What books do you recommend to those who are learning to live well with lupus?

General
1

Over the past 46 years I have read many books that deal with autoimmune diseases with an emphasis on those that deal with lupus. The two books that I refer to most often are Living Well with Autoimmune Disease by Mary Shomon and Dubois’ Lupus Erythematosus now written by Wallace and Hahn. Shomon writes about autoimmune issues using language that most people can understand. The book that is now written by Wallace and Hahn is in the language that rheumatologists and internal medicine specialist are expected to learn but also includes one section that is written for patients

What I like most about Shomon’s book is the way she introduces the concept of “underlying autoimmune issues” and what she calls “the autoimmune repair plan” which includes how to build the team that you need to help you do that.

http://www.amazon.com/Living-Well-Autoimmune-Disease-You-That/dp/0060938196/ref=sr_1_24?ie=UTF8&qid=1357935216&sr=8-24&keywords=lupus

Living Well with Autoimmune Disease: What Your Doctor Doesn’t Tell You …That You Need to Know

By Mary Shomon

What I have always liked most about DuBois’ book is that it has helped to me see lupus from the perspective of those who have trained to become physicians who specialize in the treatment of lupus and related issues. It helps me to understand, simultaneously, how much they know and how little know. This book was first published in 1966 around the time that I was first diagnosed. The latest edition was published September 2012.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1437718930/ref=rdr_ext_tmb

It has been fascinating to watch how much and how little progress has been made. Some of the earlier editions of the book included an appendix designed for patients to read. The last edition to include this section can be previewed on Google books.

Appendix I. A Patient's Guide to Lupus Erythematosus

http://books.google.com/books?id=tj9JR3IITy8C&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ViewAPI#v=onepage&q=Appendix%20I.%20A%20Patient's%20Guide%20to%20Lupus%20Erythematosus&f=false

In the latest edition that content is moved online. I understand that this has been done to make the book something that physicians can actually lift. But it makes it more difficult for patients to access the material written for them. I most certainly cannot afford medical textbooks. There is a free trial period that will allow one to read the section for patients in the new book.

http://www.expertconsultbook.com/expertconsult/ob/book.do?method=display&decorator=none&type=bookPage&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-1893-5..C2010-0-66018-4&isbn=978-1-4377-1893-5&hitTerms=dubois%7Cdubois%27&hitNum=1#lpState=open&lpTab=contentsTab&content=4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-1893-5..00060-1%3Bfrom%3Dtoc%3Btype%3DbookPage%3Bisbn%3D978-1-4377-1893-5&search=none

What books do you recommend?

2

Good discussion Ann! My choices of books are Christian slanted. First one is "Successful Living with Chronic Illness" by Kathleen Lewis, the second is for later on when your illness has kept you mostly in bed for years. "What I learned Lying Down" by Angela Dugi. There's a practical book that helped with the practical day to day living adjustments, it's from the MS society, called "The Kinder Side" by Lyn Risidore. Two of these are a few years old, but if you go to any online bookstore and search for them, you will probably find used, perfect condition books.

3

I like The Lupus Book by Daniel Wallace, MD.