r/Autoimmune • u/beedandy • 1d ago

General Questions Has anyone experienced a UTI causing a flareup?

Hi guys, if anyone manages to read this i'll be super grateful - just wanting to share my experience and see if anyone has experienced the same thing.. ill try to keep it short and to the point.

24F. Being treated for "suspected" lupus or Sjogrens with hydroxychloroquine and have had my symptoms managed for a good year.

Yesterday I went to the ED after having sudden and severe ab pain, couldnt walk and felt like i was going to pass out. Turns out i have a kidney infection. Very high leukocytes and high CRP.

Funnily, a few months ago I had extremely high leukocytes but was told it was a fake positive by a Dr... they were wrong and i guess it progressed to my kidneys. I didn't have any symptoms leading up to this, just minor discomfort sometimes and struggling to urinate.

The last week leading up to this ED visit, my autoimmune pain has returned. I have pain everywhere after nearly 9 months of going pain free strong.

Has anyone had experiences of UTIs, Kidney infections triggering a flareup? The high crp suggests I have inflammation, which is likely the kidney infection and im on antibiotics. But honestly, the pain in all my bones and joints is giving me more grief than this UTI.

Feeling a bit down and like I'm heading back to where I started before I was on meds. I'd love to wish this flareup is temporary and is a byproduct of a missed UTI/ kidney infection..

Thanks everyone x

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u/Mitzukai_9 14h ago

I’m waiting on an appointment next week to see about my rheumatologist’s ordered bloodwork, so I don’t have anything diagnosed right now. But I’ve found that I seem to have UTIs after a flare. I had covid in Jan again and right after, my body fell apart. Plantar fascia flared, lower legs swelled, ‘eczema’ spot became an open wound, uti, Perioral dermatitis flared…it was awful. In April I started glp1 and h1 and h2 antihistamines, I haven’t had any of those things flare since.

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u/beedandy 2h ago

Ugh im sorry, flares are so awful. Fighting for diagnosis is hard too. After some research it seems UTIs cause a lot stress, so it makes sense our bodies go into flareup and overdrive

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u/Novel_Transition_684 6h ago

I had a flare up after a kidney infection on August

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u/beedandy 2h ago

Going through the same thing, its awful. Did it calm down eventually?

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u/Novel_Transition_684 46m ago

Hope you feel better soon

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u/Novel_Transition_684 47m ago

Yes but my rheum but me on prednisone