So l've noticed for the last 5 years that I always flare in the winter and do amazing in the summer. I was diagnosed with lupus right before starting college. I thought I was flaring in the winter just because of all the stress from the college semester. When I would come home for summer vacation, I would recover, do great the whole summer, and then I was good for fall but then would flare again for winter. This cycle has repeated itself over and over. Like I said, I assumed it was the school stress however these last two years, I was forced to take medical leave from school because I was hospitalized from the lupus. And you know what? I've been home for the last two years, no school, and yet I experience the same cycle. Fall/winter flares and amazing summers. Has any one experienced anything like this? Any ideas what it could be causing these flares?
I always tend to have more issues in fall/winter too. For me its more arthritis…joint pain, that kind of thing. But I do get sick a lot in the fall and winter too. Its incredibly easy to do as everyone around you is coughing and sneezing. I really hate cold/flu reason. It almost seems as if the cold or whatever triggers the flare. The body way over reacts to the germ…idk but this has been my experience
I am the same way. I feel GREAT during summer but once the weather starts changing I start feeling bad. More joint pains, body aches, and stomach upsets for me. Last winter I was so miserable, I didnt want to get out of the house. I could never get warm, was always freezing. Then depression hit which made me even more miserable. I'm really not looking forward to winter this year. I so wished I could move some where warm all year round. I'm with you if anyone has any advice to get through the flares during winter I'm all ears!
I’m glad to see there are others like me! In fact I just asked my rheumatologist about this last week.He said that I need to stay as active as possible and keep moving. Hard to do sometimes so I’ll have to see how it goes…
Yes. I am with you on this. I do great in the spring and summer and every year around November, I start to flare. My hands swell and get so painful I can hardly use them. All my issues are worse in the winter. I usually end up taking prednisone in additions to my methotrexate during these flares as recommended by my Rheumy and it helps a little, but doesn't fix the problem. I just wait and pray for warmer weather.
Out of curiosity, what states do you all live in? I'm in Florida and even though he typically have warm weather, I experience the horrible winter flares the same. I get so bad that the last two years I've been stuck at home but I wonder if it would be much worse in Northern states?
I live in Delaware.
I also wrap up in heated blanket. It does seem to help a lot with the achiness
Living Purple said:
I wrap my body in when I am at home. This really helps relieve some of the aches, pains, and chills.
I live in Kansas
I am in Upper East TN and I can already feel a difference in my body. Last week the temperature started to drop. We get into 50's at night. last night was 40's. As soon as the season begins to change, it begins. The fatigue, the severe joint pain, hair coming out, etc. I feel like i have the flu all the time now. and i fear it wont get any better the colder it gets. It didn't last year :-( Hopefully being on Plaquenil now will make the winter more bearable.