Hi, I’m a 23 year old recently diagnosed with SLE (lupus cerebritis + HLH on my first flare 1 yr ago). I’m hoping to ask for advice from or to connect with professionals who also have lupus. I recently graduated from medical school despite my lupus episode last year, and I’m at lost as to how to balance a medical career (which isn’t the easiest even for healthy folk) and a life with lupus. I’ll be taking on 36 hour shifts next year with irregular sleeping and eating schedules and in a very high stress environment.
My lupus has now been controlled with cyclophosphamide, steroids, and other medications, but I’m always very scared that I’ll do something and cause a flare up. It’s a very big mental burden to me, and I can’t avoid internship (with its aforementioned stresses) next year. I would ask my doctor, but I don’t feel like my doctor understands my concerns (ironically). I know that diseases like lupus do happen in healthcare workers, there’s no way I can connect with them locally since it’s a silent illness (in more than one sense).
If possible, I’d like to seek advice on how to balance a professional life with having lupus. Thank you very much for your time.
Artres
If you don't know if you can cope (and you got your honest answer), then what would you be expecting someone else to tell you?
I don’t know. My lupus is new enough that I’m not too badly off with it (now that it’s controlled). I don’t want to limit what I can do because of it. I’d still like to try managing a career, and I was just wondering if anyone has made it work somehow and had any tips or ways that they have dealt with it. Nonetheless thank you for taking the time to comment on my post.