What is known as a flare up?

[RUBELS]

Hi all

As most know I am newly diagnosed I am unsure of what a flare up is silly I know but I have so much pain in my body at the moment hands, feet, knees, elbows. I dont really know initially what promoted the diagnosis.

[Hidden]

sopunds like a flare, blood tests and lookling at swollen joints would have given the diagnosis x welcome to the site x

[knobblyknees]

Not a silly question. Until I came on this site I didnt even know of such a thing, I just knew I felt not too bad, bad or awful on a daily, weekly basis and Ive had RA for 10 years. I did comment a while ago to someone else with this question with my experience.

I was told "If it gets bad, come see me again" . I had to ask "How do I know when its bad when I always feel bad." the doc said "If it wakes you up at night, its bad".

Well recently I was feeling bad and it so happened that I had a blood test at the same time, a couple of days later the doc phoned me to tell me that my ESR CRP was high.

That was my "ahha" moment. Feeling like I do and confirmed blood results equals flare. From now on I shall recognise this feeling with a flare.

Welcome to the site x

[helixhelix]

Have you been started on drug treatment yet? As it sounds as if your RA (if that's what you've diagnosed with rather than another inflammatory disease) is not yet under control, so is flaring up all over your body. The consultant would have made the diagnosis based on the tests they did as well as looking at you and your physical symptoms, and should really given you a bit of an explanation, and some suggestions about managing pain until it gets under control. The drugs can take months to work, so you'll probably need pain killers and so on in the meantime. And they can also give you a steroid shot in the bum to help calm things down. If you haven't been given advice on all this, then phone your rheumy department and tell them how bad you're feeling, or go to your GP and ask for anti inflammatories and pain control. Polly

[allanah]

Hi great to have you here. Have you been on the NRAS home website yet? On there is a section about being recently diagnosed. It tells you about treatments and flares and diagnosis. It's very good. Also it has a helpline number to talk to the NRAS team on the helpline and it really really helped me to talk to someone about the pain and how I felt.

I think just now you are going through the feelings that you get when the inflammation in your body is high. If it is RA then you often don't only get the three S 's, that is swelling, stiffness and soreness, you feel like you have awful flu type feeling as the inflammation affects all your body. When it gets under control with the treatment usually drugs called disease modifying arthritis drugs ( dmards) you should start to feel better and this could be for a long time. However you can get a flare up sometimes people get them regularly , some rarely, which is where this joint pain and feeling unwell returns. The can be triggered by doing too much, stress, infections or just bad luck!!!!

So go to the Nras page and you will find loads of info. They also have a Facebook page too for more info.mgood luck and keep blogging , I found this site SO helpful, love and sending gentle hugs Axx

[selina]

Not silly at all. You will find a lot of confusion around RA. I'm still not sure what is a flare or what being in remission means. Get as much info as you can, always look for support & ideas on this site, try to get friends & family to understand & above all, be good to yourself x

[nottsexsportfanatic in reply to selina]

Excellent advice. It is such a confusing disease. I was diagnosed a year ago and am still asking lots of questions (on here and to the clinicians). No one will think u silly for asking - thats one of the great things about the site.

Hope your meds kick in shortly and thus u some relief soon.

Tina

[SarahKate-NRAS]

Hi Rubels

As Allanah has kindly mentioned we do have lots of information on how RA is diagnosed on our website, including information about the blood tests most commonly used so this may be helpful for you to read: nras.org.uk/about_rheumatoi...

But if you do have any questions please don't hesitate to give us a call here on the NRAS helpline: 0800 298 7650 (Monday - Friday, 9.30am - 4.30pm)

Kind regards

Sarah Kate

NRAS

[RUBELS]

Thank you everyone for you kind welcomes, reassurance and very good and helpful advice. I have started my 5 day treatment package at the hospital today, (assessment). Which involved meeting the physio's and OT's to discuss and plan next weeks agenda, blood test all of the usual and at the end met with the Rheumy consultant who explained everything to me in detail and confirmed that it is Rheumatoid Arthritis that I have but from my xrays my feet and hands are very inflamed, (hence pain).

He has prescribed three types of drugs Methotrexate, sulfasalzine and Hydroxychloroquine, and another depo injection. (which I had today) I will start the Sulfasalzine and Hydroxychloroquine on Monday but due to my folic acid level being high he does not want me to start the Methotrexate. I already take 5mg of folic acid daily as I have panicious anemia,but he is considering increasing this dosage to bring the level down.

I will be using the hydrotherapy pool, gym and having wax treatment Mon - Fri, also referral to podiatry it has all progressed very quickly, and I am in the hands of some lovely people. I am a little dazed at how quickly my treatment has started as it was only 1 month ago thatI had my first consultation, it has cushioned the blow a little ( I did have a weep though).

Wow sorry about the essay but it feels nice to actually write down how I feel and share my good news.