[cjmclaughlin]

I was just wondering what you all consider to be a fever. The last two days I have been thoroughly exhausted and not feeling right. My 3 year old had a fever yesterday. Today I've been achy and with chills. My normal temp is around 96-97 on our thermometer but now it is 99. I know this is not considered a fever but for me it is much higher than normal. Any thoughts?

 

[keebler]

I call 99 a low grade fever.
You are taking methotrexate so you should be careful and check with your doctor.
My GP said it is wise to be careful when on methotrexate.

I hope you get to feeling better soon.

Love,
Lyn

 

[cjmclaughlin]

I've never had a fever with my lupus but is it possible that this could just be due to my lupus? Have any of you had a low-grade fever without anything else but just lupus....

 

[Katharine]

Hi there,

I frequently have low-grade fevers with "just" lupus. I think many of us do. For me it is either in a big flare and it tends to go up and down throughout the day, or on some days when I'm just feeling a bit rougher than usual.

I'm afraid I don't understand Fahrenheit but when I'm at 37.3/4 I feel really bad (I think that's a bit higher than yours but still under what most people consider as "fever" at 38 ). My usual temperature is around 36.5 and I'm sure what your usual is has a lot to do with it as well.

Of course this time you might just have caught the little one's bug.

Hope you feel better soon,
Katharine

 

[cjmclaughlin]

My usual temperature is about 2-3 degrees lower than what I am running now which is why I think I feel crappy. I can't ever remember being this high compared to my normal as I usually don't have "fevers". It does go up and down during the day.
Thanks for the input...I feel like just as I take a step forward with feeling better I get pushed back...this lupus was so quiet for 10+ years and I was only on plaquenil and now this past year I am on more meds than I can remember and the lupus is still not under control or just when I think I am getting it under control it beats me down again.

 

[x_claire_x]

Hiya, I had a laryngeal viral infection a couple of weeks ago and my fevers were high also had the sweats, shakes etc... felt dreadful... bloods showed not a bacterial infection but definitely a flu like illness...then in kicked the lupus symptoms, joints made me cry etc etc!! had to up the steroids and now trying yet again to reduce.. got to go up immediately now if lupus symptoms rear their ugly head..... so got a plan for the next time. It didn't help having a family bereavement just after the flare up either so had to be very careful planning when to reduce steroids....what a game this is....!! The fever also happened after a particularly sunny weekend..so that could have been a factor? Wouldn't it be so much easier if we just knew what pattern this was going to take each time. and indeed if we had an idea of timescales for stuff.... I do empathise with you feeling overwhelmed by meds having had 10 years of fairly quiet disease.... that is why they call it the rollercoaster I guess. Hope you are feeling better very soon..take care and be kind to yourself.
Claire XX

 

[Maia]

Doctors would not normally consider 99 a fever as it seems they don't take into account what our individual "normals" are. But given the chills and the fact that your child was sick recently, I'm going to guess you've caught that bug from him If you have any other symptoms that aren't typical of your lupus, then that makes some little bug/virus more likely yet.

For me, my lupus fever is close to 100, up from a normal for me of 97-98. I've had my lupus fever most of the last few months so I feel your pain. My "sickness" fever tends to be a little higher - closer to 101. That's how I tell mine apart - the actual temp and any other symptoms I have as well as whether a close contact has been ill recently.

I'm much like some others here have reported where some kind of viral or bacterial infection can really kick off some lupus activity too.

 

[debatat]

I hope that you feel better soon. looking after sick children when you feel rotten yourself is hard work. I would keep a record of your temp and if things dont settle contact your doc. I have a fever of 37.0 - 37.8 when I am flaring and awful sweats. When I am sick it is 38-39 and normally it is 35.6. I also fin any illness activates my lupeyness!!!

Take care

Deb