Lupus, while treatable, has no cure. The cause is unknown. Women are nine times more likely to face the unexplainable, potentially debilitating flare-ups of this disease. Moderation is key. “A lot of lupus patients are real high achievers,” says Della Hunter, chair of the Lupus Foundation of Virginia. “Then they find themselves trying to do too much and wind up in bed for two or three days.” For Alison Reuse, the first symptom appeared 20 years ago. Sore muscles and joints made holding her infant daughter a challenge. The bigger trial came when Reuse entered her 40s. “Ooh,” she says, “that’s when things got bad.”
