The
following symptoms could indicate a lupus flare-
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Rash
- rash on the cheeks
- raised rash with little white bumps
- redness of fingertips, tips of toes, areas around fingernails,
or the palms or soles of the feet
- areas of vasculitis (inflammation of small blood vessels),
which could be characterised by small ulcers
- fishnet pattern to the skin
- fluid- or air-filled blisters
- deep pockets of inflamed & sometimes ulcerated skin
- Loss of hair
- Sun-sensitivity
- Mouth or nose ulcers
- Joint pains
- Muscle inflammation
- Small nodules on the tendons (around the elbow or on the ankles)
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Enlargement of the parotid glands (glands in the cheeks)
- Low platelet count
- Low white count or low lympocyte count
- High blood pressure
- Menstrual period irregularities
- Sore throat, backache, headache
- Eye problems
- spots in the eyes called 'cotton wool spots' & sometimes
little haemorrhages
- little clotted blood vessels in the eyes (found by your doctor)
- Abnormalities of complement
- Antibodies to cardiolipin
- The lupus anticoagulant
Triggers
of lupus flares
- Sunlight
- Ultraviolet light
- Infections
- Stress
- Surgical Procedures
- Pregnancy
- Sulfa drugs (eg. septrin)
- Birth control pills
- Radiation therapy