recent Covid infection and sle activity

[Jamzie]

hello everyone!

So I’ve had sle since I was 13- it was rough then but then it was mild all along. I tested positive for Covid about 3 days ago - annoying sore throat, congestion and body aches, now feeling better but I’m starting to feel like my joints, specially my elbow and knees are aching. I’m a little scared of a lupus flare up, my lupus has been quasi dormant since I was 15, but last year I got Covid. 3 weeks later I had this throbbing headache and I could not see for a couple of minutes. I went to the eye hospital on marylebone and they said that my optic disc was swollen after which I was diagnosed with intracranial hypertension that resolved on its own… I saw my rheumatologist after that and for the first time in my life I had a positive lupus anticoagulant test even after repeating it.. anyone else had something similar or a sudden lupus flare up after Covid? I’m a little anxious as I don’t want to go through the same experience. I’ve asked my rheumatologist for a consultation in order to see if I can avert that as I’m currently not on any medication but was wondering if anyone out there has suffered something similar following Covid recently! In 2019 - Christmas Day 2019 I suddenly had this unbelievable headache it turned out to be meningitis and encephalitis.. doctors back then had a very hard time determining cause of my illness but mentioned SARS and MERS.. thankfully I recovered but now I think maybe I had Covid then as well but no one knew much about it.. any advice or shared experiences are welcome? I read somewhere that this could be a response to hypercoagulable state induced by Covid and was wondering what people are taking for that- heparin, or baby aspirin… want to see what I can tell my doctor next week!

[Hamptons]

Covid does trigger autoimmune symptoms. My sister post Covid has giant cell vasculitis which causes issues with sight and headaches. She has even lost speech and swallowing at its worst. She has probably had lupus for years, but symptoms attributed to other illnesses. My nephew is struggling with joint pain since having Covid in February and can barely walk.

Covid attacks the immune system and so I am sure if you have autoimmune it gets triggered. Many Long Covid sufferers display Lupus and other autoimmune disease symptoms.

I think it’s important to see a rheumatologist as you have tested positive for lupus so it is clearly no longer dormant.

Good luck

[Jamzie in reply to Hamptons]

I hope they’re both feeling better now… I didn’t even think about it when I had the vaccines and Covid but now I think that it does totally trigger one’s immune system very aggressively… thank you for sharing this

[Hamptons in reply to Jamzie]

ironically, Covid and LC have reduced my sle symptoms. It’s a thing.

[ShannonB]

hope you feel better and get through this bout of covid without any longer term complications x

[Jamzie]

thank you 🙏🏼🙏🏼

[Krazykat26]

I've had an increase in lupus symptoms since I had Covid in October last year..and I've now got an annoying cough which I didn't have before. It's good that your seeing your doctor as you've had awful experiences post-covid..hopefully you can nip it in the bud 🤞Good luck n I hope you recover soon. 💜🌈Xx

[Jamzie in reply to Krazykat26]

thank you :)🙏🏼

[Tykle]

I had a flare after covid. I usually get a blistering rash a few hours after sun exposure but hadn't been outside or near a window for the three weeks I was in bed with covid when a rash appeared just as covid symptoms were easing. It's almost like my over-enthusiastic immune system had said "So, dealt with that; what's next?"

Hope you recover soon.

[Jamzie in reply to Tykle]

Thank you hope you’re feeling much better

[Marley]

I thought I was experiencing a Lupus flare last year but it turned out to be Long Covid. Maxing out on Prednisolone with no effect on symptoms proved it.

[minka]

I woke up aching all over bad head pains legs felt like I could not make it down stairs. That was 3 days ago ,did a test positive COVID. And now I'm really struggling bad to walk in knees ankles and feet. If that's any help just trying to grin and bear it.