What are the symptoms of lupus?

What are the symptoms of lupus?

Since no two cases of lupus are exactly alike, there is a wide range of symptoms that are known to affect many parts of the body. Sometimes symptoms develop slowly or appear suddenly; they can be mild, severe, temporary, or permanent. Most people with lupus experience symptoms in only a few organs, but more serious cases can lead to problems with kidneys, the heart, the lungs, blood, or the nervous system.

Lupus episodes, or flares, are usually noted by a worsening of some of the following symptoms:

Achy joints (arthralgia), arthritis, and swollen joints, especially in wrists, small joints of the hands, elbows, knees, and ankles
Swelling of the hands and feet due to kidney problems
Fever of more than 100 degrees F (38 degrees C)
Prolonged or extreme fatigue
Skin lesions or rashes, especially on the arms, hands, face, neck, or back
Butterfly-shaped rash (malar rash) across the cheeks and nose
Anemia (oxygen carrying deficiency of red blood cells)
Pain in the chest on deep breathing or shortness of breath
Sun or light sensitivity (photosensitivity)
Hair loss or alopecia
Abnormal blood clotting problems
Raynaud's phenomenon: fingers turn white and/or blue or red in the cold
Seizures
Mouth or nose ulcers
Weight loss or gain
Dry eyes
Easy bruising
Anxiety, depression, headaches, and memory loss
Lupus can also lead to complications in several areas of the body. These include:

Kidneys - serious kidney damage is a primary cause of death for lupus sufferers.
Central nervous system - lupus can cause headaches, dizziness, memory problems, seizures, and behavioral changes.
Blood and vessels - lupus causes an increased risk of anemia, bleeding, blood clotting, and vessel inflammation
Lungs - noninfectious pneumonia and difficulty breathing due to inflammation of the chest cavity are more likely with lupus
Heart - heart muscle and artery inflammation are more likely with the disease, and lupus increases the chances of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks.
Infection - lupus treatments tend to depress the immune system making your body more vulnerable to infection.
Cancer - lupus increases the risk of cancer, especially of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, lung cancer, and liver cancer
Bone tissue death - a lower blood supply to bone tissue leads to tiny breaks and eventual death of bone. This is most common in the hip bone.
Pregnancy - lupus increases the risk of miscarriage, hypertension during pregnancy, and preterm birth.