Lupus symptoms

Hello all I hope everyone is well today

This forum has helped me in so many instances, given me reassurance and calmed me down too many times to count. But recently nothing has calmed me down and I am starting to suspect that unfortunately I have lupus.

It started about a month or so ago when it had been nice weather, I had been outside sunbathing and relaxing. That night I woke up in the middle of the night with stomach ache, a really uncomfortable feeling in my tummy and nausea. I thought I had eaten something funny but it continued and so I phoned the doctor and he has given me omeprazole to take for one month. It has helped a little bit but I still get some acid reflux, nausea and burning and stabbing pain around both ribs which can be very uncomfortable. The rib pain happens nearly every day.

When sunbathing the first day of summer I developed what I thought was a sunburn in the shape of the Malar rash. I have never had a sunburn like it before and I also burned other parts of my body. It was quite angry and red and by the next day it had subsided. I recently looked back at photos of me on holiday and it does seem that my cheeks are quite sensitive but I’ve never had a Malar rash before. I then stupidly burned my face again 2 weeks ago. Again, there was redness on the cheeks but more so on the right than left. It was less intense than the last one.

I also noticed weird rashes when sunbathing but they weren’t itchy. On my arms little red dots, on my knee a blotchy red rash, on my stomach weird little red scratches and my foot had little blotchy dots as well (these were all form separate days). These all subsided once I went indoors and didn’t last very long. I also have an itch on my chest where it was exposed to the sun. I have never noticed this happen to me before and it scared me so much. I started putting the dots together and I’m convinced it’s lupus. To add to this I started researching lupus and read that sunlight and uv rays makes symptoms worse - lo and behold here we are 2 days after last sun exposure with sore joints everywhere, specifically my left knee, left ankle, left elbow and hips and twinges in all the other ones.

I’m petrified. I also read that lupus can affect the gut in some cases. That’s sealed the deal for me. It all fits together. Gut trouble, Malar rash, photosensitivity and joint pains. These cannot be a coincidence.

I am currently taking oxytetracycline for my skin on top of the omeprazole and have been taking it for about 2 months with a few weeks left to go. The doctor gave me it specifically because it doesn’t cause sun sensitivity even though it is a potential side effect. Another side effect is that it can worsen lupus symptoms. When I read that I nearly had a panic attack.

My doctor thinks my stomach problems are from the antibiotics. I am not so sure anymore. My family think I am imagining my joint pain and that there’s nothing wrong with me. Lupus is such a rare disease and I am a massive hypochondriac so obviously I don’t have it. But it is sore for real it is not imagined and I don’t usually get joint pain nor have I ever been sensitive to the sun. I even feel itchy a few days after even though there’s no rash.

I am only 25 years old and my hypochondria the last few months has been terrible to say the least. It’s made me anxious and depressed. However, I am the prime age for being diagnosed with lupus and all my symptoms are currently pointing to this. I’m now scared to go in the sun. Everyone is telling me if I feel like that then make an appointment with the doctor but I generally try to avoid the doctor as best I can as the thought of being diagnosed brings me nothing but anxiety and panic. Does anyone have experience with any similar symptoms that turned out not to be lupus? I really hope it’s not but all the symptoms seem to say it is and also they have worsened since being in the sun. Should I really think about seeing a doctor to see if it is lupus?

I am too scared to die but too scared to live. I feel pathetic that I am so negative and mopey all the time and I don’t think I can go on like this it really is just the worst :(

Lupus symptoms
Hello all I hope everyone is well today

This forum has helped me in so many instances, given me reassurance and calmed me down too many times to count. But recently nothing has calmed me down and I am starting to suspect that unfortunately I have lupus.

It started about a month or so ago when it had been nice weather, I had been outside sunbathing and relaxing. That night I woke up in the middle of the night with stomach ache, a really uncomfortable feeling in my tummy and nausea. I thought I had eaten something funny but it continued and so I phoned the doctor and he has given me omeprazole to take for one month. It has helped a little bit but I still get some acid reflux, nausea and burning and stabbing pain around both ribs which can be very uncomfortable. The rib pain happens nearly every day.

When sunbathing the first day of summer I developed what I thought was a sunburn in the shape of the Malar rash. I have never had a sunburn like it before and I also burned other parts of my body. It was quite angry and red and by the next day it had subsided. I recently looked back at photos of me on holiday and it does seem that my cheeks are quite sensitive but I’ve never had a Malar rash before. I then stupidly burned my face again 2 weeks ago. Again, there was redness on the cheeks but more so on the right than left. It was less intense than the last one.

I also noticed weird rashes when sunbathing but they weren’t itchy. On my arms little red dots, on my knee a blotchy red rash, on my stomach weird little red scratches and my foot had little blotchy dots as well (these were all form separate days). These all subsided once I went indoors and didn’t last very long. I also have an itch on my chest where it was exposed to the sun. I have never noticed this happen to me before and it scared me so much. I started putting the dots together and I’m convinced it’s lupus. To add to this I started researching lupus and read that sunlight and uv rays makes symptoms worse - lo and behold here we are 2 days after last sun exposure with sore joints everywhere, specifically my left knee, left ankle, left elbow and hips and twinges in all the other ones. It’s been particularly bad the past day.

I’m petrified. I also read that lupus can affect the gut in some cases. That’s sealed the deal for me. It all fits together. Gut trouble, Malar rash, photosensitivity and joint pains. These cannot be a coincidence.

I am currently taking oxytetracycline for my skin on top of the omeprazole and have been taking it for about 2 months with a few weeks left to go. The doctor gave me it specifically because it doesn’t cause sun sensitivity even though it is a potential side effect. Another side effect is that it can worsen lupus symptoms. When I read that I nearly had a panic attack.

My doctor thinks my stomach problems are from the antibiotics. I am not so sure anymore. My family think I am imagining my joint pain and that there’s nothing wrong with me. Lupus is such a rare disease and I am a massive hypochondriac so obviously I don’t have it. But it is sore for real it is not imagined and I don’t usually get joint pain nor have I ever been sensitive to the sun. I even feel itchy a few days after even though there’s no rash.

I am only 25 years old and my hypochondria the last few months has been terrible to say the least. It’s made me anxious and depressed. However, I am the prime age for being diagnosed with lupus and all my symptoms are currently pointing to this. I’m now scared to go in the sun. Everyone is telling me if I feel like that then make an appointment with the doctor but I generally try to avoid the doctor as best I can as the thought of being diagnosed brings me nothing but anxiety and panic. Does anyone have experience with any similar symptoms that turned out not to be lupus? I really hope it’s not but all the symptoms seem to say it is and also they have worsened since being in the sun. Should I really think about seeing a doctor to see if it is lupus?

I am too scared to die but too scared to live. I feel pathetic that I am so negative and mopey all the time and I don’t think I can go on like this it really is just the worst :(

Hi, first of all some of the symptoms you describe could indeed be caused by the antibiotic you are using eg rashes. Some people get a malar rash from being in the sun and don't have Lupus. Lupus has some other symptoms that you don't have.

Secondly Lupus is not a death sentence, I know people who have it and they lead normal productive lives. Some take medications some don't and others take it sometimes. It is not the disease that it was 50 years ago.
You can get a blood test for Lupus, that tests your ANA's (autoantibodies) and has accuracy rate of 95%.

I have CFS (another autoimmune condition) which has similar symptoms to Lupus, in fact I may have Lupus but am sero-negative. Many auto-immune conditions have a genetic component, often running down the female side of the family. There are a lot of factors to take into account.

Thirdly, stress makes all symptoms worse so please stop worrying about it, I've been down this path 25+ years ago when I was tested for MS, which I didn't have. I was actually relieved to get a diagnosis of ME/CFS shortly afterwards. Take care x

Hi

This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your thread was merged with another of your threads.

Please when posting on similar topics add it onto your previous post rather than starting a new one.

It is nothing personal it is just to make it easier for people to follow your story and to give you advice as a whole.

Thank you so much for your reply. I am doing a bit better this week but still have my fear of going in the sun unfortunately! I have decided that I really need help for my hypochondria. If I somehow convince myself I don’t have lupus, I will be onto the next illness soon enough. It’s a loop that I need to stop repeating.

Hearing that others live normal lives with these diseases provides me with some comfort. Dr Google does not seem to give these testimonies which is why googling has sent me into such a panic! Even if I did have it it’s not the end of the world and I need to remember that.

Thanks again for replying and giving me some comfort. X