Hello all!I'm hoping for some wisdom from the NRAS hive mind on what to do for very bad pain days.
I had a stomach bug over Christmas, missed a dose of methotrexate, and now I have a killer RA flare. I've been resting, gentle movement, painkillers, hot baths etc and am hoping it will resolve. If it lasts 7 days I'll get in touch with my team for steroids .
In the meantime, please send me your coping tips for high pain days. All I can think of at the moment is removing my hands (joke..lol) and want to cry.
Thank you ❤️
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snotts
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I wear my splints and take painkillers. Compression gloves at night too. I think it’s trial and error as to what works for you, I have a heat pad, heated foot warmer and heated shoulder cape too as I find heat works best for me. Have you had a look at the NRAS publications for help?
Sorry you are in a flare snotts, it’s the worst. To be honest on days like that, I sometimes allow myself to have a bit of a cry to release some of the frustration, and then try to find something I can do to distract me from the pain as much as possible. Sounds like you are already doing many of the same things I try, but you haven’t mentioned using ice - I find this helps to calm my pain down a little temporarily, but I know that some people respond better to heat. Other than that, I think you have to be kind to yourself, find yourself a box set or a good film to watch and make sure you keep the painkillers topped up. Big hug 🤗
Like the others - for hands I use splints, compression gloves, painkillers, volterol depending on what body part hurts, heated cape, one of my sons gave me a fluff covered hot water bottle that is designed to be worn as a foot muff - bliss! I also soak my hands in hot water or I like to wring a cloth out in soapy water, I’ve got a microwaveable mitt - Amazon, I read to buy the gents size and did that. It doesn’t stay hot for long though but it’s nice while it lasts. I also like a nice warm bath with magnesium flakes in it. If I was feeling really extravagant I’d love to try a home wax bath for my hands.
When I've had flare ups I usually will take a 10 mg prednisone or at the most 30mg at one time it does at least take the edge off and maybe can get you thru until your normal dose of medication is working again. I'm not a dr or any kinda health profession but I'm just suggesting as this is what I've done I the past. Just don't take too much as we know it causes bone loss plus other long term effects. Hope you feel better soon...
I've just had a massive flare but a week of Prednisolone has calmed it massively. Got another week of it. Couldn't use my hands much at all. I wore a compression gloves and splints. When they got hot I'd put them under cold water, that helped a lot more n the morning especially. Rubbed on voltarol joint gel twice a day. My Rheumatologist always says joints feel hot use cold, feel cold use heat. It does give be some relief. Xx
I have a wireless tens machine that helps. I can do 4 separate areas at the same time. The one I currently use is professional strength, and certainly still gives relief after stopping it, whereas my nhs wired one the pain returns quickly. If it’s pain in your hands or feel compression gloves or socks.
laughter. Laughing doesn't use the hands, and releases endorphins which are the body's natural pain killers, and it works even better if you can do it with loved ones. Is there a comedy show that you enjoy that you could watch? I had some post surgical complications with inadequate pain relief and found the box set of Green Wing got me and my son though the worst days.
Heat gives me temporary relief from pain, little Epsom salts in the water can help too.
I put the heating on and go to bed 🥹. Take an ipad or book with you. I have rests for both but if you don’t have these, use pillows as props. Avoid holding things. Deep heat and compression gloves work for me.
Alternatively, take to your sofa with a blanket. I am rewatching ‘Last Tango in Halifax’ at the moment. You need something gentle…
Warmth, hot water bottle and keep your hands warm, allow the warmth to really penetrate to your joints. As everyone else advised- pain killers and be kind to yourself!!
hi, I recently had to come off of methotrexate for 3 weeks and had a terrible flare, the only thing that helps when that happens for me is steroids, I have an amazing rheumatology nurse who always rings me back when I leave a message. It took 3 weeks for methotrexate to get out of my system and another 3 weeks to start working again. I couldn’t move my hands unless I put them in hot water and squeezed a cloth to get them moving , it’s awful and it makes you realise how bad it is without medication 😞 hope you feel better soon 😊
Thank you all for taking the time to reply, you've really made me smile. I was due to go and see some friends and while I really didn't feel like it, I went. Laughing and spending some quality time with people I don't see often has been great medicine, along with codeine, heat, splints and compression gloves. My swelling has gone down enough today that the skin around my knuckles is kind of baggy... Weird lol
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