I notice that I tend to have two distinct types of flares. There's the joint flare which is usually focused in one area; hands, feet, shoulders, etc. and often migrates before departing. Humira works very well for joint flares and NSAIDS are pretty much useless. The other kind of flare I call a "whole body" flair. I typically feel a lot of extra fatigue, general aches and pains like a moderate case of the flu without the fever...often called malaise. Humira helps but is not as effective. NSAIDS on the other hand do help for this kind of flair. I'm currently experiencing a whole body flair...no specific joints so much as a general stiffness and broad, unfocussed pain...not terrible but it does drag on. I think the whole body flair is caused by the systemic inflammation that goes with this disease rather than the direct action of the immune system on the joints...at least that's my theory. Oh well...I'm rambling...just thought I'd share my observations.
Alan
Alan,
I know exactly what you mean. Good observation! I never thought of it like that. I often feel like that right before I get sick.
I hope yours goes away soon!
Ooo you're right....it very much is like that.
Yer so smert....
Thanks for making the distinction and you are so very correct on that. I think I will remember this when I am flaring...although I cannot take NSAIDS so that will not help, but I can try just tylenol for that all over feeling.
please continue to ramble. it is helpful for people new to these problems to understand. Plus i think rambling is good destresser. i prefer to call it sharing. Also Stella41 i can not take NSAID'S either.That's how my flares are. When I get the whole body flare then I try to get more rest. The other is more an endurance but still functional. Hi Alan, I think you have kind of explained what I am going through at present and it puzzles me, (see Unbelievable post), maybe this is what is happening to my body? I can't take antiinflammatories so live on Endone or Oxycontin for pain relief which I hate doing as it is not addressing the underlying inflammation. I tend to sleep most of the day away and hate doing that too~!!~ I hope you feel better soon, kind regards Janie.The explanation you have given is very good. I can handle a joint flare with painkillers and it will take the edge off but a whole body flare is so totally different. It completely wipes you out physically and emotionally.
I really hope you feel better soon
I seem to have both, if my foot hurts like a red hot poker's on it, then I also feel crappy! Today is an example. Fatigue, foot hurts, it is so stupid. Lynda (why don't these expensive drugs work????? not taking more prednisone, as my face has just gotten back to normal, when I look in the mirror I see myself!!!) LyndaI don't know...hoping I can catch up on some sleep and maybe that will help..
Same here. Often I just flare up where one or two body parts ache more than usual, but right now I'm in a full body flare. I'm totally fatigued and having trouble staying alert. My fingers, wrists, elbows and knees are achy, stiff and throbbing. I called my RD and tried to get him to let me try Provigil for times like these since my job requires me to be fully alert. Unfortunately he told me to wait it out and discuss it with him at my next appointment in a few months. I'm seriously thinking of hitting my GP up and seeing if he'll prescribe Provigil. This fatigue is really getting me down and making it hard to function.For me, the joint flares are a very different kind of pain than the whole body flares; in joint flares the pain is very sharp and localized with limited range of motion in the joint (...example, I can't lift my arms above my shoulders), while in the whole body flare the pain is broad and dull, more of an ache, not usually throbbing constantly though.
Another observation: I've noticed that when the joint flares start to fade I get a sort of numb, tingling feeling in the joint area...kind of like when your foot falls asleep. It seems to sort of wash over the pain and then it slowly dissipates...strange but it doesn't feel bad. When that happens I can usually count on the flare being gone by the next day.
Alan
Alan I really can't thank you enough for posting this. You'd think with all of our smarts this is something we would have layed out a LONG time ago. And I do think the whole body flares are from the systemic inflammation too.