Last week, I had my first major lupus flare since my DS surgery in 2009!

When I say major, I don't mean the kind that sends you to the hospital...I mean the kind it takes a week or more to come back from.  I had  been in remission for a year and a half!

I think it has somethng to do with my incrase in activity since my weight loss, especially outdoor activities. 

I use 50+ SPF sunblock.

Just curious if you received any answers, I am 9 yrs post op, and was diagnosed with lupus within the last year, which I havent taken seriously until now, because I must be having and extreme flare and just want some answers, thank so nuch

I just emailed my bariatric nurse to get me a refferal so I can get diagnosed for my pain...at this point I am convinced I either have arthritis or lupus...about 10 years ago I started having a burning sensation in my left shoulder blade to this day its still there but the only way I can describe the pain is it not only feels like its burning inside the muscle but almost like a bunch of needles being stuck in my shoulder blade area all at the same time...I also have imense tension that runs up to the back of my neck and all down the top side of my shoulder right in the croock of my neck....I feel I have flares especailly now that I have a regular menstral cycal its worse and that whole area all the muscles get so so tight that all I can do is self deep tissue massage over and over again it doesnt really help but pain is so sever at times that I automatically just massage shoulder and neck....I aslo have a small hard painful lump at the top of shoulder/collar bone its so tender and painful but hard...it also feels like I have nerve damage there because I can have a deep tissue massage in that area and I feel like a numbness in the whole area like they have to push harder for me to feel a release of pressure in the muscle...on my right side Im super sensitive....Ive had physicall therapy in the past with no help..I've had xrays that show no abnomalities in that area...I have a chiropractor adjust me when my neck tenses up so bad I have to go see her she also sets me up with her massage therapist of course it helps on the day I got the massage and maybe the next day but after returning from my physically demanding job at a grocery store where I'm doing repetetive motion, lifting and pulling  packs of  water and gallons of milk I'm right back where I started...Ive also in the past year thought I've had bladder or yeast infections and nothing has come from both times Ive complained to my doctor they only tested protien in my urine and maybe they are not making the connection to lupus because they where not looking for it they where only looking for bladder or yeast infection because thats what I thought I had at the time...I also have numbness in my toes that at one time I thought it was because I was boarderline diabetic and carrying extra 140lb on my frame could not be good for my toes so I figured it was due to the extra weight...I have the worst  insomnia and when I finally do sleep all I want to do is sleep...I get out of work at 1am, I fall asleep at 6am, I get up at 2pm to get ready to return to work at 4pm...I'm depressed all the time and in turn makes me want to eat junk my weight loss has stalled for last 2 months at 215 down from 304...so since my primary care doctor all she wants to do is send me to physical therapy I emailed my bariatric nurse to see if he can help me with my issues...I hope I hear from him as soon as possible...I wanted to know if anyone has simialr pain or if anyone would describe their pain similar to mine...thank you for reading my problems

I can completely understand how frustrated you are feeling. As others have said, I would recommend not stopping any of your meds "cold turkey". I was diagnosed i***** and after a few years on many meds, I was down to just plaquenil. The dr. suggested that I stop the plaquenil to see if I still needed it since I hadn't had any flares in over a year, so I did and the results were disasterous! I had one of the worst flares ever and spent the next 9 months on high dose steroids for pleural effusions. If you stop the steroids abruptly, you may end up in the hospital if your body has gotten used to the steroids and has stopped making its own supply. Hope you are feeling better now (since it's been several months since you posted)! You're in my thoughts today. Lisa

 I stopped my meds.  Went to a vegetarian diet.  I didn't lose weight, but I didn't gain either.  I feel a lot better not being on my meds.  But that is just me :)

I firmly believe whatever you do, make sure your diet is good.  I went on a complete detox diet, and didn't have a single flare afterwards.  Then after 6 months of feeling GREAT GREAT GREAT I had a fried chicken bake and ended up in the hospital because of all the pain I was in.  

I think the first place to combat your flares is with the foods you eat.  As far as weight goes...ugh don't get me started!  I'm having VSG next month because I'm so sick of battling my weight no matter how hard I workout at the gym I'm still the fat one.