Is this a flare? 🤪

[Millysmum]

Good morning all.

I was diagnosed with RA May 2018, and after the initial onset, with the meds I'm on, 20mg mtx and 200 mg hydroxy, things have been pretty settled, apart from achey finger joint and stiff toes. Last Saturday my left knee started aching and now its swollen and so stiff can hardly move it. Can't sleep, maxing out on Naproxen. Scared will just get worse, and emotional with it! I have a Dr appt tomorrow evening, and will call rhumy nurse tomorrow too.

So worried about whether it will affect my work, as if I'm not in no one else can do my job, and the department will shut.

I know this is a stupid question , will a flare pass, or will it need intervention with more drugs?

The last/1st time my knee was bad I had a bakers cyst that ruptured, petrified this will happen again! Was other knee last time.. Any advice, and words of wisdom gratefully received. X

[Mollieharry]

Hi,when my knees became very swollen and stiff it didn’t go away of it’s own accord,just made me feel more ill.i was given steroid injections into both of them and had relief for a few months and then it returned.2nd time physio aspirated both knees first and then gave me steroid injections again.the difference has been amazing.the only downside in my experience is that the inflammation just appears to move on to another joint.ra stinks.

[Thingybob]

My advice is call the rheumy nurse helpline asap. I waited to see what happened when my ankle joints started to grumble at the start of May. I had been stable and had felt really good for a good few months and thought it would go away. I didnt want to fuss over nothing n waste their time. But, not wanting to worry you, in my case it turned into a whole body mega flare very rapidly over a week. By the time i called the helpline i could not move. I should have got advice and intervention sooner and have learned my lesson. Dont worry about bothering them etc its never a waste of time to check things out and may prevent escalation in the long run.

I increased my meds as a result and am waiting for them to work

Hope things settle for you x

[Hidden in reply to Thingybob]

Like you I tend to ignore and think I can beat this if I just manage or I get bloody minded and say you won’t beat me. 😞😞😞 learnt it can and just makes things far worse, so bad I ended up in anaphylactic shock where my body had a storm and said sod this it’s too much. Hate I can’t control this!!!😡( yes I’m a control freak)

[Mmrr]

It depends on how severe the flare is whether you would need more drugs or not. Let us know how you get on tomorrow ?

[Millysmum]

Thanks all, I will let you know.

[Millysmum]

Decided I would ring the advice line and due to staff shortages at the Royal berks, they arnt using that service at the moment.... Good job seeing gp tomorrow then!! X

[Scrappie54]

When I have these flat ups ice is my best friend. Find ice packs that you can keep in freezer for this. It helps a great deal especially first thing in mourning. Was taking Mex for over 15 years and finally stopped because of Liver Elevated.

[Millysmum]

Well gp not convinced it's due to RA, had blood this morning as have a rash, that I thought was prickly her, but she's testing for vasculitis... So no further forward as of yet... Knee no worse/better..