Being a manager of a bank is challenging enough, but Diane Salemi does it while fighting a debilitating disease.
“That’s where it came. The pain where you had to get up and down from your desk or walk up or down the stairs,” she said.
Doctors diagnosed her with the most common form of lupus
“Lupus can be mild. Lupus can be moderate, but if it really attacks you severely, it can be fatal,” said Dr. Robert S. Katz, Rheumatologist and Professor of Medicine at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago
Lupus patients have overactive immune systems, which are misdirected and can attack the skin, muscles, kidneys, lungs, brain and joints. Treatment includes various forms of steroids and immunosuppressive medications, which can have awful side effects.
Diane was one of the first to take a new drug called Benlysta. It’s administered intravenously once a month. Doctors say it may be less toxic than some of the other drugs.
“It’s good to have a new, completely different type of medication that may suppress one protein in the immune system but not everything, and so, it’s a new age,” said Dr. Katz.
Benlysta hasn’t worked for African Americans in the clinical trial. And it’s expensive – about $35,000 a year. But even with these limitations, lupus foundation officials are hopeful.
“We think it’s going to bring a lot of attention to lupus, and that means a lot to us because we are constantly trying to bring awareness to lupus,” said Charles Brummell, Lupus Foundation of America, Illinois Chapter President.
The drug already means a lot to Diane.
“Benlysta has helped me as far as my fatigue. I have less fatigue now. I have more energy and absolutely no side effects from the drug,” she said.
Doctors say it will take time to discover Benlysta’s actual side effects and true effectiveness.
The new lupus drug is intended for those who are already on two or more medications and haven’t been able to get sufficient relief from their symptoms, but that applies to upwards of 60 percent of all lupus patients.
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