People with lupus can become skinny due to increased inflammation speeding up metabolism and causing the body to burn fat and muscle (cachexia), reduced appetite from illness or medication side effects (nausea, mouth sores), gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea, depression, or even overly restrictive diets, though weight gain is also common with steroid use. This involuntary weight loss, known as cachexia, signifies high disease activity and can lead to muscle wasting, making weight management complex in lupus.
If you have lupus, you may notice both weight gain and weight loss. These changes can be linked to disease activity and medications you are taking to treat it. They may make you feel frustrated, and they can impact your energy levels, self-esteem and overall health.
With lupus, avoid excessive sun, infections, and stress; don't skip medications, smoke, or overexert yourself; and be cautious with certain supplements (like Echinacea), high-sodium foods, and some medications, always consulting your doctor before starting or stopping anything new.
Many people with lupus have trouble sleeping. If you are waking up a lot at night or having trouble falling asleep, this can lead to more tiredness and fatigue throughout the day.
In 2014, there were 2,660,497 deaths in the United States, of which 2036 (0.1%) listed SLE among the causes of death. Approximately 86.2% of SLE deaths occurred among females, with a median age at death of 59 years and the highest proportion of deaths occurring between 45 and 64 years of age.
Lupus can attack many different parts of the body. Some call it the cruel mystery. Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can strike any part of the body, but the wide range of symptoms can be easily mistaken for something else.
Lupus isn't directly hereditary, meaning it's not passed down from parent to child like some genetic conditions.
Lupus can also cause other problems in the abdomen, including peritonitis (inflammation of the abdominal lining) and ascites (a build-up of fluids in the abdomen). Symptoms of peritonitis and ascites include: Abdominal pain and swelling. Nausea and vomiting.
Careers That May Trigger Lupus Symptoms
In general, some types of jobs may be harder for people with lupus to manage, including: Physically demanding jobs like construction, waiting tables, or nursing. Outdoor jobs like landscaping or lifeguarding.
Fatigue or extreme tiredness
The most common symptom of lupus is fatigue, which means feeling extremely tired. Fatigue can affect a person's physical and mental health and quality of life. It can also make it hard for people with lupus to socially connect with others.
The medicines used most often to manage lupus include:
The Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) infects more than 94% of people on Earth. While EBV has long been associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the mechanism(s) by which it may promote disease has remained unclear — until now.
There's no evidence that Ozempic worsens autoimmune conditions or triggers flares. In fact, there's some evidence that Ozempic may help reduce inflammation and regulate the immune system. These things can be helpful if you have an autoimmune condition.
In fact, many people with lupus also have myositis. Myositis associated with lupus can cause the muscles of your neck, shoulders, arms, upper pelvis, and thighs to weaken. In the early stages, loss of strength in these muscles can make it difficult to rise from a chair or climb stairs.
Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle
Lupus symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, and pain can get in the way of your workload. To minimize them, first work with your doctor to come up with an effective treatment plan. There's no cure for lupus, but the right treatment can reduce flare-ups, address symptoms, and prevent complications.
Having lupus can make everyday life challenging. When your lupus is active, symptoms like joint stiffness, pain, fatigue, confusion, or depression can make simple tasks difficult — and sometimes impossible.
7 Most Popular Jobs for People With Lupus
Lupus can also affect your hair and nails
The most common type of lupus, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), can cause dry, coarse hair to develop along the hairline. These dry, coarse hairs break off easily, causing the sparse-looking hair known as lupus hair. Other types of hair loss also develop.
Swollen glands. Over time, people with lupus may get swollen lymph glands during a flare. Headaches. These are usually related to stress and tension but can be related to a lupus flare.
Participants further described physical fatigue as a sense of lacking muscle strength, experiencing weakness in their limbs and a feeling of heaviness in their body. Some participants described how these physical manifestations limited movement.
Pregnant women with lupus, especially those having a flare, are at higher risk for complications. These include: Miscarriage. Preterm delivery, especially with a lupus flare.
Rachelle Goins, the ambassador with the Lupus Foundation of America, calls this disease a cruel mystery because it's super challenging to diagnose accurately. No two cases of lupus are the same. This complexity can make diagnosis and treatment challenging.
Lupus is not directly inherited, but genetic factors significantly contribute to its development. It's an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks healthy tissue, and its causes are believed to result from a combination of genetic variations and environmental influences.