Hi Everyone,,
I'm new here. I'm 31 years old and have had RA since I was 19. Although I have had extremely painful flare ups since the age of 19 they always went away and didn't last too long, so I just kinda learned to live with it. Six months ago I had my first child. WOW! Things have changed sooo much now. I'm having flare ups constantly. I've also noticed that now whenever I have the flare ups I also feel REALLY bad. Not just the pain, I just feel like complete crap. I've never felt this way before with flare ups. I've talked to my rheumatologist about it and he doesn't have much to say. I'm really scared. Does feeling yucky, yucky, yucky go along with a flare up? The feeling bad is actually worse than the pain for me.
I started MTX eight weeks ago. It's reduced some of the swelling, but I'm still in pain and still feeling lousy during almost constant flare ups.. Does MTX help with the feeling so bad as well as the pain?
Did anyone else have a pregnancy cause such a drastic change in their symptoms? The past six months have been so scary for me, I feel my first baby will be my last which is very depressing for me.
Anyway, I would GREATLY appreciate any input..
Jane
Hi Jane! Welcome to the board!
I had my son 10 months ago. I felt good for about the first 3 months after having him I was virtually symptom free, like I was while I was pregnant. Then one day bam I felt bad and was all achy and hurting again. I was stiff unable to tend to my son. I knew it was coming though it did after I had my daughter. I thought I would go to the doc and get meds before it got bad, but I did not make it in time.
I still feel yucky, some days. I had a bad reaction to MTX. I also felt worst while I was on MTX. I felt better once I was off of it.
Yes, this pregnancy did cause drastic changes. I have more pain and stiffness then when I had my daughter. I do not get around as good now, and I have joints that never seemed to hurt before my pregnancy.
Hope that helps.
I did not get to finish my answer I got side-tracked by hubby talking to me and I could not remember what all I was going to say in my first post, but now I do!
Yeah, I do feel like crap when I am flaring. I did not flare much before I had my son or while I was pregnant with him. I was on a low dose of pred 5mg thru out my pregnancy so I could be more active and not lay in the bed all day because of being stiff and hurting just a lil'. This pregnancy was nothing like my first one. I was really RA symptom free with my first pregnancy and that was without any kind of meds. But after having my daughter about 4 months later I started to flare but not like I did after having my son, I have been having lil' flares here and there. That only last a few days or a week. I have had one to last over a month. That one was in my right knee.
But mine also could be because I am not on good meds. I am only on pred right now until I go back to the doc.
Welcome Jane.
I know everyone reacts differently to meds, but I gave up on Mtx after 4 mos, as made me feel crummy and got sicker as the dose was increased. Did not help me much pain-wise either. Definitely was not worth the trade-off, for me. Others it works great for. And yes, I get the other yucky yucky feelings with flare-ups. Extreme fatigue, depressed, dragging, along w/the additional pain. Pain and Blues together. Yuck.
Welcome Jane. I feel like I have the flu most of the time. I know what you mean "it is almost worse". I think it is the ra but the mtx also makes me feel crappy. Hope you feel better soon and welcome.
Congrats. on the new baby.I love babies.Mine are 19 and 14, getting to big to cuddle but I try real hard.
I know after having a baby your hormones go wild, you are under more stress, less sleep...no wonder you are in a flare.I hate it had to hit you so hard at a time that should be pure bliss.
That yucky feeling you are talking about does come with a flare and it sounds like a really bad one for you.Have they tried you on pred.?I know I was on a 6 day pack and by the second day felt pretty good.I didn't realize how sick I was, not just pain but just feeling sick.
Call the dr. again.If he won't listen to you,if your married have hubby call and get you some help.
Don't worry about this being your last baby.Honey, you are having hard time now.When you hurt and feel sick at the same time you feel down and I know you are worried.Just don't worry about whats to come in the future, love that baby and enjoy those sweet moments. You will get better.
Sheila