Hello, I have SLE and keep getting struck down by horrific pain in my upper back that radiates round to my chest and stomach.

[Natalie31]

It is so bad I can hardly bear it and I have been admitted to hospital once because I thought I was havign a heart attack. Now the docs say they think it is caused by my Lupus- just wondered if anyone else has had anything similar? Grateful for your replies. Many thanks, natalie xx

[jani4063]

Hi Natalie,

I get pain in my back, high up around the kidney area sometimes right, sometimes left and sometimes both sides it often radiates to the front of my chest but not my stomach. The last time I was suffering my rhummy sounded my chest and said he could hear a pleural rub...due to inflamation from the lupus?he thought>

However, I have also experienced blood and protein in my urine so they are investigating my kidneys as well. The main frustration for me is how long everything takes, i have lupus (SLE) but I have also recently been diagnosed with hughes/aps syndrome, so i am being referred to someone who specialises in lupus rather than general rheumatology but my appointment which was supposedly an urgent referral is not until the end of Oct! and for my kidneys they are referring me to a urologist but that is the end of August, and i am worried sick that either my kidneys or my lungs are suffering damage in the mean time. I found that when my steriod dose is increased it seems to ease the pain in my upper back...is it worse when you take a deep breath in, mine is, my consultant thought this indicated plueral rub due to the lining of my lungs being inflammed due to the lupus

Hope this makes sense

Jani