the sun!!!

Not every single person with lupus has sun sensitivity but I think a large number of people with lupus are sun sensitive. I wasn't sure if I was since I initially developed symptoms in the winter and I found out the hard way that the sun made me sick and made me flare. My best advice is to be very careful in the sun and try it in small amounts to see how you react. No matter what, you should wear a high count sunblock. I try to be outside early in the day(before 10 am) and later in the day(after 3 or 4 pm). I also have to stay in shaded areas and wear sunblock. Just know that if you do have sun sensitivity, the sun can make you really sick, so please be really careful. I hate being pale too, but I hate flaring worse. Sometimes I use some self tanning stuff if I am going swimming or am feeling especially self conscious - the tanning wipes work pretty well to add some pretty natural looking color and now there are lotions with self tanner in them. You are right that symptoms can change or progress over time, so just be really careful. Take care

I lived at the lake as a child (not really) but we were boating and camping a lot during the summer. As I got older I started having reactions to the sun such as headaches, fatigue and a rash, my first reaction I was about 15. It wasn't until I started learning about lupus that I was able to put it all together. Just be careful and see if you need to stay out of the sun with some of your meds. Take care

I think it varies from people to people. I went for a sun tan for few hours when I was teenager and then rash all over me (before I knew I have lupus). For me 15 mins to 20 mins is okay, but this is not under noon hour. Anything longer than that, I put sunscreen on. Having a flare is not fun at all. I am proactive in protecting myself from having a flare. If you are talking about tanning, I would not test myself at all. I rather be pale than be sick. There are also other cosmetic stuff you can put on to have the sun tan effect. When I had to drive long hours, I usually put my sunscreen on to protect myself.

No, matter how you are towards the sun........Please use sun screen. It is't a pretty if, you get skin cancer. so, please be careful.

I just finished typing a super long reply to this post, but my computer went whacky, and now it's gone . 

Anyhoo, let me try it again - a bit shorter version:

In 2004, my Boyfriend and I went backpacking around the world.  At the time I was taking Plaquenil, Voltaren, Imuran, and Prednisone.  I was on very small doses of each because I was starting to feel better and was weening off of them.  My bf and I travelled some pretty sunny places such as Thailand and Australia.  Not once did I have a reaction to the sun, despite trying desperately to tan my pastey white body.  I felt good and never had a flare the entire time we were away.  Eventually, in 2006, I was off all meds - in remission, and feeling great! 

FASTFORWARD TO MARCH 1, 2007.....

My boyfriend and I left in January/07 to go backpacking abroad again - this time, around SE Asia.  I brought one month worth of meds just in case I needed them, however I had been feeling so great for so long, I doubted I would ever need them.  We spent a good portion of February laying on the beaches, soaking up the sun.  Suddenly, out-of-the-blue at the beginning of March, I started to feel a bit stiff.  Day by day my joints were getting stiffer and sore and more swollen.  I knew what it was - it was a flare.  Thank goodness we were near a large city for me to go to to get labwork done and scripts filled.  Since March I have been in constant contact with my rheumy back at home.  Here I am on the other side of the world - suppose to be having the time of my life - and I'm feeling like poop.  Both my rheumy and I agree that the SUN is to blame.  I never thought I was sensative to the sun, but oops, guess I was wrong .  Although I have been put back on meds (Plaquenil and Voltaren) I'm still not feeling 100%.  I am determined not to let this ruin our trip - we're not even half way through our trip yet!  It's very frustrating, but what's even more frustrating is knowing that all the current pain and discomfort I'm in right now, could have probably been avoided had I been more careful with the sun.  Now, as my bf continues to tan on the beaches, I'll be the one in the shade.

Moral of my story:  It's better to be safe than sorry.  Just because you don't think you're sensative to the sun, doesn't neccessarily make it so.

Take care

Jen,
I had never had a reaction to the sun until spring break this year at the beach. I used 30 sunblock the whole time and tanned very nicely. Two days after I got home I got the worse rash I have ever had on my arms, legs, and chest. I ended up having to take prednisone to get rid of it. It has really made me sad because I love to get out in the sun so much. I guess I am going to try some of the self tanning lotions and see how they work out. You may not be like me, but be careful.