Book excerpt: A complete Guide for Women with Lupus The Lupus Handbook for women provides all the information a woman needs to understand the disease, its diagnosis, and the treatment. It will answer her questions and help her to work with her doctor in managing the disease. Rheumatologist Dr. Robin J. Dibner, in clear and supportive terms, tells women what they need to know, including: * What lupus is, how it affects the body, and why women are particularly vulnerable to it (90 percent of Americans with lupus are women) * The three different types of lupus (discoid lupus, systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE], and drug-induced lupus) * How to get a correct diagnosis and understand the tests (because the symptoms are often mistaken for those of other illnesses, it can take three to five years to get a definitive diagnosis) * The pros and cons of the various conventional drugs and therapies * What the new, experimental treatments are, whom they are for, and what their risks and benefits are * How to use stress control, diet, and exercise to prevent flare-ups and maintain health * How to keep lupus from interfering with a normal dating and sex life and with the development of healthy relationships * How to have a safe, though high-risk, pregnancy The Lupus Handbook for Women also includes information on the major lupus research centers, support groups, and other sources of help and information.