Overcome Edema - Overcome Lupus

• December of 2005 the bottom of my feet got really tender but I shrugged it off.

• Then I experienced night sweats and sleeplessness with muscle twitching. Soon my wrists ached badly. More symptoms occurred as months rolled by. I lost my appetite felt and tired continually.

- Overcoming Lupus

• By April 2006, my legs started to swell up with fluid, I had edema in both legs. One morning, I woke up with a fever and chest pain.

• The x-rays showed fluid in-between my lungs and chest cavity. At the hospital they concluded I had hyperthyroidism and prescribed two medications.

• Two weeks later, they found that the medicines had lowered my white blood cells so dangerously low that I could have died. Deep down I knew there was more to it.

• The impact of the thyroid medication caused major flare-ups during the course of eight months.

• I couldn’t walk, my joints felt like they were stiffening, my hands could not make a fist and I couldn’t grasp onto things.

• I had lost 40 pounds, had rashes all over my body, excruciating muscle spasms and my eyelids would flake so badly that when I woke in the morning I couldn’t open my eyes.

• My hair began to thin and fall out. I was experiencing headaches and chronic fatigue. By June of 2007, I got shingles on my right thigh and the pain was unbearable.

• Back to urgent care again, more medicines that nearly killed me and then after two weeks I was finally diagnosed as having Systemic Lupus Erythematosus with a rheumatoid factor and prescribed prednisone.


• After a week I felt strong but was always so hungry that I would constantly eat. I had gained 50 pounds.

• This made me not want to leave the house, I started to disconnect myself from my friends. All I wanted was my old self.

- Getting off Lupus Medication

• One day my sister stopped smoking and I was dumbfounded. Her turning to the Lord made me open my heart again to Him.

• I was deeply convicted to eat the way I needed to help heal my body and to taper off my medications.

• The day I arrived at Weimar I was in bad shape and I worried that I wouldn’t be able to put in enough effort to get the results that I desire.

• But I was determined because I knew God was with me. After a couple of days the doctor took me off the methotrexate.

• After a week, I started to walk longer and faster. My body was getting stronger with the food, hydrotherapy treatments and daily walking. With encouragement I realized that Lupus can’t control my life.

• By the second week, I was completely off of my medications and taking brisk walks. I still had some emotions that needed to get worked out and many times I experienced God’s comfort.

• I am forever grateful for NEWSTART. I praise God for the experience and especially for strength to move forward. I pray that this through God’s encouraging power will uplift someone, anyone who is dealing with lupus.!!

http://www.newstart.com/newstart/about-the-program/