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.
Lupus pain feels like you have been run over
The overwhelming majority of people described their lupus pain as a sensation that affects their whole body. They feel battered as if every bit of them has been smashed or run over. Several said the pain feels like it knocked them out or knocked them over.
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.
Your joints might feel tender and warm. You also might have pain in the joint itself. Lupus-related arthritis can be similar to rheumatoid arthritis, but your symptoms likely won't be as severe, with less swelling and stiffness in the morning. You're also less likely to have permanent joint damage.
Lupus is an autoimmune disease. In some ways, lupus represents a kind of allergic reaction by the body, in which the immune system sees the body's own healthy tissues and cells as foreign. Lupus is a chronic disease. This means that anyone who develops lupus will have lupus for the rest of his or her life.
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.
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.
Many people with lupus experience a variety of related problems including forgetfulness or difficulty thinking. They may describe these problems as feeling “fuzzy-headed” or being in a “lupus fog.” These problems often coincide with periods of increased disease activity, or flares.
Many people with lupus experience fatigue, or feeling tired throughout the day. For some people, fatigue can make it hard to do everyday activities like taking a shower, cooking dinner, or going to work. The good news is there are steps you can take to feel better.
During a flare, some of the symptoms you already had get worse or brand-new symptoms appear. It could be a light rash that spreads or gets darker or mouth sores that suddenly show up. Many lupus flare symptoms can be painful and debilitating.
Lupus often causes myalgia, or aches and pains in the muscles. Less often, lupus can cause myositis, or inflammation in the muscles — usually in the hips, thighs, shoulders, and upper arms.
Berman asked the group to define fatigue, a member said, "No matter how much I rest, I still feel tired. Even if I had a wonderful night's sleep." "That is the perfect description of what fatigue means for those living with lupus," Dr. Berman told the group.
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.
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.
Lupus and the central nervous system
Symptoms include: Confusion and trouble concentrating (sometimes called lupus brain fog) Seizures (sudden, unusual movements or behavior) Stroke (blocked blood flow in the brain that causes brain cells to die)
Some people shared that it feels as though they have been drained of all their energy. A few explained it as feeling like their life force has leaked out and that they can even feel it as it leaves their body. After that, they know they do not have any energy to give to others or even themselves.
The symptoms of lupus vary from person to person and can range from mild to severe. You may have just a few symptoms affecting just one area of your body, or you could have many symptoms throughout your body. Symptoms may come and go, and you may develop new symptoms over time.
Lupus can be difficult to diagnose because it has many symptoms that come and go and can mimic symptoms of other disorders or diseases. When speaking to your doctor about your symptoms, be sure to include symptoms that may no longer be present.
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.
Lupus can cause serious kidney damage, and kidney failure is one of the leading causes of death among people with lupus. Brain and central nervous system. If your brain is affected by lupus, you may experience headaches, dizziness, behavior changes, vision problems, and even strokes or seizures.
Many lupus patients aren't able to do intensive physical work, like waitressing or working in a grocery store. Jobs that involve standing for long periods, like working a cash register, greeting customers, or being a hostess at a restaurant, can be physically tiring as well as rough on the joints.