Oldie but Newbie to this group

[Guest guest]

Hello Everyone,

Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Fran, married to a

great guy for

close to 25 years. We have 2 cats who think they're human.

They've trained us well

-- over the past 15 years.

Normally I would refrain telling my history with SLE because it can

sound so

melodramatic and unbelievable to those unfamiliar with the disease.

Without a doubt

I know all of you can relate to this and even more.

In 1987 I was diagnosed with SLE (although in retrospect have had

symptoms since

my teens). In July of that year, experienced an " out of body "

episode. This CNS

episode lasted 3 years and let me tell you were the darkest moments

in my life.

Hearing voices, seeing colors, no sense of time and unable to make

logical decisions

or choices. I remember standing in front of the tuna section at a

local supermarket

for 15 minutes trying to figure out the difference to each. My lupus

doctor put me on

high doses of prednisone and cytoxin.

This lasted 4 years until my kidneys failed. Cytoxin was immediately

stopped

although it made great improvements to my CNS.

Since my diagnosis I have had kidney failure (although miraculously

and I do mean

miraculously) after 3 months on dialysis, my kidney function

returned, although with

some damage. This preceded a hysterectomy followed by precancerous

spot on my

bladder. Blah, blah, blah, blah…

OK so here I am today - 51 yr old (where did the years go?) and

I'll be starting on IVIg

therapy come Tuesday. It's intravenous immunoglobin – 4-hour

drip on 5

consecutive days. This is my initial dose. Then I'll receive

one drip every other week

for 6 months. The reason for this treatment is because the doctors

found an

additional lesion at the base of medulla (at least they keep finding

my brain) and

palsy-like neuropathy in my left leg.

Has anyone been on IVIg? Has anyone heard of IVIg used for lupus?

This group sounds like it has a spirit of love, frankness, compassion

and support! A

place where I belong… Thanks.

Fran