When to Seek Medical Care
- When to call the doctor
- When to go to the hospital
- Fever greater than 102Β°F
- Rapidly decreasing urine volume
- Chest pain
- Sudden onset or unusual shortness of breath
- Sudden onset of weakness
- Severe headache
- Acute visual changes
- Sudden onset of abdominal pain
- Inability to bear weight or move a swollen joint due to severe pain
- Rapid swelling of one or more extremities (arms, legs, hands, or feet)
Self-Care at Home
Home care for lupus typically involves taking prescribed medications and following good practices, such as using sunscreen due to a history of skin sensitivity to sunlight.
- People with sun-induced rashes should always use high SPF lotion that blocks both UVA and UVB ultraviolet light.
- Individuals taking oral steroid therapy or immune-suppressing agents should be cautious if they develop a fever, as it can occur with lupus flares or other issues, particularly infections.
- A combination of rest, especially during flares, and supervised exercise for joints and muscles is crucial and should be overseen by the treating physician and physical therapists.
Outlook
The prognosis varies depending on whether there is significant organ inflammation, such as kidney or brain involvement.
Many lupus patients have minimal disease and lead relatively normal lives with few problems. Others experience multi-organ involvement with complications like kidney failure, heart attacks, and strokes. The diversity of outcomes reflects the complexity of the disease.
Regarding fertility, women with lupus are as capable of becoming pregnant and having children as the general population. However, complications in pregnancy are more common, especially if the kidneys are affected. Women with inactive lupus for 6-12 months are more likely to have a successful pregnancy. Additionally, antibodies transferred from mother to fetus can occasionally affect the infant, resulting in rashes, low blood counts, or, more seriously, a slow heart rate due to complete heart block (neonatal lupus). Therefore, women with lupus who are pregnant or planning pregnancy should consult their treating rheumatologist or other physicians and seek "high-risk" obstetric care.