|
Lupus Symptom List
Lupus is very different for each person and
symptoms vary both in kind
and in severity greatly not only from patient to patient, but also
from time to time in the same patient. Lupus can affect ANY
part of the body. Here is a list of the most common
Lupus
symptoms.
- Central Nervous System (CNS)
- Anxiety/Depression
- Anxiety and depression are common
symptoms felt by
Lupus patients. These
symptoms can be caused by
the Lupus, the medications used to treat it, or the
stresses of dealing with a chronic illness.
- CNS Vasculitis
- This
symptom is
inflammation of the blood
vessels of the brain. It is characterized by high
fevers, psychosis, seizures, and meningitis like neck
stiffness, leading to stupor and coma if not quickly, and
aggressively treated.
- Cognitive Dysfunction
- This may include memory loss, loss of
concentration, confusion, difficulty expressing
thoughts, etc. This, as with any Lupus
symptom can be
an intermittent or constant issue.
-
Fibromyalgia
- Up to 20% of people with SLE have a simultaneous
Fibromyalgia evidenced by tender points and increased pain
in the soft tissues. Patients may also experience
cognitive dysfunction, difficulty sleeping, and lack of
stamina.
more...
-
Lupus Headaches
- The Lupus headache is very similar to a migraine.
It is more common in Lupus patients with
Antiphospholipid
Syndrome or Raynaud's Phenomenon. It is
traditionally treated the same as normal migraines, although
corticosteroids are also usually
helpful, distinguishing it from other types of migraines.
more...
- Intracranial Hypertension (Pseudotumor Cerebri)
- This is a rare complication of Lupus and can also be
caused by the medications used to treat Lupus. The
most common
symptoms are severe non-specific
headaches, transient altered vision, and tinnitus.
Other
symptoms can include stiff neck, back
pain, double vision, pain behind the eyes, and exercise
intolerance. Diagnosis is done by complete eye
examination, tests to rule out other causes of increased
pressure and finally a high opening pressure revealed by a
lumbar puncture (spinal tap).
-
Peripheral
Neuropathy
- A symptom most commonly associated with Diabetes, this
can also be caused by Lupus. Peripheral nerves are the
nerves located in your face, arms, legs and torso.
When these nerves do not communicate properly with the
spinal cord it is called peripheral neuropathy. This
can cause pain, numbness, tingling, burning or itching.
- Stroke
- Cardio-Vascular System
- Anemia
- This is the most common blood disorder in Lupus.
Anemia means too little hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the
protein inside red cells that carries oxygen from the lungs
to all the tissues of the body. The most common
symptom of anemia is
fatigue, other
symptoms include: weakness, dizziness or
fainting, rapid heart beat, feeling cold, sadness or
depression, difficulty sleeping and decreased appetite.
There are several different kinds/causes of anemia in Lupus.
These include Anemia of Chronic Disease, Hemolytic Anemia,
Anemia caused by Medications (especially chemotherapy
medications), and Chronic Kidney Disease Anemia.
-
Antiphospholipid
Syndrome
- An autoimmune disorder
common in Lupus, characterized by recurrent arterial or
venous
thrombosis and/or fetal losses coupled with persistently
elevated levels of antibodies against phospholipids.
more...
-
Endocarditis
- Inflammation of the inside lining of the heart chambers
and valves causing fatigue, weakness, fever, chills, heart
murmur, shortness of breath, and swelling of the feet,
legs and abdomen.
more...
-
Heart
Attack
- Leukopenia and Neutropenia
- A low white blood cell count can cause an much increased
risk for infection. In Lupus this is usually caused by
the medications used to treat other
symptoms.
-
Myocarditis
- Inflammation of the heart muscle, causing
unexplained rapid heart beat, irregular heart beat,
abnormal electrocardiogram, and heart failure. more...
-
Pericarditis
- Inflammation of the membrane covering the heart.
It may cause sharp chest pain that changes when the
body's position changes, it may feel like a heart
attack. It occasionally also causes shortness of
breath.
more...
- Thrombocytopenia
- This is a low platelet count.
Symptoms of
Thrombocytopenia are easy bruising, tiny red bleeding
points called petechiae, and nose bleeds.
- Vasculitis
- Inflammation of the blood vessels causing red or
purple dots under the skin from bleeding into the
tissue. This is usually found on the legs.
The smaller , "pin point" dots are called petechiae, and
the larger ones are called purpura and sometimes look
like large bruises.
- Gastrointestinal
Tract
-
Arteritis
of the Large Intestine
- Inflammation in the
bowel can cause diarrhea, lower abdominal pain and may even
result in ulceration of the intestine.
-
Ascites
- Excessive fluid build-up in the
peritoneal cavity. May be caused by nephritis or
other organ involvement.
-
Chronic
Diarrhea
- Some causes in SLE patients include medication side
effects, arteritis of the large intestine, pancreatitis, and
splenomegaly. This is a potentially dangerous symptom
that can lead to dehydration. If you are having this
symptom you should be closely monitored by a doctor.
-
Dysphagia
- Arteritis
in the esophagus can cause motility problems resulting in
painful or difficult swallowing, usually limited to solids.
-
Hepatomegaly
- Enlargement of the
liver can be caused by Lupus. This can cause a feeling
of fullness under the right ribcage and tenderness when
pressed on.
- Lupus Hepatitis
- Inflammation of the liver can be caused by both the
Lupus itself or the medications used to treat it.
Symptoms include:
dark urine, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal
distension, pale or clay colored stools, fatigue, malaise,
generalized itching.
-
Nausea
& Vomiting
- These can be caused by
arteritis
in the stomach or small intestine. It may also be
caused by a "pseudo-obstruction" (motility issue most likely
caused by arteritis) of the intestine. Medication side
effect is also a common cause of these symptoms in Lupus
patients.
- Pancreatitis
- Inflammation of the pancreas can cause severe
abdominal pain in the upper middle or upper left part of
the abdomen that may radiate to the back, nausea,
vomiting, fever, chills, swollen or tender belly, and a
rapid heartbeat. Chronic pancreatitis can also
cause anemia, inability to digest food, diabetes and
jaundice.
- General
- Death
- While Lupus is no longer a death sentence 20,000
Americans each year are still dying from this disease.
Many, many patients live nearly normal, full lives and never
have organ involvement or life-threatening disease.
While this
symptom is not listed to scare anybody, it
is listed to alert everybody to the fact that this disease
is still killing.
- Fatigue
- Extreme or persistent fatigue is a common
symptom of
Lupus.
- Hair Loss
- This can be either in
patches or all over the head. It is usually
temporary. It is estimated that 27% of Lupus
patients have this
symptom.
This is also a common side effect of some of the
medications used to treat Lupus.
-
Insomnia
- Insomnia, defined as a
chronic inability to fall asleep or stay asleep for an
adequate amount of time, can be a direct result of Lupus or
a side effect of the
medications used
to treat Lupus.
-
Lupus
Panniculitis (Lupus Profundus)
- Inflammation of the subcutaneous fat. The skin in
the area feels thickened and is often raised. It may
or may not be discolored. The area is often tender.
The face is the most commonly affected area. The Lupus
completely kills the fat cell and leaves firm deep nodules
that can last for months or years.
- Malaise
- A generalized sick feeling.
-
Opportunistic
Infections
- Photosensitivity
- Exposure to ultraviolet B light (such as sunlight or
tanning beds) typically worsens the skin rash and can
trigger lupus flares.
- Unexplained Fevers
- Low grade, unexplained
fevers are a very common Lupus
symptom being reported by
as many as 90% of patients.
- Weight loss
- Many Lupus patients experience things like nausea,
vomiting, and loss of appetite that lead to
unintentional weight loss.
This is also a common side effect of some of the
medications used to treat Lupus.
- Kidneys
- Lupus Nephritis
- Lupus Nephritis is inflammation of the kidney caused by
SLE, characterized by damage to the kidneys and progressive
loss of kidney function.
Symptoms include: blood and/or protein in
the urine, elevated blood pressure, abnormal blood studies,
swelling especially in the ankles, hands and face.
This can be a life-threatening complication of Lupus.
- Lupus Nephritis Ascites
- Ascites is defined as excessive fluid built
up within the
peritoneal cavity. The abdominal organs
and the abdomen itself are lined with membranes called the
peritoneum. Between these two linings is a space referred to
as the peritoneal cavity. In Lupus Nephritis, fluid can build up in the peritoneal cavity.
more...
- Lungs
- Pleuritis
- Pleuritis is inflammation of the membrane around the
lungs. It can cause severe, sharp, stabbing pain to
specific areas of the chest that may be made worse by taking
a deep breath, laughing, sneezing, or coughing.
- Pulmonary Embolism
-
This is a
symptom that occurs primarily
in patients who have the antiphospholipid antibody, or
Lupus anticoagulant. A pulmonary embolism is the
sudden blocking of an artery in a lung, usually by a
blood clot.
Symptoms are a sudden onset of chest
pain & shortness of breath, coughing, & fever.
-
Mouth
and Nose
- Bullous SLE
- This is a rare but serious disease in which patients have
antibodies against their own skin and mouth. Lesions
associated with this condition consist of grouped blisters
typically on the head and neck but can be on the arms, and legs.
Systemic corticosteroids and immunosuppressives are typically
the treatment for this disease.
- Herpes Simplex (fever blisters)
- This symptom is listed because it usually appears as a side
effect of immunosuppressive therapy. These lesions appear
as small groups of painful, fluid filled blisters that usually
go away without medical treatment within 2-4 weeks. These
are also common among the regular population.
- Mouth and Nose Ulcers
- Only about 12% of Lupus patients experience this
symptom. These
ulcers form in either the mouth or the nose causing
soreness, difficulty chewing, swelling and visible sores
when in the mouth.
more...
- Mucosal Discoid Lupus Erythematosus
- This most commonly affects the inner cheeks and the lips.
These lesions resemble red plaques surrounded by lacy whitish
areas and are quite painful. Mucosal DLE should be treated
both systemically and topically, typically with corticosteroids.
- Oral Candidiasis (Thrush)
- This symptom again is usually a side effect of
immunosuppressive therapy. This appears as a whitish-red,
flaky plaques that can affect any area of the mouth and usually
the esophagus. Patients may feel a burning sensation or
difficulty swallowing. Oral anti-fungals are used to treat
this.
- Musculoskeletal
Symptoms
-
Arthralgia
- Joint pain is VERY common in SLE. 90% of Lupus
patients will experience joint or muscle pain. This is
different from arthritis which is inflammation of the
joints.
-
Arthritis
- Arthritis is defined as
inflammation of a joint that is usually accompanied by
pain, swelling, tenderness and stiffness. In Lupus
joints are typically warm and red and often fluid
collects.
more...
-
Avascular
Necrosis (AVN)
- Poor blood supply to an area leads to bone death.
It typically affects the hips, shoulders and knees.
The initial symptom is pain, which leads to muscle spasm,
stiffness and limited mobility of the affected joint.
High doses of steroids increase the risk of developing AVN.
Advanced cases may require joint replacement surgery.
-
Fibromyalgia
- Up to 20% of people with SLE have a simultaneous
Fibromyalgia evidenced by tender points and increased pain
in the soft tissues. Patients may also experience
cognitive dysfunction, difficulty sleeping, and lack of
stamina.
more...
-
Muscle Pain
(Myalgia)
- Muscle pain and weakness may be caused by
inflammation of the muscles. Myalgia is often
diffuse and nonspecific.
- Other Organs
-
Autoimmune
Inner Ear Disease (AIED)
- When antibodies attack
the inner ear it is called autoimmune inner ear disease.
This can cause dizziness, vertigo, tinnitus (ringing in the
ears), and progressive
hearing loss.
-
 Eye Problems
- Eye problems in Lupus can be caused by the Lupus
itself or by the corticosteroids and antimalarials used
to treat Lupus. Conjunctivitis, inflammation of tissues around the
eye, is more common among lupus patients since they are
more susceptible to infection. Iritis,
inflammation of the iris, is also a recurrent problem in some
patients. Other possible eye problems include
glaucoma, cataracts, general changes in vision, dry
eyes, blocked tear ducts,
Pseudotumor Cerebri and on very rare occasions,
blindness can result. Warning signs may include
development of a rash over the eyelids, mucus discharge
from the eye, blurred vision, sensitivity to light,
headaches, a sore, red eye, lack of tears, and eyes that
hurt and are dry, episodes of flashing lights and
partial blindness.
-
Splenomegaly
- Enlargement of the
spleen can be caused by Lupus. Symptoms may include
nausea, diarrhea and abdominal pain.
- Swollen Glands
- Up to 50% of Lupus
patients will have swollen lymph glands.
- Thyroiditis
- Inflammation of the thyroid gland can cause many
symptoms
of hyperthyroidism including rapid heart beat,
nervousness, tremor, weight loss, heat intolerance,
sweating, fever, diarrhea, sleep disturbance weakness,
and fatigue. Later
symptoms
of hypothyroidism such as fatigue, weight gain,
constipation and cold intolerance may be felt.
This is not really caused by Lupus rather is common in
Lupus patients.
-
Reproductive
System
- Birth Control & Hormone Replacement Issues
- Some scientists believe there may be a link between estrogen
and Lupus. Because of this they recommend that Lupus
patients do not use estrogen containing birth control methods.
more on estrogen and Lupus...
- Increased Miscarriage Rate
- Lupus patients have a much greater risk for miscarriage and
high risk pregnancies than the normal population. Patients
with the antiphospholipid antibody in particular are at greater
risk for miscarriage. Whenever possible discuss your Lupus
and pregnancy plans with your Rheumatologist and OB/Gyn before
becoming pregnant.
more on
Lupus and Pregnancy...
- Infertility caused by treatment
- Some of the treatments used in Lupus can cause infertility
such as Cytoxan. Family planning should be discussed
before beginning aggressive immunosuppressive therapy.
- Lesions in genital area
- Lupus patients can get ulcers similar to the ones they get
in their mouth or nose in their genital area. Discoid
lesions as well as Bullous SLE lesions in the genital area also
occur. Fungal infections secondary to immunosupression is
also common.
- Loss of Libido (sexual desire)
- Between the chronic pain, and fatigue, and the stresses of
dealing with chronic illness loss of sexual desire is very
common in Lupus. Also many of the medications used to
treat Lupus, particularly anti-depressants list loss of sexual
desire as a side effect.
- Premature Ovarian Failure
- Sometimes referred to as early menopause, Premature
Ovarian Failure is defined as Amenorrhea
(cessation of periods) before age 40 due to failure of
the ovaries. One of the causes of this is Systemic
Lupus Erythematosus. Patients with this condition
go through all the symptoms of menopause at a very young
age sometimes as young as in their teens.
- Skin
-
Allergic Reaction
pictures
- Many Lupus medications can cause a rash caused by
allergic reaction. If you have a new rash, consider
any new medications as a culprit.
-
Cutaneous Vasculitis
pictures
- Inflammation of the blood vessels in the skin is
known as Cutaneous Vasculitis. Cutaneous
Vasculitis usually causes small red or purple spots on
the lower legs. Sometimes nodules and ulcers can
develop.
- Discoid Lesions
pictures
- Discoid lesions are thick, scarring, raised
or flat, red, with well-defined borders, which appear on
sun-exposed surfaces, but in rare cases can be found on
non-sun-exposed areas. They generally do not itch.
-
Chilblain
Lesions - Chilblain Lupus is a variant of DLE.
Chilblain lesions are tender, purplish-blue or red,
swollen nodules.
These are mostly on the toes and fingers but can also be
on the heels, calves, knees, nose, and ears. These
lesions may become very painful and very itchy.
They are typically caused by an abnormal reaction to
cold. In extreme cases skin may crack and
infection may occur.
pictures
- Malar Rash/Butterfly Rash
pictures
- Also known as the butterfly rash, this rash is over
the cheeks and bridge of the nose. It can be dark
red or just pink, it can be "blotchy" or solid, it can
be smooth or raised.
- Petechiae
- Very small (pinpoint) red spots on the skin caused by
bleeding under the skin.
- Can be caused by Vasculitis or thrombocytopenia.
- Purpura
- Red or purple discolorations of the skin caused by
bleeding under the skin.
- Can be caused by Vasculitis or thrombocytopenia.
- Raynaud's Phenomenon
- This condition affects the skin's blood vessels and
may cause the fingers and toes to turn pale or white and
then blue. The skin affected may feel numb, tingly, and
cold to the touch. About 20% of Lupus patients
have this symptom.
- Subacute
Cutaneous Lesions
pictures
- The papulosquamous lesions
are red, elevated areas of skin with distinct margins.
Annular lesions are red and ring shaped. Both kinds
are typically dry, and do not itch. These rashes most
commonly appear on sun exposed areas, most commonly the
neck, chest, upper back, arms and face. Other areas
can be affected as well.
Information on this page and this
entire website should never be substituted for medical advice.
Download a PDF of this File
|
