Physician Living with Lupus

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Physician Living with Lupus

Like most physicians, Dr. Karen Strack was so busy that she really didn't have time to pay attention to the unrelenting symptoms of fatigue and poor sleep that had been going on for a few months. After all, she figured, fatigue is a common byproduct of a physician's hectic schedule.

But when a rash developed on her scalp, Strack went to a dermatologist, who diagnosed it as non-specific in origin. A few weeks later, however, the prescribed treatment wasn't working.
By the time she went back to the dermatologist, the rash had also appeared on her face in a "butterfly" shape across her nose and both cheeks. This time the diagnosis was clear: lupus.

"Shortly after the diagnosis, I had a positive pregnancy test," Strack said. "Then, the lupus began to become more obvious. I had so much muscle weakness that I could not get up from the couch or go up and down the stairs. Then I had an episode of transient blindness that lasted about five or six minutes. That's when I went on medication and started seeing several specialists."

That was 20 years ago. After taking medication for about six years and going on medical disability leave from her job for two and a half years, Strack today is still a busy physician whose self-defined "mild" degree of lupus is in remission. When she does experience flares, she takes immediate self-care steps to lessen the intensity.

Strack notes that it's important to recognize when the flares are starting and then take appropriate action. "When my ankles, wrists, and hands start hurting, or if the rash starts to come back, then I know I need to chill out," she said.
"That's when I will take off an extra day and make sure I schedule nothing for my weekends so I can get caught up on my sleep. If you recognize early on when you start going into a lupus flare, you can get some more rest or take whatever medications your physician prescribes. For people with mild lupus, that's about all it takes."

 "But those with severe lupus, involving the heart and kidneys, have a harder time managing it," she added. "All they can really do is be faithful and consistent with taking their medication and follow-up visits. During flares, they need to see their doctor immediately and may require a change in medication."
As she herself continues to live a full life despite lupus, Strack sees patients with the disease in her practice. "Lupus is a strange disease," she said. "It can be mild and be managed by a physician like myself, but it can also change quickly. You hate to miss something, so I usually share the patients with a rheumatologist."
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