Is Flu a symptom of Lupus

[MissFG]

I've been full of flu like symptoms for 4 weeks now. Struggling swallowing, full of catarrh so also struggling breathing. This also triggers my thyroiditis so my throat is sore and thyroid swollen. Is flu a symptom of Lupus or am I just run down as I've been experiencing a really stressful time recently. I seem to be getting regular boats of flu and we're not in winter now so don't understand why I keep getting this

[Chanpreet_Walia LUPUS UK]

Hi MissFG,

I am sorry to hear you have been feeling poorly, have you spoke to your doctor about this? It may be important to identify whether the lupus is causing this symptom or if it could be an infection of some sort.

Flu-like symptoms can be associated with lupus. To find out more about the symptoms of lupus you may want to look at our ‘LUPUS: The Symptoms and Diagnosis’ factsheet: lupusuk.org.uk/wp-content/u... .

Please let us know how you get on, all the best!

[MissFG in reply to Chanpreet_Walia]

Thanks GP's are aware but would rather put it down to a virus or thyroiditis as they can't be treated. They also have limited knowledge on Lupus and Hashimotos so tell me to ask my consultants but it takes months before I see them again and it comes and goes usually when I'm stressed. So at a bit of a loss!

[EOLHPC]

Hello MissFG

My feeling is that you could be in a rough pattern of being generally run down which makes you more vulnerable to autoimmune inflammatory process. This happens to me too when I'm having a really stressful time: I'm more vulnerable to viruses & bacteria & also to immune dysfunction. I end up unwell in several ways. And of course "flu-like symptoms" are characteristic of flares in many autoimmune conditions

Lucky for me, my Rheumatology dept has a lupus specialist nurse: we can phone her at times like these when GPs won't engage and we're confused by signs & symptoms... our LSN liaises with our consultant & gets back to us with advice...sometimes she suggests tweaks to our meds

Sounds like you don't have a LSN, though. So, you could go direct to your rheumatologist's secretary and briefly explain your concern re these signs & symptoms + timescale involved in this "complex recurring persistence pattern" of symptomatology AND that you find your GP out of his/her depth & unwilling to engage in diagnosis or treatment. So, could your clinic appt be brought forward? And can you be on the list for cancelled appts?

trouble breathing is not something a gp can reasonably shrug off. If your gp continues to offer no help with these bad breathing problems & your hospital clinics can't see you soon, A&E would seem to me a reasonable place to go when you are having trouble breathing

Sorry I can't be more help...am vvvv much feeling for you...😏 am feeling as if I've possibly come down with a virus or infection myself so am pondering my situation too...while we're on so many meds, it's sometimes hard to tell what's up because our meds disguise the signs & symptoms...and our GPs understandably aren't much help because they're out of their depth. Strictly speaking I'd think this is when gps should use their hotline to our consultants, but the system doesn't seem to work like that....

Please let us know how you get on

Take care

🍀🍀🍀🍀 coco

PS for my version of somewhat similar issues, I immediately turn to Neilmed products, recommended to me by ENT. Neilmed does a wide range of ENT treatments....maybe you know their stuff already? Neilmed helps me cope while the health system gets around to helping me. I get Neilmed from amazon &:

neilmed.com/uk/

[MissFG in reply to EOLHPC]

I think your definately right and I'm really working on my stress and anxiety levels so looking at yoga mindfulness and some workshops the NHS run. Anything is worth a try to help ourselves.

I think a lot of my issues still involving my thyroid and there is very little my Endo can do - as we only have one drug prescribed easily on the NHS. I've been to ENT a few times had camera down which I hate and they give me more diclofenac and tell me to see my Endo. So it's just a vicious circle. However I've just been able to increase the drugs I'm trailing (I sourced it from abroad and my Endo is supporting me) so that may help it's just a slow process as you can only increase by small amounts every 4-6 weeks.

Just feels like I'm so reliant on drugs now and getting the right balance. But I'll get my thyroid under control and my lupus will play up!

However I'm feeling more positive and we have to keep going don't we

It's also nice to know others like yourself are going through similar experiences even though mate our situations are all different we can all relate and sympathise x

[EOLHPC in reply to MissFG]

👍👍👍👍

I ❤ the way you're thinking!

Am TOTALLY with you: thank goodness for this wonderful forum & all of you...I'd be finding everything so much harder without you 😍