Many people who have active lupus feel ill in general. They have fever, weight loss, and fatigue. When their immune system attacks a certain organ or part of the body, they can also have more specific problems.
Lupus causes mild to extreme fatigue. Even mild cases of lupus make it hard to do daily activities and exercise. Increased fatigue is a classic sign that a symptom flare is about to occur. Joint and muscle pain.
Whole-body symptoms — Most people with lupus experience fatigue, fever, and weight changes at some point in their illness. Fatigue — Fatigue is the most common symptom of lupus and can be debilitating.
Myalgia/myositis
Pain in the muscles (myalgia) is a common symptom in lupus patients. The upper arms and thighs are the most frequently involved areas. In some cases, the pain is accompanied by muscle weakness, which is known as myositis.
Up to 80% of people with lupus say that fatigue is a primary symptom. About 40% of people with lupus have fatigue that's severe and doesn't go away.
Kidneys About one half of people with lupus experience kidney involvement, and the kidney has become the most extensively studied organ affected by lupus. Lungs About 50% of people with SLE will experience lung involvement during the course of their disease.
For people who don't live with lupus every day, "The best way for them to understand what fatigue and lupus is like to tell them it's like having the flu." Dr. Berman added. "Nothing you can do seems to make the fatigue any better. Also, over time the more and more you experience fatigue, the more chronic it becomes."
Remember that rest is also needed to restore energy. Lupus patients will want to work towards a healthy tiredness where subsequent rest or sleep recharges the batteries, and more recovery obtained in this way should help to minimise lupus tiredness.
You may experience pain and stiffness, with or without swelling. This affects most people with lupus. Common areas for muscle pain and swelling include the neck, thighs, shoulders, and upper arms.
Antibody blood tests
The test you will hear about most is called the antinuclear antibodies test (the ANA test). 97% of people with lupus will test positive for ANA.
Living with lupus can be hard, but a positive outlook is important. You can do several things to help you live with lupus. A good place to start managing your lupus is to work with your doctor and take your medications as directed. At times, you may feel sadness and anger.
The bottom line
Focus on self-care, and lean on your support system to get you through it. To prevent lupus flares, the best thing you can do is take your medications as directed. Diet, exercise, rest, and mental wellness are also important.
Environment. Exposure to certain factors in the environment – such as viral infections, sunlight, certain medications, and smoking – may trigger lupus.
The effects lupus may have in and around the eyes include: changes in the skin around the eyelids, dry eyes, inflammation of the white outer layer of the eyeball, blood vessel changes in the retina, and damage to nerves controlling eye movement and affecting vision.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs)
NSAIDs are used to reduce inflammation, pain and fever associated with lupus. They include over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen (for example, Nurofen®), or prescription medications such as Voltaren® Celebrex® and Orudis®.
One person with lupus may experience malar rashes, kidney involvement, and memory loss, while another can have seizures, pleurisy, or hair loss. Though any of these symptoms could be a manifestation of lupus, they also could signal another, problem.
The most common response given is that people feel fatigue as a heaviness. It feels like there is a weight constantly pushing down on part of them or on their entire body.
Constitutional manifestations
The general symptoms include: fever, malaise, arthralgias, myalgias, headache, and loss of appetite and weight. Nonspecific fatigue, fever, arthralgia, and weight changes are the most common symptoms in new cases or recurrent active SLE flares.