What do YOU think was the trigger for the onset o... - LUPUS UK
Stress and lack of sleep
I think with my lupus iv probably had it longer then I think I had it.fatigue and extreme tiredness used to question me why do I feel like this.
I have asbestosis, never heard of lupus till I joined here, what is lupus?? is it a painful condition?? and how do they tell its lupus and not something else?? I was lucky the consultant knew almost right away after x-rays and a scan, wish u guys all the best, Davey...
Hi Davey. Lupus is an autoimmune condition in which the body's defence mechanism begins to attack healthy cells and cause damage and inflammation. You can learn a lot about the condition on our website at lupusuk.org.uk
I received a very bad news which gave me huge stress. Next morning, I got my first flare up and diagnosed as lupus.
I had the butterfly rash as a young girl around the age of 11/12 (1967), this was put down to living by the sea. We moved and so did the rash. It then manifested in a violent way when I was around 34 following 7 years in a mentally abusive marriage. I believe this caused the first major flare up with kidney failure. I also believe the Lupus was dormant in my body for many years. In 2013 I suffered a different violent flare up with the rash starting at the small of my back (no sun exposure there). It then spread across my entire body which was unbearable. My consultant asked if he could photograph it as he had never seen anything like it before. The cause of this flare up was working in a closed office with two line managers who thrived on bullying me. So I am convinced my flare ups are triggered by living on a knife edge mentally; and the only solution is to remove myself from that situation. My Mother was also a sufferer of Munchausen by proxy so my siblings and I all suffered at her hands. I also believe that Lupus, and it's sufferers, is so complexthere probably isn't one known trigger. )0(
I know what the rash is like with lupus. My doctor also, had never seen anything like it, it covered my whole body like yours. I had mine medically photographed as well.
Hi Bronte,
Thank you for your post, something in what you wrote made my ears prick up!
I was diagnosed 31 years ago with ME and life's been a huge battle. My daughter was diagnosed with lupus & her specialist said I probably have it too, rather than ME.
The thing that made me sit up with your post was the body rash? I thought lupus rash was just your face? I had such a horrendous rash appear on my stomach & back the day after having my first child in 1978, it was raised, red & drove me to distraction. The birth was 2 days & horrendously managed, I was lucky she survived (11lb 4oz). The specialist took photos as he'd never seen a rash like it. I'm now wondering if this was my first flare up of Lupus:/
Thank you so much for sharing your story, it has really been helpful 😍
Signlady x
I had a rash all over my body (which rheumy says was due to the lupus) way before I ever had a malar rash. Been diagnosed over 20 years now & have only had the malar rash pop up a few times. I get one on my legs & arms instead.
Need to look up these lupus rashes. Like a lot of these threads, I too have not heard of it. Thanks for the info. Bx
Starting the pill
I had a severe case of chicken pox when i was very small and almost died I think this some how triggered my autoimmune diseases . I remember being really sick and weak at a very small age when other kids would run around i would easily wear out. My rashes and joint pain started after the birth of my first daughter so I suspect hormones play a huge role in autoimmune diseases!!
Possibly moving to an unknown area for a new job.
I had tested positive for Epstein-Barr many years before I was diagnosed with Lupus. My "trigger" was taking a shingles shot - live virus! My doctors tend to agree.
Hi Tennissenior, was the shingles vac a trigger because of Epstein-Barr virus? Ot does the live virus just trigger lupus?
I think it is probably linked to Scarlet Fever which I had in my early 20s, lupus symptoms started not long after that, but diagnosis took a further 7 years!
I suffered migraines and depression as a teen and had lupus symptoms in my 20s and early 30s - gradually getting worse but no clinical evidence. It showed itself clinically when I was about 11 weeks pregnant in 2001 at 37 - swollen optic nerves - neurologist felt I would develop MS. In 2006 after 12 days sun holiday I went down hill and was hospitalised 2 months later when they finally stopped investigating me for MS and did an ANA test diagnosing Sle.
So puberty, pregnancy and the sun have been major triggers I believe.
Increasing pressure at work
can sympathize for sure, wendlebury ...
Difficult birth, living at home with "Really" strict parents, terrible time, made to feel worthless, baby more or less taken over by parents and was under a lot of pressure to prove myself to all.
My husband was seriously and underwent a liver transplant, the stress of that and looking after two children ages 7 and 4 my health was at the bottom of the pile. My first Discoid Lupus lesion appeared 6 hours after the transplant, that was in 1984.
I'm not sure, but am a retired teacher that had a lot of stress on the job and also raised a child by myself after a failed first marriage. During my second marriage my husband developed diabetes then alzheimer's which he died from--could have been a series of stessors.
Tetanus injection
Epstein-barr
Bitten by a fruit wasp on holiday in the sun! X
Stress, stress and stress! In hindsight, childhood 'sun poisoning' was probably the beginning, but stress is definitely my trigger for a flare up.
I had huge problems for two years with gangrene appendix finally diagnosed and treated but continued for 5years with various problems until I was diagnosed with lupus.
work stress and long hours/shift work
the death of my Mum.
I believe I was born with it, an old Aunt tells me its run in the family for some time.
I suspect that my immune system has not been right since my teens and that a very stressful relationship then tipped the balance.
Months of exposure in utero to the notorious artificial oestrogen DES (diethylstilboestrol) led to infant onset lupus diagnosis
Lupus came to the fore after perlonged infections.
But many of the symptoms for lupus were present before the infections, but not bad enough to see a Doctor.
A case of what came first the chicken or the egg.
I came of depopravera injections (like a long term pill) and a year later started having syptoms and was diagnosed two years later, so obviously a hormone trigger. 5 years on I have been put back on the injection and am beginning to feel better. Doctor doesnt believe me of course..
Menopause was happening, but I had major major stress.....!
Stress
Yes definitely pregnancy, but I struggled on for 2 years then I believe the sunshine brought it to a head with a huge flare and I was diagnosed very quickly.
My Lupus was triggered by childbirth
Thyroid disease/Graves' disease
Stress and tiredness!
I caught a very severe stomach virus but many people in my Town had become ill with suspicion that it was due to a plant (I don't know what it produced but there was a lot of smoke) which was promoted as responsible for cows turning orange and babies with eye defects. I think the plant was called Rechem. At that time many people had a virus followed by chronic fatigue and in my case lupus. My neighbour had lupus at the same time but unfortunately has now passed away.
Viral illness
Glandular fever
I feel this was brought on after I had a hysterectomy
I had a bad case of tonsilitus and immediately afterwards developed joint pains and extreme fatigue.
Combination of multiple factors most likely: leaky gut syndrome and SIBO triggered by gluten intolerance and fructose malabsorption, sun exposure, and a high level of personal "stress". My first lupus symtoms and the above almost happened simultaneously.
I had chicken pox before I was diagnosed with Lupus. I never had it as a child. I was very ill with it.
can sympathize for sure...I had chicken pox really bad as a child...The blisters were everywhere...
I had the blisters on my chest and my hands. I was very ill with it. Then I still wasn't getting better. It took a year to be diagnosed with Lupus. I had a lot of doctors telling me that there was nothing wrong with me.
A young girl in my town kept getting ill and having bad joint pains...They told her it was just growing pains etc...One night she told her Dad she thought she might be having a heart attack, and so he took her to emergency at the hospital...The story goes she woke up days later in a hospital out of town, in I guess critical care...(they flew her down to the big city in air ambulance)...I guess she almost died as her organs were pretty involved...One specialist just happen to be there, and said I think its lupus.. Yes, that's what it was!!! Makes you wonder why they never tested for it?
I was treated by some MD's as a hypochondriac, so depressing. I had one surgeon want to drill a hole down to my brain, as they saw something there. Thankfully, an wiser head prevailed by an older surgeon. I was going along with everything anyone suggested I was just so thankful that someone believed that something was wrong. Just dx'd in August. Diagnosed with fibromyalgia, when doctors started believing it was a real disease. I think I have had something since childhood. Had an abusive dad, that mellowed out when he got older and I could really love him. Had an mentally abusive husband, that I survived until my 3 sons were grown and I can into some money to escape. I am happier now with all the pain and the many trips to mental wards because no one realized I had CNS involvement. I thought I was having mental breakdowns because of all the stress and my sons acting like my ex. Now, they understand and we are close again. I am thankful and hope to live awhile longer, but I am a true believer and am prepared to meet my maker. I have forgotten what I am replying too. Ha Love justjan
They were unsure what type of virus, all I remember was being in kings cross infectious hospital for two weeks. Then down hill from there. I was 14 years old.
I suffered from bad migrains and TIA's when pregnant. I then had a stroke 6 weeks after my son was born, Had another stroke 13 months later. Was prescribed warfarin which I have been taking for 22 years. I was diagnosed with LUPUS 5 years ago after suffering severe pains in toes, fingers , hands and joints. But Drs think I have had LUPUS all my life and not diagnosed.
Plural
had been diagnosed as a child withhypermobility later with ctd ra but it took exhaustion leading to heart attacks 10 years agofor full diagnosis
Antibiotics, stress, bad nutrition
Stress, anxiety, worrying and not enough rest were also trigger lupus onset on my lupus.
I think looking back that I have always had it, I had growing pains around puberty, then went on to have really bad periods.....luckily I did have to 'normal' pregnancies and never suffered a miscarriage. I remember having a cold when I was around 32 and it taking ages to clear-being totally knocked out on the sofa for days and feeling like I was going to die!!!!-I now believe this may have been my first 'flare'....I was fine then until about the age of 39....when I started to get strange pains - felt like I had broken my foot and could not put weight on it esp if I was really tired,then it would move to my arm or even a finger-but it would clear up (these 'episodes/flares' would last a couple of days-then go completely and energy levels would return-I used to run a cleaning company and work 7 days a week-then after that I worked in a bread factory doing very manual (mens work) 12 hour shifts....I was diagnosed with 'fibro' in 2008 at the age of 48....but still managed to carry on working although I was more sensitive and would get 'twinges' in my neck-if I got any sort of illness like a cold or upset tummy-I would go into a flare as the initial problem was subsiding-but afterwards would be ok......until in 2011 my Dad had a stroke-he lived a long way (70 miles) I and would travel up and down on my days off-still managed to hold down my job (now think I was running on adrenaline!!) Managed to get my Dad moved closer (5 mins away from me) and within 2 weeks of Mum and Dad moving back I was ill.....and sadly it has been downhill since 
......I think the trauma of my Dads stroke was the turning point for me...The Lupus is with me constantly now and I do not hold out much hope of it going into remission again......I do feel that if it had been properly diagnosed before and treated with say 'plaquinel' I would still be were I was-going in and out of remission-and being 'normal and able bodied'-but that is only my opinion and I am sure the Dr's would disagree!!!! Que Sera.....
When people are reporting trauma as the trigger,...Im wondering if they mean like an accident trauma, or stress trauma (like death of a loved one, losing a baby and etc)...I had trauma (finding my mom dead), but reported that as stress...Plus other crazy stress all around the same time...
I was also looking after my mum who had a Knee replacement which she did not recover from as she never walked again. I was also on dialysis and being a carer. My lupus gradually got worse with all of the stress and problems at home. I was mums carer until 2005 when she passed away. I eventually had a Kidney transplant in 2010.
I kind of have a similar story to you sandwiches...(with a Mum, and being the caregiver)...My Mom caught Norwalk in the hospital...(everything happened to her after that). No other family wanted to help etc...I can totally sympathize with you...
Mom just went to the hospital to see why her diuretics were not working very well (in past had bypass surgery)...and she caught that rotten bug...Hung in there another 8 months of crummy health, then I found her one day gone...
2009 was a bad year for many many things...
Sorry to hear about your mum. I have a brother who didn't help, he had better things to do. Too busy partying. Then tried to convince others that he helped but people knew otherwise. Mum also caught an infection in hospital, she was ok before she got there and had the operation but went rapidly down hill afterwards.
Wow! almost identical situation...
Sorry I'm commenting here and there...I asked Paul to do this survey, and find it very interesting what's coming up in answers...
I also had severe case of scarlet fever aged 4 & was 6 weeks in a fever hospital in York.
Always got tired easily as a child & major flare up after 1st childbirth trauma.
kind of makes me wonder if some childhood illness stuff lies dormant within us.....Then we have a big life hormone event (like childbirth/puberty/menopause), and it makes something come alive (but not for everyone)...Then add some stress (that can lower resistance)...I guess that's along the lines with what doctors kind of think...Virus/hormones/.and maybe a little hereditary somewhere...I was never asked about stress by my rhumey...
I do not have a child currently and have been diagnosed with lupus. Will this have an effect when I plan to have a child? Will it worsen. I am Scared.
I think many have had children when they have lupus...Your gp and rhumetologist will keep a close eye on you ,probably...
Hi sthethela87,
Whilst pregnancy or childbirth can sometimes appear to be the trigger for some people in developing lupus, it doesn't necessarily mean that you will worsen if you have a child. In fact, there are quite a number of cases where people with lupus actually feel much better and experience less symptoms whilst they are pregnant. That being said, with lupus it is important to plan carefully and receive additional monitoring, so it is wise to discuss this with your consultant before you begin trying.
For more information about lupus and pregnancy you can read our factsheet at lupusuk.org.uk/images/pdf/7...
Also, last year we shared a series of stories on our blog from people with lupus about their pregnancy experiences. You can read them by following these links:
Emily - healthunlocked.com/lupusuk/...
Heidi - healthunlocked.com/lupusuk/...
Christina - healthunlocked.com/lupusuk/...
Rebecca - healthunlocked.com/lupusuk/...
Thank you so much Paul, very informative
chemotherapy and stress
I believe that a severe case of Glandular Fever at the age of approximately 18 years of age, followed by a very severe secondary of non-viral Hepatitis was the beginning of my Lupus (Urticarial Vasculitis) as I was never ever well after that.
I had two more bouts (extremely severe) of Hepatitis after that! - One was two years later and the next was at the age of 24 when I was so extremely iLL that I spent five months in Hospital and at one stage I wasn't expected to live!
I always have really strange things wrong with me, such as neuralgic Ameatrophy (only a description and not a proper name as I was only the third case noted in Australia at that time - I was 22 and ended up paralysed in my right shoulder!
It happened again (very very, rare to have this happen again!!) one year exactly after the birth of my youngest child. I was 37 years old.
Not long after this diagnosis I suffered a severe 'allergic reaction' and ended up in hospital for weeks! - at that stage no-one had any idea how to treat me or what had caused this!!
I was completely unrecognisable to the point where my one year old wouldn't come near me and simply screamed and screamed! The older children were also afraid to come near me! I thought my very swollen face would never go down! It was very frightening as I also had a tracheotomy tray next to my bed in case my tongue swelled too much!)
It was at least twelve years after this that through a biopsy of one of my lumps that I was diagnosed with Urticarial Vasculitis!
I am now in my sixties and frustratingly never seem to be well!! I also can't find a Dr. who will take any notice of me and I feel that 'they' all think I am crazy and make up my symptoms! (unfortunately, my original Physician has retired and left the country as he had a breakdown!!
SINCERELY - NANETTE
I believe that a severe case of Glandular Fever at the age of approximately 18 years of age, followed by a very severe secondary of non-viral Hepatitis was the beginning of my Lupus (Urticarial Vasculitis) as I was never ever well after that.
I had two more bouts (extremely severe) of Hepatitis after that! - One was two years later and the next was at the age of 24 when I was so extremely iLL that I spent five months in Hospital and at one stage I wasn't expected to live!
I always have really strange things wrong with me, such as neuralgic Ameatrophy (only a description and not a proper name as I was only the third case noted in Australia at that time - I was 22 and ended up paralysed in my right shoulder!
It happened again (very very, rare to have this happen again!!) one year exactly after the birth of my youngest child. I was 37 years old.
Not long after this diagnosis I suffered a severe 'allergic reaction' and ended up in hospital for weeks! - at that stage no-one had any idea how to treat me or what had caused this!!
I was completely unrecognisable to the point where my one year old wouldn't come near me and simply screamed and screamed! The older children were also afraid to come near me! I thought my very swollen face would never go down! It was very frightening as I also had a tracheotomy tray next to my bed in case my tongue swelled too much!)
It was at least twelve years after this that through a biopsy of one of my lumps that I was diagnosed with Urticarial Vasculitis!
I am now in my sixties and frustratingly never seem to be well!! I also can't find a Dr. who will take any notice of me and I feel that 'they' all think I am crazy and make up my symptoms! (unfortunately, my original Physician has retired and left the country as he had a breakdown!!
SINCERELY - NANETTE
I believe my lupus as triggered with a change/promotion in my job. I loved the new job and so desperately wanted to succeed but I believe my anxiety to do this triggered by Lupus. Luckily for me my employer was fabulous and I'm still with the same company today!
I feel my diagnosis of sle was due to continued usage of penicillin in large doses
Though I have had problems all my life ie miscarriages tiredness migraines arthritis ect. I became very very I'll 4 years ago after my husband had a heartattack. Stress is a very big factor.
CHICKENPOXS!! Not even me though! My 2 youngest children got a really bad dose and i was with them the whole time. I had been in the sun all summer before this and kept developing a rash on my face, chest and arms thought it was a heat rash and just before thatmy nephew had died aged 20. So looking at everyone on here it looks like theres a definite pattern. Oh and had a really bad dose of scarlett fever at 14 and was unable to walk for a few weeks. I do notice now since i have been diagnosed 7 years, i avoid all the obvious triggers but you can't always avoid stress and that really does make me weakened and then all the symptoms began again. Oh i do everything in my power to not come into contact with Shingles or Chickenpox.
Stress
I contracted viral meningitis, and never felt well again. Also had epstein barr virus in my early 20's.
My case is highly unusual, in that a neighbor at an adjoining home got the same exact form of Lupus-dermatomyositis (very rare) the same year I did! Also, esophageal dysfunction hit not only us but many other people on my block, including my husband (who's esophageal issues were so bad he developed cancer--from which he later died).
Though no formal study was done on the many autoimmume cases and esophageal cancers in my area, a CDC expert I saw agreed it was probably something we'd all been esposed to (in 1995) and a Chinese doctor investigated my husband's cancer, due to an "epidemic" of the exact same type in China. I am one of the few survivors of whatever made several people desperately ill..
My mum was diagnosed with dermatomyositis and had esophageal dysfunction. Unfortunately she got cancer and passed away.
Interesting that both yourself and your neighbour both had it.
I'm in England. Mum put it down to stress at the time. Makes me wonder. Ow after hearing your story.
God bless
I think it was a result of a relaxer chemical being left in my hair for too long. Done by a registered cosmotologist at a beauty salon 30+ years ago.
I put Not Sure but reading all these comments made me think,I was a 2nd child born with group B Rhesus D neg blood & bad jaundice,in later years my mother was told I was lucky yo have survived,at 3 years had whooping cough and double pneumonia and nearly died.7years old 'spot on my lung,bordering on TB,treated with SUNRAY treatment,heat lamps at hospital,now being treated at age of 72 for squamous cell carcinoma on my breast,told probably caused by heat lamps all those years ago.Always felt ill as a child,operated on for gallstones age16,then always fatigue!,numerous illnesses and operations,joint pain etc since ,my 20s also loads of stress within a large family,diagnosed with Sjogrens about 2003 and Lupus and Fybromyalgia about 2005,also have osteoarthritis and osteoporosis,I struggle on ,my husband has had two heart attacks,bladder cancer is type 2 diabetic and has Parkinson's disease also border line vascular dementia,but we manage to have a laugh every day and know there are people far worse than us,keep struggling and best wishes to you all for good days x
My dad had Lupus xx
I believe mine was due to stress and a hot summer
Stress
Mine was very specific. Following an extremely severe allergic reaction to penicillin which wiped out most of my WBC, I had septic shock and needed to be resuscitated. The pain in my joints was immediate and immense, when I questioned this with the Microbiologists, they explained that it was due to damage caused by complement (c3c4). The joint problems and low complement etc gave been ongoing ever since.
Glandular Fever
I think it started after a bad reaction to a new form of agricultural chemical
Got a bite in the Northern Territory, Oz. All docs said that was the probably cause of my immune system having a permanent hissy fit.
I think my mother had lupus so think mine in genetic
Stress
Generally had always felt fine though suffered from mouth ulcers and these got worse in the last 7 years (I'm early 40s now!), coupled with 'heavy' legs, fatigue and chest pains. Was really upset as I used to walk a lot and felt healthy so was really frustrated as to how I was now feeling. Doctors were really useless and said it was stress, anaemia, glandular fever, stomach ulcer or coeliac - basically 'NO IDEA!' which did get me stressed as each time when I went in to see a GP, I had to explain everything again and got no help. Finally I took matters into my own hands and went private and they took loads of blood tests and told me I had very high levels of antibodies and told me to tell my GP to refer me to a rheumatologist. I duly did as I was told, except my idiot GP thought I should see a gastroenterologist!! OMG! To cut a long story short, I did end up with the Rheumy as the gastro didn't think they could help me when I also show them my test results.
So it was a very long process where my symptoms were not identified and I felt like I was going mad, I mean how could I explain to people being tired all the time, because I looked fine. But I'm glad I persevered.
I had bad glandular fever when I was 14 then at 17 it all started when I went abroad and had a terrible rash that lasted about a year I went to a specialist who said I had dle but at some point it turned into sle or it could have just always been sle and they wrongly diagnosed it. It wasn't that well known in 97.
My childhood wasn't carefree or stress free, went on a school trip to France at 14 had a terrible sore bumpy rash on my arms was lethargic (rash lasted months and months). Had no other symptoms until a stillbirth in 2006 and then a live birth dec 2006 at 3 months old I started to feel sick dizzy and pain in my legs arms did blood tests and my liver results were worrying. Further imflammatory markers and autoimmune tests showed lupus. Been suffering ever since.
My consultant thinks having my children 18mths apart followed by my husband having brain surgery was the trigger for my S.L.E. have been 20yrs in the battle, was coping OK but just lately am finding everyday a struggle, taking more pain medication than ever before and sleep at every opportunity.
Well, every specialist I've ever known told me a car accident supposedly gave me fibro, but that seems to be their default for everything, and I will ill before that.
I started getting sick when I was training for bodybuilding; maybe it was the regimen, or I was overtraining (I was literally in the gym nearly every day) and I was just doing too much as I worked several jobs, and I didn't sleep much, then went to gym on top of it. By the time I moved I'd had to quit the job and then was fired for my job as I was too tired to work full time. Job discrimination abounds in Cleveland, so many people are desperate for work, if you're struggling they just fire you and get someone else. No treatment, no investigations, so it just sort of set it at that time and and has been with me ever since.
for me it was a car accident where a guy aquaplaned across the road and killed the guy on the inside lane - took 10 years after that to get it diagnosed
My son took his own life in 2006 and the shock set me off with various illnesses. UCTD of the Lupus variety I was told.
I had an allergic reaction to sulphamides
It began with my second pregnancy in 1977 but was diagnosed as RA to begin with, changing to Lupus in 1980. I was told a third pregnancy could make it all go away or make it worse. In the event it made me very ill and i spent months in hospital before my son was born, and it didn't cure it.
I w as abroad on holiday my farther died very suddenly within 2 weeks I lost all my pigmentation,I'm very sensitive to light, suffer joint pain chest pain angina and safear fatigue I was on quin? But had a saver reaction in my eye,was only on it for a year ,rumatoligest stop all treat ment my GP is now sending me to the Norfolk & Norwich to see a new rumatoligest , mean time I'm on prednisolone 5mg started on 6 reduce by 5mg per week,I felt great at start of treatment but as I've reduced dose, flair up is starting again. I'm a career for my partner who has progressive M S so I think stress and exhaustion definitely play a big part in my flare ups
Not sure but there are several factors I believe to have a link- I had severe anxiety from a young age, I was diagnose with dyslexia and dyspraxia and hypermobility aged 6, I stepped in a hornets nest aged 11 and had to have an adrenalin shot, I also had a lot of infection e.g flu from a young age.aged 12 I stated getting severe migraines and 'growing pains' and I had problems sleeping on and off due to this and worsening anxiety. Age 18 I developed extreme fatigue with migraines and optic nerve lnflammation /visual problems , irregular periods and hairloss and last year I went to florida, very hot, developed a rash with blisters-possible insect bite on stomach with flare up of kidney infection,muscle weakness and joint pain and potassium deficiency,had flares almost constantly since -im seronegative lupus and positive RA.
Drugs (medication, not illicit!)
I lost my grandmother 2/17/14 then my little brother was murdered 4/17/14 on 6/16/14 I fell ill with fever muscle & joint aches, the hospital did spinal tap labs etc.. Nothing!!! Then I developed pleurisy in 11/14 and it's been down hill since my first real flare happened 3/9/15 and last for 3-4 weeks and now I'm being tested for Sjogrens and RA!! Trauma and grief .... The body can only take so much!!!
i was in the gulf war 1 had a lot of injections also i was taking nerve agent tablets for a wile, also my friend has died because of depleted uranium stuck in his intestine, cancer.
Maybe the contraceptive pill but looking back I've had the symptoms from very early childhood. Rheumy also believes I have had it since toddler age but the [particular contraceptive pill I was first put on was one of the 'scare' pills from the 90's so it could have triggered the lupus off.
At 19 years old pregnant with daughter became stupidly unwell with iinfections ,glands,anaemia,blackouts and bleeding causing hospitalisation and labour/birth of daughter at 33 Weeks. Up until then I was sporty hockey,rounders,netball teaching horseriding.I. had a mild facial rash,migraines ,fatigue and blackouts and my one and only seizure.I was told by doctors nothing wrong just my own fault for being such a young mom!It was early 1980s for goodness sake? Spent years with ongoing problems.11 miscarriages and another 3children later ,now2003!, finally after house move new gp recognised and sent to consultant .Now on immunosuppressants,hydroxy and so many others.Years wasted awaiting diagnosis
I believe my Lupus trigger was a bug bite.
all of the above and profound emotional stresses throughout my life.
At 3 years old (early 1950's) my GP told my mother I had some sort of rheumatic illness! So sorry, don't know the trigger.
Puberty
Pregnancy
Recently diagnosed with lupus. Prescribed hydrochloxychlorine (not sure of spelling)
200mg twice a day . Symptoms seemed to get better but today the pain in my knee and hip unbearable could hardly walk . What on earth is happening ?
Always had sun sensitivity,
I believe there is a genetic factor involved but I suppose it can lay dormant for years only experiencing a few symptoms like sun sensitivity . Trauma can make it fully come out
stress
Stress and infection
Couple of years ago I had severe sunstroke and it wasn't long after that, that Lupus symptoms started making themselves known. It had been fairly dormant prior to that.
I started with Itp (low platelets ) in 1981had been working in oncology nursing for a long time. Exposed to Radiotherapy and especially involved in mixing chemotherapy drugs without any protection in those days.who knows, could have something to do with that.
Im not even sure i have lupus. Cant reach my dr. To send me to a specialist . l was told by a nurse that my labs pointed in that direction.
Stress. In my early 20's I had a prolonged very stressful time. That's when it all started
I had three photo facials two weeks apart. and then the trouble started.
Stress.
When I was four years old my mum died and after she died in a tragic accident that is when I started to become ill and my father noticed my fingers and toes had become swollen and blue and they hurt. The Doctors then said I had chilblain then they said I had arthritis it had not been until 1998 that I had been diagnosed with SLE Lupus in Manchester while I had been studying at University and I had become ill.
Pollutants in our : atmosphere, domestic and personal products, food (including so-called fresh, which is treated with chemicals), fuels etc., also viruses.
I was diagnosed with lupus 30 yrs ago aged 23. It came as quite a shock. My consultant said it was not an hereditary illness and many things could possibly have set it off. The only major change in my life had been loosing my dad when he passed away a few months prior, consultant says almost definitely the trauma, shock of this caused lupus.
Inherited from my Mum
I think I can trace it back to when I was about 4 years old, diagnosed at 39.
I can pinpoint 3 life threatening flares previous to being diagnosed. I'm not sure why they never thought to run proper bloods in all of those years of hospital stays and scratching their heads 
So no real trigger for me, just life!
Severe sepsis or severe allergic reaction to the penicillin required to fight that infection . . I was very ill.
Stress mostly and other complications such as a pulmonary embolism leading to the discovery of arterial malformations in my lungs.
had a infection that I didn't know about. also took the butterfly rash on my face, was all a shock to both me and my family.
HI I worked in farming all my life and believe exposure to OP s and other chemicals were
Involved in triggering my SLE witch is now resulting in mostly Neuro symptoms
Glandular fever in my teens
I think my lupus was triggered by "over doing it" "pushing myself too hard"
I had a bad reaction to general anesthetic while under surgery it's all I can blame g
Extreme stress for to long, major depression, trauma, sexual ,emotional abuse, no support, extreme nerve problems, who knows really.
I believe my sickle crisis triggered my Lupus because it started with very painful stiff palm and fingers.
Not sure if my seizures have anything to do with my lupus or maybe vice versa
Stress, every life threatening flair has been related to a beach trip and then a major stress, all before diagnosis of lupus - flairs would last five years then seem to calm down! 1. College/ nursing boards/ new job
2. Trip to Jamaica returned and my baby sister had a car accident and died at 32
3. 2012-present- finally diagnosed sle lupus! Trip to Mexico, started doing photography with UV lighting then my father was diagnosed with large B cell lymphoma stage 4! It's been three years watching him battle this disease! I've been horribly ill!
drug induced by infliximab
I think it was contact with agricultural chemicals sheep dip in particular
your poll is very interesting. I have never seen anything like that. Thank You.
Your Poll is very interesting. Have never seen that before. Thanks.
What are the issues?
I'm convinced it was a bout of severe stress/anxiety/depression at work - I flared up soon after I left the job, once my body/mind was able to.
Cholesterol medication injections
Stress
