Can I have lupus and not know it?

Lupus can be hard to diagnose because it has many symptoms that are often mistaken for symptoms of other diseases. Many people have lupus for a while before they find out they have it. If you have symptoms of lupus, tell your doctor right away. No single test can tell if a person has lupus.

Can lupus go undetected for years?

Lupus symptoms can also be unclear, can come and go, and can change. On average, it takes nearly six years for people with lupus to be diagnosed, from the time they first notice their lupus symptoms.

Can you have lupus with no symptoms?

Symptoms of Lupus

If you have already been diagnosed, these symptoms may indicate increased activity of the disease, known as a "flare." You may also have periods of remission when few or no symptoms are present. For most people, lupus can be managed and will affect only a few organs.

What does undiagnosed lupus feel like?

Joint pain, stiffness and swelling. Butterfly-shaped rash on the face that covers the cheeks and bridge of the nose or rashes elsewhere on the body. Skin lesions that appear or worsen with sun exposure. Fingers and toes that turn white or blue when exposed to cold or during stressful periods.

What happens if lupus goes undiagnosed?

For example, untreated lupus can lead to blood disorders such as anemia or thrombosis. Other potential serious complications include: Chronic digestive distress that could include difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, indigestion, intestinal inflammation, liver enlargement, or pain when vomiting or feeling nauseous.

Understanding Lupus: Activist Spreads Awareness, Breaks Stigmas

What does untreated lupus feel like?

Joint pain and stiffness — Joint pain and stiffness (arthritis) occur in almost all people with lupus at some point during the disease, and these are often the earliest symptoms. The pain and stiffness tends to move from one part of the body to another and does not usually affect both sides of the body in the same way.

How do you confirm lupus?

Your doctor will look for rashes and other signs that something is wrong. Blood and urine tests. The antinuclear antibody (ANA) test can show if your immune system is more likely to make the autoantibodies of lupus. Most people with lupus test positive for ANA.

What is the number one symptom of lupus?

The most common lupus symptoms (which are the same for men and women) are: Extreme fatigue (feeling tired all the time) Pain or swelling in the joints. Swelling in the hands, feet, or around the eyes.

What are unusual symptoms of lupus?

What are weird lupus symptoms?

Some people suffer fainting spells; some experience skin issues or shortness of breath, while others have headaches or mouth sores. Each of these could be manifestations of lupus, side effects of medication taken for lupus treatment—or something else entirely.

What does Mild lupus feel like?

You may experience pain and stiffness, with or without swelling. This affects most people with lupus. Common areas for muscle pain and swelling include the neck, thighs, shoulders, and upper arms. Fever.

What are the markers for lupus?

Antinuclear antibody (ANA) autoantibodies, or antibodies produced by the immune system that attack the body's own cells, are a hallmark of lupus. ANA is usually measured as 0 to 4+ or as a titer (the number of times a blood sample can be diluted and still be positive).

Can you live with untreated lupus?

The vast majority of people diagnosed with the condition will have a normal or near-normal life expectancy. However, some people with SLE are still at risk of life-threatening complications as a result of damage to internal organs and tissues, such as heart attack or stroke.

What are the early signs of lupus in females?

Common symptoms include fatigue, hair loss, sun sensitivity, painful and swollen joints, unexplained fever, skin rashes, and kidney problems. There is no one test for SLE. Usually, your doctor will ask you about your family and personal medical history and your symptoms. Your doctor will also do some laboratory tests.

What is borderline lupus?

A doctor may use the phrase "borderline lupus" when symptoms or blood test results suggest lupus, but there is not enough information for a definite diagnosis.

What age does lupus usually start?

The first symptoms of lupus usually occur somewhere between the teen years and the 30s and may be mild, severe, sporadic, or continual. Common general symptoms include fatigue, fever, and hair loss. Lupus can also affect individual organs and body parts, such as the skin, kidneys, and joints.

What are the first signs of a lupus flare?

How does lupus usually start?

Lupus occurs when the immune system, which normally helps protect the body from infection and disease, attacks its own tissues. This attack causes inflammation, and in some cases permanent tissue damage, which can be widespread – affecting the skin, joints, heart, lung, kidneys, circulating blood cells, and brain.

What are the 4 criteria for lupus?

The ACR criteria include malar rash; discoid rash; photosensitivity (development of a rash after sun exposure); oral or nasal ulcers; arthritis of multiple joints; serositis: (inflammation of the lining around the lungs or heart); kidney disease indicated by protein or casts in the urine; neurological disorders such as ...

What are the four stages of lupus?

Does lupus affect your hands?

Joint pain, swelling, and stiffness are common problems with lupus, especially in hands, wrists, and feet. The swelling doesn't damage your joints, but it can be painful. Lupus can also affect your muscles and cause weakness.

What organ does lupus affect the most?

Kidneys About one half of people with lupus experience kidney involvement, and the kidney has become the most extensively studied organ affected by lupus.

How do rheumatologists diagnose lupus?

If your doctor suspects you have lupus based on your symptoms, a series of blood tests will be done in order to confirm the diagnosis. The most important blood screening test is ANA. If ANA is negative, you don't have lupus. However, if ANA is positive, you might have lupus and will need more specific tests.

What disease is like lupus?

Other skin conditions that sometimes mimic the skin problems of lupus include melasma, psoriasis, eczema (atopic dermatitis), and facial seborrheic dermatitis. A dermatologist can diagnose these skin conditions. The symptoms of clinical depression can mimic lupus symptoms, and vice versa.

Do you need meds for lupus?

Lupus is mainly treated with medicine. The types of drugs that have been used to treat lupus include NSAIDs, corticosteroids and other immune system suppressing drugs, hydroxychloroquine, and the newest lupus drug, Benlysta. Lupus medications work in different ways.