel better, no more joint pain, no more lethargic, can carry out my daily activities as per normal. I feel more ease and "normal". See the photo below. I was on steriods when my lupus flare. I put on alot of weight and pimples popped up everywhere in my body plus the "moon face" I encountered (side effect caused by steriods). Just cannot imagine, I was on daily medication for almost 5 years.

My "moon face"



Then, I discussed with my chinese physician two weeks ago to allow me to reduce the medication gradually. She has no objection. But then, I realised it doesn't really seem to work well for me. Start to feel fatigue and unwell again. It's a pain in the ass.....I really feel like..I am a "medicine bottle"...need to fill up with medicine in order to function properly. Without pumping medicine into my system, it cannot function properly. What a haywire and pathetic system! Have to go and visit my chinese physician this weekend again!  

Cheers!