In the old days, I often tried to tough it out without taking medicine. I knew that fevers were the body's auto-immune response to create a hostile environment for germs, to kill them. So I used to let my temperature hover above normal during the day, and I only took fever reducers at night if a fever was keeping me awake. I knew that a headache would often subside if I just rested and pushed fluids, so I tended to try those measures first.
Lupus changes all that. Lupus is an auto-immune response to nothing, or a severe over-reaction of the immune system to a small problem. When lupus is the culprit behind the activity of the immune system, there is absolutely no benefit in waiting anything out. I need to get a lid on my immune system's activity as quickly as possible.
Since I can virtually never get in to see a rheumatologist when I am sick (it usually takes 3-6 months to see this type of specialist), and since PCPs are not keen on treating lupus, I've had to figure out how to handle these things on my own.
Which is why I am thankful for ibuprofen. When I start to feel lupus acting up, I take ibuprofen and get myself as much rest and fluid as I can muster. It usually does the trick.
I'm thankful for ibuprofen.
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