Angie Davidson 20 May 2019 Why does lupus (SLE) mimic other illnesses? he last big flare I had mimicked Parkinson's symptoms. Angie Davidson 20 May 2019 Lupus is the great mimicker and can be mistaken for many other diseases because it can affect any organ in the body including the brain. Deciding if the symptoms are due to lupus or another unrelated disease can sometimes be very difficult.