Lupus Support Group

Hi everyone, I was just wondering what some of you may have experienced in terms of low grade fevers. Prior to my diagnosis I suffered from a low grade fever for about 2-3 months. It ranged from 99-101 degrees, nothing too major but it significantly affected my life. Now I seem to be suffering from this again.

Recently I suffered from a seriously itchy rash on my face, neck and chest that the derm thinks was photo-induced. He put me on a round of prednisone which I completed on Monday. Tuesday was my first day without the steroid and I began suffering from migraines and just an overall sick feeling. The next day I started to get a low grade fever and immediately took some ibuprofen and it seemed to subside. Then today around 2 pm I started to get really shaky and feverish. My temp was about 99 and it steadily increased even though I took ibuprofen. It topped out at 100 and then around 6 it started to go down and I am pretty much back to 98 (my temp tends to be a little on the low side regularly). I am also suffering from an overall achiness in my joints and bones and I feel out of it. Has anyone else experienced this? I am relatively new to this disease (diagnosed in Sept. 09) so I don't really know if this is a flare or if it something I should be concerned about. Is this something I should make an appointment with my rheummy about? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! THANKS!

Post edited by: Lmkojima, at: 03/25/2010 09:43 PM

HI. This is what my doctor has told me: the prednisone suppresses the immune system during flaring so your fever subsides. If it does not subside after tapering off prednisone then may be you have stopped the steroid too soon, providing that the fever is connected to flaring. My doctor has also said that prednisone masks infection so if you have an infection during flaring, then you may need antibiotics. In my experience most of the time, it's the unresolved flaring that induces the fever. Hope this helps.

Marie

i lmkojima, i too suffer from low grade fevers and think that is common among us lupie sufferers. you should probably talk to your rheumy about it at your next appointment. hope you feel better soon! wendy

I also suffer from low grade fevers.....I think it's all part of Lupus that is what my Rheumy told me.

Eva

Watch that it doesn't go to 102....that probably means you have an infection. When I get to 102 I go to the ER.

Hello, I'm sorry to hear you aren't feeling well. Like Heidi said the low grade fevers are part of flaring as long as they don't top 102. I have a fever everyday ranging from 99.0 - 101.5. They make me feel extra awful. My doctor told me that Lupus makes it so your body can't regulate the temperature correctly and that is why we get a fevers. They can mask infection though, so talk to your doctor about other signs.

I hope you feel better!

Amy

I hope you get those fevers under control. It sounds very frustrating.

Alison

I know what you are talking about. I have the same problem. Exactly the same. But I have not been diagnosed with lupus. I am leaning towards the diagnoses. I wish the dr would also. So that we can treat it the right way. It suxs. I have been suffering with the fevers now for about 4 months, it makes life extremely hard.

It sounds like you are re-flaring. It would be wise to call your dr...everytime I go off my prednisone, the same thing happens.

I too have fevers almost everyday. 102 is my breaking point as well - when it gets that high I go to the dr. If it goes higher than that, ER. But you might have different tolerances. But I feel your frustration. I literally have a fever almost every day.