A blog visitor left a message in my email, asking if it’s true that lupus patients get paid pretty good for their plasma. The question intrigued me, and it drove me to dig deeper into the topic. This article gives you an overview about Lupus – what causes it, its treatment, why lupus patients should give their plasma and how they can monetize from it.
First of all, let’s try to understand what is lupus and why it is called by scientists and researchers as “the Disease with a Thousand Faces”.
Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks normal, healthy tissues, instead of the foreign ones. Normally, the immune system makes proteins called antibodies that protect and fight against bacteria and viruses. But when you have lupus, your immune system is unable to differentiate between healthy tissues and antigens. Hence, it fights against the healthy tissues that results in symptoms such as inflammation, swelling, damage to skin, joints, blood, kidneys, lungs and heart.
Lupus is called by the medical society as “the Disease with a Thousand Faces” because its symptoms come and go and mimic those of other diseases, making it difficult to diagnose. In fact, there is no single laboratory test that can prove if a person has this illness. No two cases of lupus are exactly alike and there is a wide range of symptoms that are known to affect different parts of the body. Among the many symptoms of lupus are:
- red rashes, most often on the face
- muscle pain
- sensitivity to the sun
- fever with unknown cause
- hair loss
- swelling in legs or around eyes
- mouth ulcers
- achy joints (arthritis, swollen joints in wrists, elbows, ankles and knees)
- pale or purple toes and fingers
- feeling very tired
- chest pain during deep breathing
Who gets Lupus?
The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) reports that 1.5 to 2 million Americans are affected by Lupus. 40 cases per 100,000 people among Northern Europeans while 200 among 200,000 people among blacks have some form of this complex disease. Lupus affects both males and females, but statistics shows that women are diagnosed 9 times more often than men, and the disease usually strikes during the childbearing years.
Famous People with Lupus
Lupus attacks almost anyone unexpectedly. It knows no name, race or social status. Even celebrities, athletes and world leaders have no escape over this disease.
Soul and R&B singer-songwriter Seal has discoid lupus erythematosus which resulted to the scars on his face; American singer Toni Braxton confirmed her lupus diagnosis at a Lupus benefit last November 2010; Cori Broadus, daughter of rapper Snoop Dogg, first showed symptoms of lupus at the age of six; former American professional baseball player Tim Raines was diagnosed with the disease in 1999 after a kidney biopsy; Mercedes Yvette, a finalist on the second season of America’s Next Top Model, revealed that she has lupus during the show. Mercedes is now a spokesperson for the Lupus Foundation of America.
Adding to the list of famous people who have lupus are: Former Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos, who died of Lupus in 1989; British politician Hugh Gaitskell; American fiction writer Flannery O’Connor; Luxury shoe and handbag designer Mary Norton; English glamour model Sophie Howard and former Playboy model Pietra Thornton.
No amount of wealth, fame and intelligence can excuse you from getting attacked by lupus. The next question you might have in mind now is – “Is there a cure for Lupus?”
What Causes Lupus and Is There a Cure for It?
Though the cause of lupus is not yet certain, scientific evidence shows that lupus is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Research suggests that lupus can be hereditary and may be triggered by ultraviolet light, viral and bacterial infections, medications and stress.
For decades of consistent research, the medical community has still not developed a cure for lupus, but there is an effective treatment for this. Early diagnosis and proper medical treatment can tremendously help control lupus and its symptoms. When you discover you have lupus, you must submit yourself for treatment because this can effectively minimize symptoms, reduce inflammation and pain, help maintain normal function and prevent serious complications.
But since lupus affects each patient differently, the treatment also depends on the specific problem that is seen in each patient. Medications and dosages will vary depending on the severity of the disease.
How Is Lupus Treated?
There is hope! Lupus can be treated through the help of professionals and one’s personal commitment.
Since Lupus attacks your external and internal organs, you have to seek help from specialized doctors to treat your symptoms. Go to a rheumatologist, nephrologist, dermatologist, cardiologist, hematologist, clinical immunologist, or any specialist for the symptoms that you have so they can create a treatment plan to suit your needs. Report to your doctor whatever new symptoms that develop so that the treatment can be changed if needed.
You may be prescribed with drugs that will reduce the swelling and pain, prevent or reduce flares, reduce organ damage, suppress your overactive immune system and balance the hormones.
Aside from medications, people with lupus must be mindful of the factors that can make their disease worse. There are several measures that patients can do to cope with lupus. To help keep themselves on fine shape, lupus patients must:
- have physical and emotional rest
- avoid known allergens and aggravating factors
- avoid, or at least have protection from direct sunlight
- eat balanced diet and exercise regularly
- consult doctors about risks associated with pregnancy (for female patients)
- learn pain management
- not smoke
Why Lupus Patients Should Give their Plasma
Just because you have lupus doesn’t mean that you can’t be useful anymore. Since scientists are still on the works to find cure for this disease, patients with lupus can help by contributing and giving their plasma to medical researchers at an FDA approved and regulated plasma donation center.
The medical society needs your plasma because it is the part of the blood that contains different kinds of proteins, including antibodies, which are much needed for vaccine and drug research. If you have lupus, your recent diagnosis may mean your white blood cells are generating disease related antibodies that are carried in your plasma. These antibodies are significant because they are used for research to find out how disease works. By becoming a plasma donor, you are helping the medical research community develop better diagnostic tools and treatments that will help lupus patients like you.
Giving plasma does not only let you help scientists develop cure for lupus, but you can also earn money from it. Each donation may qualify for a payment. If you give plasma in SeraCare Life Sciences, you will be paid $200 or more per donation, plus referral bonuses for qualified referrals. You must be eighteen years old and above to be able to sell plasma.
Where Lupus Patients Can Sell Plasma?
There are several blood and plasma banks scattered all around North America. BloodBanker, the largest online directory of blood and plasma banks in USA and Canada, provides complete information of these banks such as maps, contact numbers and testimonials. Wherever you are, you can find the nearest blood and plasma bank near you with BloodBanker!