Is it worth it to be on immunosuppressants?

Hi everyone! I was recently diagnosed with lupus despite unknowingly suffering from it for 7 years.

Can someone explain the risk vs benefit of immunosuppressants?? And maybe share why you chose to take these drugs, your experiences with these drugs, and if there was any long term negative effects you experienced after being on the drugs? For ex, when I was on steroids, it caused severe hip necrosis and left me needing a hip replacement in my early 20s.

The drugs I’ve tried so far are Prednisone, Plaquenil, and currently I just started on Azathioprine (Imuran). Azathioprine is the only drug I’m on.

My concern is that immunosuppressants offers no benefit. Here’s my perspective: like sure, the drugs will stop my immune system from attacking my body. But it will weaken my body and increase infection risk, which would further damage my body and make me even MORE sick. And being sick triggers additional flare ups. I already got a viral infection and I barely left the house and followed infection control practices, such as washing hands and sanitizing my environment, so how can I get an infection? I had to go to the ER because it made me so sick.

I also have lots of canker sores from lupus too. It has impaired my ability to eat due to the pain, which led me to be so weak that I can’t get out of bed and do my daily activities of living, such as showering independently. Canker sores are also caused by a weakened immune system too. So the immunosuppressants will further worsen my canker sores.

And how would I be able to recover from any infections if my immune system is suppressed? Your immune system is needed to fight infections..If my autoimmune doesn’t kill me, the infection might. It feels like I’m putting myself in harms way. So wouldn’t it be best to not take lupus drugs?

I just feel like the immunosuppressants are just as bad as the lupus, and make me sicker than if I was not on it. These drugs affect my quality of life and cause negative health outcomes. So why would it be beneficial to even be on these drugs?