How do u know if you're having a flare?

[flowflow]

What symptoms do you all have when flaring? Recently my rhemy therapist suggested I could be flaring most the time and felt surprised by this?

[jean85]

Not sure what kind of Lupus you have. I have SLE and believe me you would know if you had a flare up,Bright red and itchy skin all over body. I am guessing your is all in joints so a different kind of Lupus.

Stay safe. Jean

[Buffy14 in reply to jean85]

Not everybody has bright red and itchy skin all over body during a flare and joint pain is the most common symptom not a different kind of lupus , SLE affects joints , skin , organs such as kidneys , fatigue etc it's not just about bright red itchy skin . Discord lupus is the one that affects the skin mainly , SLE attacks organs in the body .

[jean85 in reply to Buffy14]

Thanks Buffy one learns things every day about this terrible disease, No one told me that SLE attacked all of me I thought it was just the skin. I feel exhausted all the time, now I know why. thank god for this web site and all of you people on it.

[Fennella02]

Hi flowflow. Unless I have something very obvious such as a red, painful, swollen joint or two, I'm never too sure if I am flaring until it starts to settle and I'm feeling normal again! Fatigue, malaise, aching muscles etc can all be attributable to so many things so I just push on regardless.

My GP has started checking my ESR every month or two and I've found this very useful. If we flare for long periods of time, I think we tend to adopt that as our new 'norm' which is perhaps why your rheumy thinks this is what is happening and you hadn't realised? Sometimes I flare very erratically and aggressively but for short bursts and these are easy to spot but lately my flares are of the 'slow burn' type and last for months so I don't know when they start or when they end!

[jean85 in reply to Fennella02]

Clare what is ESR? Sorry to be so ignorant.

[Fennella02 in reply to jean85]

Hi Jean. ESR is the Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate and is a useful marker of systemic inflammation in lupus. Also known as Sed Rate in other countries xx

[jean85 in reply to Fennella02]

Many thanks Clare..such a lot to learn.

[Mbminges in reply to Fennella02]

I was dx in November but I've had SLE for 20 years. Pain moving from joint to joint everyday. Pleurisy pain from inflammation around the lungs all around my shoulder blade. Now in my collarbone/sternum up the neck now. I don't know what a flare is as I have constant pain! Word is that it's caused by GMOs, preservatives and possible pesticides.

[johare]

Hi, I have similar things to offer. I think we can all say we feel rubbish most of the time which would be a usual persons ill and yes it does become the new normal. I tend to find I start to become extra tired (more than usual fatigue) high temp , sometimes joints flare, sometimes rash worsens, sometimes migraine etc and then about a week in I know what organ is being attacked. This could be kidney pain, abdo pain, skin flares, heart problems. You do get to know your own pattern. Making diary helps.

ESR checks are good unfortunately not all GPs are so accommodating.