Alina Cherney: «Systemic lupus erythematosus»

When Alina was 17 years old, she was diagnosed - Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Lupus as named by common people is systemic autoimmune disease in which antibodies produced by the immune system damage the DNA of healthy cells, mainly damaged connecting  tissue with the obligatory existence of a vascular component.

Now Alina is 23 years old, and she is full of strength to enjoy life and make people happy.
 
- Alina, please tell us about your disease. What did the doctors say?
- My illness is a certain chapter in my life.  It's called "lupus". This is very rare disease. You can hear about it on the television series "Doctor House". (Smiles)
In general, it is a serious autoimmune illness when the immune system of the person doesn't accept own cages and starts attacking healthy tissue. Currently SLE includes a number of incurable diseases. And the "lupus" is called in the Middle Ages because of a characteristic sign – rashes on a nose bridge and cheeks - the affected area in a form reminds a butterfly which reminds places of wolf stings. However, I don't howl on the moon and I don't become covered with wool. (Laughs)
Since this disease has not been studied much, doctors had no common opinion.


 
- What could provoke the disease? How long have you been diagnosed with it?
- It is still unclear why the illness appears. It is possible that any virus affected or it occurred because of a nervous breakdown. The matter is that I was worried about examinations to enter the university. For few weeks before examination I started to stutter. And next day, after the exam, I got sick with a temperature of 40 degrees. It lasted for a long time and the temperature decreased only to 38 degrees from time to time. Literally two months couldn't establish me the exact diagnosis. During this time my weight reached 40 kilograms. But the oncological disease was excluded at once as we made tests first of all. The cardiologist said that rashes in the form of spots on my legs are rheumatic diseases. We’ve received a quota on a survey in the capital, but the doctors were sure that I my health won’t last the journey. So my mother didn't take the risk. On September 4, 2010 I was hospitalized, having diagnosed SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus). Until the New Year I didn't know about the diagnosis, my family worried, so they hid it from me. 



- Whether your weight for years of an illness changed? And how it was reflected on you?
- Yes, of course. On the same day after hospitalization I started being treated with corticosteroid hormones. I had to drink these preparations throughout all my life. Within two months of treatment, my figure was incorrect configuration, with severe swelling in the upper body. I grew fat about 30 kg and passed from the XS size into clothing sizes L, XL. But besides hormonal failure in an organism, the mineral metabolism that led to osteoporosis - thinning of fabrics was broken. I had to carry a corset because there were problems with a backbone. So the catastrophe has begun. So, there was no "skinny girl" anymore. I started to be closed in my own world. I was ashamed so I didn't want to leave my home. I didn’t like myself those days. My face was so swelled that you could hardly see my eyes. Accordingly, any communication with people whom I considered as friends, was stopped. For whole days I spent my time in my room with the laptop reading articles on the Internet.



- But how did you find strength and started training at the gym? And why was it gym, but not the other sport?
- Since the beginning of 2012 I began to keep diets, but it was very dangerous and doctors didn't encourage. On one of the websites, I came across an article about the fact that people with my diagnosis do not live more than 10 years. Probably, this article has become "a kick" for a new life. I considered that it is better to live life as you want. I started bearing the idea to refuse all preparations, but also was afraid of recurrence. Nevertheless the desire to live in a different way even if for at least 10 years took up. And so, at my own risk, I ceased to take the medicine. In February 2013 I went to the gym, but my aim was to lose weight. I wanted to tone and tighten my skin, so I chose gym. All non-study time I spent at the gym. I liked muscular pain and I had satisfaction from each training. I began to dream of "cubes". So my main goal was the correction of figure, and weight loss passed to second plan. I came to the gym in the weight of 58 kilograms, exactly as much I weigh now. But, as you see there is a big difference.



- What principles your initial trainings were based on? 
- Initially, I simply went in for the in medical physical exercise (physical therapy). The instructor showed me exercises on "training" a corset back, so special attention was paid to the exercises to strengthen the back. No wonder that at first occupations I felt strange pains in muscles and even in bones. The body adapted, and everything passed, the weight was very smoothly added. As a result, already in half a year I could lift 100 kg in a squat.



- Judging by cardinal changes, the food allowance has also changed?
- Yes, I sat on a healthy nutrition, at that time I knew almost nothing about diets. But it’s often written in various websites that it is necessary to begin with water. My weight loss began with drinking plenty of water. It helps very well to improve metabolism. I didn't count calories as many people do and still didn't come to it. At that time, I heard the fashionable word "drying". I searched for information on the Internet. As I really wanted to have the good shaped body, I started "drying". Drying – is a diet for athletes, a stable 6-8 meals a day. Since protein is a basis to structure muscles, within six weeks, I ate chicken breast, cottage cheese and a shaker of water – no more than 700 ml. Every week, under the guidance of my coach we cut off carbohydrates. If at the first year of university I was ashamed to simply take a medicine, on the 3rd course I could already eat chicken breast during lessons. People around me couldn't understand so I had to explain. Following the principles of "drying", I came close to the ideal. But everything was so difficult that from hourly meal and adding not enough carbohydrates (which affected not only reduction of a body, but also brain activity) I didn't feel joy at all. And only when I ate a chocolate, I felt myself happy. Now I don't limit myself in food. Though of course there is no sugar and rich flour products. I eat meat, except mutton and pork. Generally it is chicken and beef fillet. Also, a horse-meat which, by the way, is considered a healthy meat. In general, you can eat everything but it is important to know what to eat with what.

- During what time there was a result?
- after 3 months of trainings I received the offer to participate in the bodybuilding championship and fitness of bikini, but I refused since it wasn't sure of myself yet. My form was still far from an ideal. But it was madly pleasant that people began to be interested in me. And the most important for me was that people came for advice about trainings. At the gym I began to feel confident, as in "my own territory". In total I found harmony and shaped up in 4 months. I managed to get out of a hole in which I drove myself with the illness. I consider that we are ill because we dare to trust in this illness.
 
- Now you work as personal trainer. Do you like your job?
- Everything is right. I carry out personal trainings in my own gym where I came as a beginner before. Also I work as the instructor in other gym. I have a diploma of the lawyer, but I work in the sphere of fitness third year. These activities bring me a real pleasure. Sport in a root changed my life. Thanks to sport I have not only got a favorite profession, but also won through my illness. I proved myself that I am a strong person who at the price of effort and work on himself will reach the desired goal. The main thing is to believe in yourself!