Hey all - I need some help - I know this is going to sound stupid but usually my lupus is really mild. But Last night i started to feel achy- and all day today I have felt like i Have the flu. Achy joints and muscles- fatigue , I feel like i have a fever but my temperature hasn't risen and is 98.7 . My nose is red my eyes are puffy and I just feel plain cruddy. How do I know if this is the flu? or flu like virus ? or a lupus flare? I never had a bad flare so i dont know what it is . I don't have any respiratory symptoms or GI symptoms but I just feel - well like what I typed above - and what do u do when your in a flare? rest? fluid? what ? I am on plaquenil only- im not in a lot of pain just feel achy. help
and 2nd question do you have to go on prednisone every flare? these are my only symptoms and I only take plaquenil. I JUST saw the doctor and was doing fine
This could be anything from a virus to the onset of a flare. No quick solid answers for you, but I will tell you when I go through this if I have caught something, a flare follows. Rest. Let anything you can slide. And I have been through many a flare without prednisone. Glad you are achy and not in serious pain! It's that time of year, a lot of bugs going around.
This time of year is not helping ! I agree maybe a start of a flare up take some extra time to rest don’t over do it. Keep monitoring any changes if it gets any worse or becomes painful dont hesitate call your dr
Your post doesn't sound stupid - I experience the same thing as you. My lupus is also mild. What you are experiencing - I experience also. I consider it a flare - an increase in symptoms. Since my lupus is mild - my flares are mild. When I feel like this, I will take time and rest, and fluids are always my friend. I understand you completely.
Sounds exactly like one of my “flares”. I turn into a couch potato. I just can’t get anything done and feel so washed out like I have the flu. When it gets bad my doc increases the pred slightly for 1 week and I start to feel human again almost immediately.
Wish I could help. My lupus, like yours, is not to bad.. I've never experienced anything like that but if I did I would be on the phone to my rheumy, or at least my pcp. I have to go for an aeortic ultrasound today. I'm getting hungry(NPO). My new thing is high platelets and high potassium, whatever that means I don't even want to see what it means on the net Getting retested on monday. Hope all is well with you
Glad to know I'm not alone. I just went to the doctor on Tuesday because I had been feeling like I was coming down with something for a week and running a low grade fever. My lupus is not too bad, usually, so after several days of aching all over, glands feeling tender, a little tightness in the throat, I was sure I had some kind of infection. Add to that my fever would go up around 5 every evening to around 100-101 and I decided to call the rheumy. His office was so booked with people with upper respiratory issues, that he told me to see my GP. So I went on Tuesday and they basically told me everything looked good and I could be coming down with something or fighting something but they couldn't determine what and to take some ibuprofen for fever and come back if I got worse. So I'm still feeling exhausted and running a low grade fever every evening, but that's all the "symptoms" I'm having, so I have to assume it's a lupus flare and that I just haven't had one like this before now. If I get sick later, I'll let you know that I was completely wrong! LOL
I consider this to just be a virus- or even allergies- this is the time of year for both It seems to me with lupus I seem to get URIs more easily and I just treat as such- lots of fluids and extra rest if you need it Not everything is a flare but we all have a tendency to blame our lupus for everything and who knows- it is 'an anything goes' illness.
It sounds like one of my flares too. I usually just rest and drink a lot of fluids. I don't take prednisone but I do take vicodin for my back, neck and all over pain. I am having a mild flare myself from recent stress and too much sun! Hang in there it will pass. Feel better!
well I am feeling ALOT better today but still not 100% some mild aches still - I am not sure what this is . COuld be a flare- But I just found more information; I was put on wellbutrin XL 150mg tablets to help with another disorder I have (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia syndrome) *Lupus caused that too* and I didn't do well on the medication so I stopped. I looked up with withdrawel side affects and they consist of - "Flu like symptoms, muscle pain, " as part of them - that might be the culprit to!
I am so greatful to hear you say that you plus is mild. It makes me so happy for you and the others here who can relate. I work with another woman who also has lupus but hers, like yours, is usually mild. She deserves, and so do you, support from us all. We love you and ndertnd how you feel. As for your symptoms, ta
K to you rhemy. It may be a flare up, it may be some virus. Either way, he/she can help management of it. Your health is important. Also, not everyone runs t e same body temperature. I run usually t 97.5. Higher than that is a mild fevor for me when others are considered at normal range. 98.7 is a fevor for some,like me. 105 is severe for anyone. Having lupus and knowing what is causing a fevor could be the difference in treatment and concern levels.
Postlupus, I too have POTS & I have had great results with the medication Florinef (Fludrocortisone). I was misdiagnosed for over 15 yrs & finally a Cardio doc listened to my symptoms. Florinef has completely resolved my tachy heart. Just wanted to "fyi " :-) Hope you feel better soon. Here's a helpful link if you haven't already read it: http://www.dinet.org/what_helps.htm
Potslupus said:
well I am feeling ALOT better today but still not 100% some mild aches still - I am not sure what this is . COuld be a flare- But I just found more information; I was put on wellbutrin XL 150mg tablets to help with another disorder I have (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia syndrome) *Lupus caused that too* and I didn't do well on the medication so I stopped. I looked up with withdrawel side affects and they consist of - "Flu like symptoms, muscle pain, " as part of them - that might be the culprit to!
Hi!, if you are able , go into a family care clinic and let them know that you have Lupus, and explain your problems and could they run some test on you, for the flu!! Make sure that you let them know about your Lupus??? Since you are just taking plaquenil,am not really sure-because I take both. Yes rest,fluids are all good , and eating vegetables help you also. When I go into a flare, I shut down,the pain is VERY BAD!! I can’t handle noise or sounds at all! It is funny that when go into a flare, we can’t walk into our doctor office while the flare is happening at that moment-LOL, or after we visit the doctor doing just fine , then we going into a Flare when we leave the office!! That make me stressed out even more, the doctor is telling us oh really!! How bad do it get? What kind of question is that to ask a person? But I don’t take it out on him, he really try hard to understand the pain that I have or had by what I explain to him, but not being in a flare when i am there makes me ask myself" What am I really paying him to act like it is in my head"? Sometimes he will give the pain meds., who want to pop a pill all the time ? They only make me fall asleep, so I don’t take them or don’t get them! Resting helps me alot! Shut down power moments!well hope that you feel better soon, hang in there!!Beverly L.