Lithgow LGA Chronic illness and Autoimmune support network

18/10/2026

Sorry for being so quiet lately just alot on my plate lately. I was hoping to communication with you all by now but you have all been very quiet, so it would be nice to start hearing from you, ask questions, share thoughts, important info or anything else you wanna talk about.

Talk to you soo

18/10/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DsT49CVCf/

08/09/2026

So as promised my topic for this week is something a little different.

So for myself the last couple of weeks have been tough I've had a number of infections, an operation and one of our dogs died. So it's been a bit of an emotional whirl wind here. But it made me think about the support you have when you are chronically ill, so I wanted to focus on pets and how they become such a huge support when your sick.

I know having a good support system is very important but I think animals can be just as poignant. I have been around dogs from the day I was born and they have been there through the bullying at school, deaths in the family, family stress and getting diagnosed. They have helped me so much throughout the last 11 years as they are their when im lonely, sad, in pain or feeling ill. They never judge and they always listen, so over this next week I want you to share the animals that are most important to you while going through this. It doesnt have to be a dog, it can be anything from a horse to a fish aslong as they help you at your worst, post a pic and why they are so important.

Have fun

Talk to you soon

Ps here are some of the dogs throughout my life...

07/09/2026

Apologies for not posting been going through a flare and recovery from my operation. I will post tomorrow with some fun interactive posts.

So stay tuned

21/08/2026

This is also massive news in Australia for a skin cancer vaccine..

How an Australian scientist led a cancer vaccine breakthrough

Former Australian of the Year Georgina Long was the medical lead on the trial, the results of which have been described as “a pivotal moment for cancer”.

21/08/2026

Could mean alot for severe lupus paitents especially in regional areas.

💜 BIG NEWS FOR AUSTRALIANS LIVING WITH LUPUS 💜

The July 2026 PBAC outcomes have been released — and subcutaneous anifrolumab (Saphnelo®) has been RECOMMENDED for PBS listing.

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee has recommended PBS subsidy for a pre-filled pen auto-injector, allowing eligible adults with severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and high disease activity despite standard care to receive anifrolumab by weekly subcutaneous injection.

This is important because anifrolumab is currently administered as an intravenous infusion every four weeks.

A positive PBAC recommendation does not mean the medicine is available on the PBS immediately. There are still further government and listing processes to be completed before it becomes available.

But this is a major step forward.

For people living with lupus, treatment access is not just about whether a medicine exists. It is also about how treatment fits into real life — appointments, travel, work, family, fatigue, illness and the enormous burden that can come with ongoing healthcare.

Greater treatment choice matters.

Lupus Voice Australia will continue following the PBS listing process closely and will share updates as they happen.

💜 Today, though, we celebrate a very positive step for our lupus community.

20/08/2026

Sorry for the late post but here is the weekly illness Sjrogrens disease.
Sjogren's disease is a relatively common condition that mainly affects the eyes and salivary glands, but can affect different parts of the body.

Sjogren's disease is an autoimmune condition, which means it occurs as a result of a malfunctioning immune system.

Your immune system is designed to identify foreign bodies (such as bacteria and viruses) and attack them to keep you healthy. However, in the case of Sjogren's disease your immune system attacks the glands that make tears and saliva. This prevents the glands from working properly and causes dryness of the mouth, eyes or other tissues.

The condition may progress slowly, so the typical symptoms of dry eyes and mouth may take years to show. However, rapid onset can also occur. Symptoms can be mild, moderate or severe, and the progression is often unpredictable.

Women are most commonly affected by Sjogren's disease. There is no cure, but it can be managed effectively.

In rare cases, organs such as the liver and kidneys may be involved, which can increase the severity of the condition.

In a small number of people, Sjogren's disease may be associated with lymphoma (cancer of the lymph glands). Better health channel

The reason I have highlighted this disease is that I have suffered it for a number of years, spent money on scans, specialists and botox. My sjrogrens causes me to have severe paratoid infections that often ended me up in hospital. This is extremely painful and causes alot of face swelling, jaw pain, trouble eating and damage to jaw. I have constant infections on both sides, last year I went to another ENT who suggested trying a regular operation where they go into paratoid glands via your inside cheek with a camera, clean out the junk, put in meds and then do botox. I have to have this every six months and tomorrow is this year's. To have this operation I have to travel to RPA and stay at a hotel overnight and then go to the Chris Obrien Lifehouse and undergo surgery.

This disease is debilitating and painful, hopefully one day they will have a cure.

If you have any questions just ask.

Hope you are all doing well take care 🙂 😊

12/08/2026

So this week I wanted to focus on one of my main illnesses which is Lupus SLE. Lupus is a systemic autoimmune disease that causes widespread imflammation throughout the body causing damage to joints, skin, organs, hair, nails, gut, etc. It is a chronic illness that has no cure but symptoms are managed with steroids and immune suppressants which all bring there own side effects like weight gain, bone degeneration.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a long-term autoimmune disease. The body's immune system attacks healthy tissues by mistake. This causes swelling and damage in different body parts, like the skin, joints, kidneys, and brain.

Extreme tiredness
Pain and swollen joints
Red rash on the face shaped like a butterfly over the nose and cheeks
Sores in the mouth or nose
Fever with no clear cause
Hair loss
Skin getting worse after being in the sun

Genes: Runs in families, but one single gene does not cause it.
Hormones: Happens much more often in women than men.
Environment: Sunlight, stress, smoking, or certain infections can trigger flare-ups

Medicines: Doctors use hydroxychloroquine, steroids, or other drugs to calm the immune system.
Sun safety: Wear hats, long sleeves, and high-SPF sunscreen.
Healthy habits: Get enough rest, eat good food, and do light exercise.

27/07/2026

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Welcome, everyone. This community is for members to chat and share important updates.

24/07/2026

Here is the new group chat on messenger please join.

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Welcome, everyone. This community is for members to chat and share important updates.