Your health depends on
what you know and
when you know it

You can count on the Pemphigus & Pemphigoid Society to bring you the most current information available and in a form that is easy to read and understand. The Patients' Guide to Pemphigus. Edited by Dr. Francina Lozada-Nur, Dr. Edward Tenner and Sal Capo

Never before has all the core information a pemphigus patient needs been combined in one clear, concise and complete publication. (See the complete Table of Contents below.)The PPS Contributing Editors gathered and distilled the best information from the most important sources in the medical profession. The scientific section and treatment strategies was edited by PPS Chief Medical Advisor, Dr. Francina Lozada-Nur, Chief of Stomatology at the University of California at San Francisco an internationally respected researcher with over 25 years experience in pemphigus and pemphigoid. Dermatology information was reviewed by Dr. M. Kari Connolly, an Associate Clinical Professor of Dermatology and Medicine, and Director of the Autoimmune Clinic and Co-Director of the Immunoflurescence Laboratory. Dr. Connolly is also at UCSF, is one of five physicians participating in the Peptimmune PV vaccine trials.

Additional PPS Contributing Editors:

• Oral care: Bobby Collins, DDS, Assistant Professor, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pittsburgh
• Psychology: Terry Wolinsky McDonald, PhD, Clinical Psychologist
• Medications: Jarrod Weckerly, P. Pharm, Pharmacist
• Ophthalmology: Edward Tenner, MD, Eye Surgeon

Table of Contents:_

_2 Dedication
_3 Authors and affiliations
_4 Translators
_5 PPS Board of Directors
_6 Table of contents
_7 I have what? An orientation and overview of the road ahead
_8 Our confused Immune system - What happens when the self is attacked
_9 Essential information : Diagnosis, medications and treatment strategies
10 Situation 1: Patients with severe whole body and oral involvement
11 Situation 2: Severe oral disease, without other site involvement, Situation 3. Moderate Disease
12 Situation 4. Mild Disease, References
13 Below the surface of the skin. A few facts about the bodys largest organ.
14 Pemphigus vulgaris - The most common type
15 The variants of pemphigus vulgaris
16 Oral care - Good oral care prevents a variety of major complications
17 Eye care for pemphigus patients
18 The Prednisone Diet and trigger foods which may cause or worsen flares
19 Pemphigus foliaceus - It is not considered benign anymore
20 The variants of pemphigus foliaceus
21 Paraneoplastic pemphigus - The most serious variant is also the most rare
22 Beyond the stages of grief - The psychological aspects of pemphigus
23 Resources - Reliable sources of information for further study about pemphigus
24 Medications - Glucocortico steroids: prednisone, prednisolone
25 Immunosuppressants
26 Immunosuppressants, continued
27 Some dos and donts about caregiving
28 How to care for damaged skin
29 Bathing - Healing and comfort begin when the skin is clean
30 Frequently asked questions
32 Frequently asked questions, continued
33 Frequently asked questions, continued
34 The PPS Patients Checklist - An outline of what patients need to know
35 The Food, Mood and Activity Diary, instructions
36 The Food, Mood and Activity Diary, make copies of this page to use

Donation requests:

Nonmembers $20
PPS members $15

Special offer: membership* ($36) and Guide ($15) package, for only $46, save $5.00.

To order, contact the PPS office.

*Membership in the PPS also includes four issues of Recovery, the PPS' quarterly news magazine. Click here for the complete list of membership benefits. A donation is not required to become a PPS member. For a free membership, check the "free membership" check box on the PPS member application form.