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Living with Lupus

Flare Triggers and Early Lupus Symptoms

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Recognizing flare triggers makes it possible to predict changes in lupus disease activity before the symptoms begin.

Living with lupus can feel like a roller coaster. Over night, symptoms can show up or disappear and inflammation can rise and fall. Internal factors, like stress, and external factors, like air pollution, both contribute to disease fluctuations.

This week, in the LupusCorner Q&A Forum, Lupus Warriors share the environmental and physical triggers for lupus flares. And, the first symptoms that they experience with a flare begins.

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Diana G.

I can tell when a lupus flare is coming on before it starts

2/5 (disagree)

What are your lupus flare triggers? What symptoms do you experience first?

Not sure about triggers other than stress & too much sun. Symptoms are inability to think, remember, plan, or decide things; skin develops itchy, raised, red spots. Then weariness sets in.

person-22

SPM

I can tell when a lupus flare is coming on before it starts

4/5 (agree)

What are your lupus flare triggers? What symptoms do you experience first?

Worsening joint pain, possibly with swelling, that doesn’t go away. Increased need for sleep with increased fatigue.

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Lisa B.

I can tell when a lupus flare is coming on before it starts

2/5 (disagree)

What are your lupus flare triggers? What symptoms do you experience first?

Stress is the biggest trigger. First symptoms are extreme fatigue and brain fog.

lupus tip-person-12

Katy G.

I can tell when a lupus flare is coming on before it starts

1/5 (strongly disagree)

What are your lupus flare triggers? What symptoms do you experience first?

Triggers are largely too little sleep, too much sugar, too much stress, and not enough exercise.

Insomnia, fatigue, joint pain, nausea are my early symptoms. Oral ulcers, vomiting, worsening joint pain and rash are late symptoms.

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Janell E

I can tell when a lupus flare is coming on before it starts

5/5 (strongly agree)

What are your lupus flare triggers? What symptoms do you experience first?

Tired, but the biggest thing is my face feels like it has/had fiberglass insulation rubbed all over it.

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Jasrene

What are your lupus flare triggers? What symptoms do you experience first?

Usually I will start to have bad joint pain that occurs every day that starts earlier and earlier in the day. Followed by feeling fatigue.

Sylvia F.

I can tell when a lupus flare is coming on before it starts

3/5 (neutral)

What are your lupus flare triggers? What symptoms do you experience first?

  • Pain in joints
  • Swelling
  • Rashes spread on face

Cathleen T.

I can tell when a lupus flare is coming on before it starts

5/5 (strongly agree)

What are your lupus flare triggers? What symptoms do you experience first?

I get very tired. Then, I start to swell and have pain

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Susie

I can tell when a lupus flare is coming on before it starts

3/5 (neutral)

What are your lupus flare triggers? What symptoms do you experience first?

  • Malaise, chills, and headache
  • Light butterfly rash
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Lose the Stress

I can tell when a lupus flare is coming on before it starts

5/5 (strongly agree)

What are your lupus flare triggers? What symptoms do you experience first?

Stress compounded with heat exposure

Gail L.G.

I can tell when a lupus flare is coming on before it starts

4/5 (agree)

What are your lupus flare triggers? What symptoms do you experience first?

Sores in my mouth and throat. Triggers are being in the sun or heat and getting ready for anything important in my life.

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Rose

I can tell when a lupus flare is coming on before it starts

1/5 (strongly disagree)

What are your lupus flare triggers? What symptoms do you experience first?

  • Fatigue
  • Fever
  • Joint pain
  • Headaches
  • Mouth/nose ulcers
  • Photosensitivity
  • Rash
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Mike W.

I can tell when a lupus flare is coming on before it starts

4/5 (agree)

What are your lupus flare triggers? What symptoms do you experience first?

Stress and sunshine

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Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences with lupus flares and triggers!

Interested in contributing to the LupusCorner Q&A Forum? Send an email to hello@lupuscorner.com to get added to the mailing list!

Comments (19)

19 thoughts on “Flare Triggers and Early Lupus Symptoms

  1. I liked this forum. I will pay more attention to the communications from now on so I can participate in further Q&A session. I agreed with most people who said that the Sun is a major trigger for a Lupus flare. My biggest trigger can’t be controlled. Pre-rain weather and dampness is my biggest trigger and it causes pain throughout my body, with stiffness and brain fog.

  2. When my flare about to begin I get Itchy skin, micro-bleeds on my scalp, and frequent urination/

    1. This is the only place I’m seeing GI symptoms like mine. I have not yet confirmed Lupus but I have the rash only near the opposite mucous membrane. I pass mucous cramp and bloat and also have prostate symptoms. Other Lupus type symptoms are fatigue, pain and inflammation in various joints. I have had bone fractures recently. I have signs of narcolepsy, blurred vision, cloudy thinking, reynaud’s phenomena . The rash started about 20 years ago that I thought was jock itch then settled in psoriasis. I have degeneration in my cervical vertebrae, wrists and knees. Could this GI stuff be Lupus also?

      1. I get terrible GI issues too, before I was diagnosed with lupus the dr’s thought I had gluten intolerance, lactose intolerance, possible Crohn’s disease & I’ve even had my gallbladder removed so to severe pain in my upper stomach area. But even with all the diets and the surgery I still have the same GI issues. Nausea, vomiting and bloating have also become a regular part of my day all day.

  3. My triggers are cold weather or water in the pool, stress, under 7 hours of sleep and viruses. My symptoms are fatigue, brain fog, joint and muscle aches, pleurisy and pericarditis, oily diarrhea and mouth ulcers.

  4. I know I’m going to flair when I start feeling extremely tired and having flu like symptoms. However, I can’t figure out triggers, I know stress but the sun doesn’t seem to bother me or else not right away. But, the rash on my hands gets much redder and the pain and swelling in my wrist and fingers becomes much worse as does all my joint pain.

  5. I have joint pain, can’t sleep, tired all the time, can’t exercise, weight gain and many others.

  6. Interesting comments about mouth ulcers. Ive been getting sores in my mouth on my upper palate which last about 5-7 days. I never thought about my joint pain which coincided.. are mouth sores common with flares? I have sjrogens and RA as well

  7. I’m newly diagnosed and at the “trying to figure out a lot of this” stage. I do recognize the sun, heat, and stress as being a huge factors for a flare! I have extreme fatigue, and all over body swelling . Any suggestions on how to get rid of the symptoms after they begin would be great!

  8. I ‘ve had lupus as long as can remember, 3sisters also have it. I don’t know what I should take. Also have post polio, sjrogrens syndrome, fibro , 3spine surgeries. Degenerative dsc disease. Help!

  9. I will be seeing my third doctor next week I have mottling of my whole back for two months. I just wondered if anyone had skin issues?

  10. Triggers are stress and lack of sleep. Nose sores, tooth pain, burning mouth, joint pain, alopechia, headaches and fatigue

  11. Well! This is a club none of us wanted to join! Waiting for my doctor appointment for official diagnosis but no surprise here! And I’m 74! Fibro diagnosed in 1990 but symptoms from age 5. Generational family issues of Sjogren’s, seizures, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, Raynauds and polydactyly. Among others yet to be identified. At some point I expect many of these will have some kind of connection.

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