Dancing With Butterflies

I Got Lupus, But Lupus Doesn’t Have Me

emmyrose — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:58:29 +0000

It’s been eight difficult years with Lupus and I used to say that I am waiting for a miracle, it is only on my recent birthday celebration that I finally realize that everyday of my life is already a miracle in itself. I know that I am blessed and it is by the grace of God that I am once again starting to recover from my longest flare ever… when almost everyone thought it was the end of the line for me, that finally lupus had won… lupus may have crippled and ruined my life, my dreams and probably my future but it didn’t destroy my spirit. I know in my heart that no matter how painful my struggles are, God is way much stronger than anything else and with Him, I know I can do anything…

Healthier You

emmyrose — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:52:16 +0000

I don’t see anything wrong for women to wish for a beautiful body. Once you feel good about yourself, the confidence within you will bring out the best in all you can be but don’t overdo things… take it slow, losing weight is not an overnight practice and you must be patient enough to wait for your hard work. You must also take some weight loss supplements that can replace all the nutrients in your food once you start your diet. I wish you well and a healthier you, soon!

Viewing Pleasures

emmyrose — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:41:14 +0000

When my mother celebrated her birthday last March, a few days before my first confinement. I was able to buy her a gift an LCD TV, our flat screen made our viewing really great. I honestly don’t want to buy that TV because it was too costly and I though it was impractical, but when our TV got busted out buying a TV came to mind and I don’t regret it because I can now have the luxury of watching my favorite shows and even movies with our LCD TV.

This Is It

emmyrose — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:13:53 +0000

I really pray this could be it… the answer to all Lupus patient’s prayers!

We are one giant step closer to the day we have been waiting for…

No, we haven’t found a cure yet, but this is the next best thing. BENLYSTA has proven successful in its 2nd phase III clinical trial and should now be eligible for approval by the FDA. It seems that the developing companies, HGS and GSK, are hopeful that BENLYSTA will be made available in the 1st half of 2010!

Details and additional info below…

Be healthy and remain hopeful! This is great news!

Best wishes,

Jenny Randazzo
Cause Creator

——————————– ———
BENLYSTA™ Successful in Second Pivotal Clinical Trial

Human Genome Sciences (HGS) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) today announced positive results from BLISS-76, the second of two large-scale phase III clinical trials of BENLYSTA™ (belimumab) for treating systemic lupus. A full presentation of results from BLISS-52 was recently shared at the 73rd Annual Scientific meeting of the American College of Rheumatology. Both trials succeeded in meeting their primary endpoints, which should make BENLYSTA eligible for approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Both trials demonstrate that treatment with BENLYSTA plus standard of care was superior to that of placebo (inactive agent) plus standard of care. BENLYSTA significantly reduced disease activity. If approved by the FDA, BENLYSTA would be the first drug ever developed and approved specifically for the treatment of lupus.

Sandra C. Raymond, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) issued the following statement.

“We are truly excited to receive this groundbreaking news! Individuals with lupus and their families have waited more than 50 years to hear that it is possible to develop therapies that control the disease. We believe that this is a significant first step in developing the full arsenal of therapies and personalized treatment lupus requires.

“Conducting clinical trials in lupus has been extremely difficult due to many factors including the heterogeneity of the disease, the selection of appropriate clinical trial endpoints, and the confounding role of required background medications given to clinical trial participants. Human Genome Sciences and GlaxoSmithKline have proven that these barriers, while formidable, can be overcome.

“For decades the entire lupus research community has worked hard to better understand the causes and consequences of the disease. The fruits of that labor are starting to emerge. However, now is not the time for complacency. We must band together for lupus and continue to capitalize on the decades of research made possible through the efforts of the many dedicated researchers, physicians, people with lupus, and advocates.

“This announcement by HGS and GSK and the Overcoming Barriers to Drug Development in Lupus report, commissioned by the Lupus Foundation of America to outline recommendations on ways to overcome the barriers to lupus research, combine to serve as a call to action for a national coordinated effort to accelerate the pace of discovery, to develop more tolerable and effective treatments, and to ultimately find a cure for this perilous disease.

“We congratulate HGS and GSK on reaching this important milestone in lupus research and in the development of new therapies for lupus. We also extend our appreciation to the researchers and study volunteers who made this achievement possible: the physicians who have passionately committed to researching this disease, and the companies that continue to invest in finding new and necessary treatments for this devastating disease.”

The next step in the process is for HGS and GSK to submit marketing applications in the United States, Europe and other regions during the first half of 2010. The LFA will closely follow this process, and continue to keep its constituents apprised of developments.

Related Information

Read Official Press Release from Human Genome Sciences and GlaxoSmithKline on Positive Results in Second of Two Phase 3 Trials of BENLYSTA™ in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
http://www.hgsi.com/latest/human…

Participate in the BENLYSTA Research Update Call on Monday, November 30, 2009
http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/…

Frequently Asked Questions regarding BENLYSTA™ (Formerly Lymphostat-B)
http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/…

Read the July 20, 2009 press release “BENLYSTA™ Successful in First of Two Pivotal Clinical Trials”
http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/…

Losing Weight

emmyrose — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:04:23 +0000

I have to admit that losing all those fat made me feel more confident about myself and I actually like what I see in the mirror. I’ve been fat most of my life and it somehow made me feel insecure about myself and it was frustrating that I’ve tried almost everything just to lose weight but to with no success. I even thought of taking a weight loss diet pill to help me lose all the weight but I was too scared to try. I am thankful with my new body and I feel more healthier than ever.

How I Burn Those Fats…

emmyrose — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:55:06 +0000

I need a new pair of jeans… actually I need a lot of new clothes. Ever since I lost weight, all my old clothes just wont fit me anymore. I’ve lost a total of 40lbs in just over six months. Nah, I didn’t take any fat burners or have some surgery. I didn’t also went to dieting or exercise… so you may be wondering why I lost all the excess fat. Well, the three consecutive confinement in the hospital should explain it all. I simply just lost my appetite and there was even a time that I couldn’t eat anything at all but things are back to normal now but I still can’t get my appetite back which is good because the last thing I want right now is to be fat again.

Simple Things

emmyrose — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:49:29 +0000

For the past few weeks, I have been having a wonderful time. I am enjoying every moment that I am well. After almost a year of isolation and enduring the longest lupus flare I ever had, I am finally on my way to recovery and I can go and leave the house now on my own… I really miss going out alone and going to the mall. I still remember the first time I was able to go to the mall by myself just a few weeks back and I just can’t explain the feeling. I went shopping a little and get mesmerized by the simple things in life even browsing the latest trend of clothes, reading some pages from a book in the bookstore or even the barcode scanner there are simply things that we sometimes just take for granted but sometimes it is also the things we just need to be happy.

Wandering Thoughts

emmyrose — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:11:41 +0000

I have been too busy lately and a lot of things happened in just a short span of time that somehow made me feel a bit chaotic. Don’t get me wrong I love the way things are happening in my life right now, I mean who would want to complain about my slow recovery from my longest lupus flare, certainly not me. It’s a slow recovery but I’ll rather have that than not to recover at all.

My grandmother from my father side died a week ago and my father came home from overseas. Family matters are always complicated for me so I’ll rather not blog about it but still it was a sad event.

My emotions are a bit in chaos too, I don’t know but I am somehow missing someone terribly. Yes, I’ve been thinking of that certain someone for the past few days and it’s making me nostalgic and sad. I am missing him so much and I simply can’t understand why…

I feel like I’m running towards a railroad, my thoughts are racing against the trains but I simply can’t catch up…*SIGH* I’m not even sure what to blog about, my mind is off wandering somewhere and I just need to find it soon!

Blue Advantage

emmyrose — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:53:30 +0000

I had my check up with my rheumatologist last Monday and the first thing he said to me was “you look great” wow, that felt so good after almost a year of having a lupus flare hearing your doctor said that only means that things are finally getting better. I am delighted that even my lab results are starting to be normal again although there are still things that may cause an alarm like my creatinine and protein leak on my urine, still things are way much better than it used to be. With this development, I can finally see brighter days to come but still it helps to have a Blue Advantage, having a secured health plan is still the best. With the uncertainty of lupus, it’s better to have a security blanket…

Better Be Safe

emmyrose — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:52:49 +0000

Discussions about the health insurance are on fire these days. A lot of people take for granted the importance of having a health insurance because they don’t anticipate what happens when sickness comes. Being a lupus patient for almost eight years now, I have experienced and valued the importance of having a health insurance, it is your security against the high cost of medications and without it, your finances are sure to suffer. Check your health insurance lead today and have a security for yourself and your family. It is always better to be safe and prepared than to be caught unaware.