Lupus Patient Smoking

Hi. I am 32 years old woman. I suffer from lupus (SLE). I smoke cigarettes. My doctor told me I should quit. Why?

Hi. I have lupus too. I used to smoke a lot. However, when I was diagnosed with lupus, I had to quit. My health care provider told me smoking will increase the risk for developing heart diseases. So, smoking helps lupus. Women with SLE are more likely to develop a heart disease, such as coronary artery disease. So, women suffering from lupus should minimize that risk. How to do that? You have to monitor your blood cholesterol, quit smoking, monitor your blood pressure, etc. I still want to have a cigarette from time to time. But my heart is more important than a smoke or two.