How long is a "flare" | Arthritis Information
So I have episodes where my hips hurt (groin pain, not bursitis) and I limp. They usually only last 1-3 days. I haven't been thinking of them as "flares." I just try to figure out what I did to create the pain. And never quite figure it out. This is mainly because I just have one joint heavily involved now, my wrist. The inflammation on it hasn't gone down since it first "flared" and the RA truly appeared last December. I haven't had any relief with it, really, so I think of the whole time as a flare. Like, the only joint I have that is flaring now is my wrist. My ankle is a bit swollen, and my shoulder has started to "flare." But really, its just now getting involved, and not getting better, so it may just be the establishment of my baseline condition.
What do you think when people say "flare"? I guess there are all sorts of ways to look at it!
A flare can last a day or a week, in some cases people are in constant flare.
With myself I went thru a stage where I would have one shoulder start to play up and six hours later it would be the other.
It just seemed to criss cross all over the body, leave one area feeling good again but have another giving trouble.
I think I went thru a four month flare before DX... it was horrible.. every... single ... day
and now, I get days or weeks of flare when (rarely most recently) it happens.. usually from over doing
A few weeks for me. If it's a month or more I generally use a medrol dose-pack to break the flare.
A flare is essentially when it's out of control. When I couldn't get out of bed, that was a flare.
When I say flare, for me it means I have a noticable increase in symptoms from what I am use to. Some of my "normal" symptoms for other people would be considered in a flare. Me, I just go by if I am doing worse. I normally do not like to say I am in a flare, because I am not even sure if I am flaring or not. I just like to say I am not doing as good as I could be LOL!I have a constant, about 3yrs now, low swell and high swell, but always a flair. Once you get the right meds (i hope one day) it should only go mostly by days, but can't do weeks with proper meds.
Definately meds,
flare is just when you're really inflammed.. hurt, the pain won't leave.. usually a couple of days to ongoing..
this is a weird illness..... even tho some of us have had it, for years, we start getting to the pt, where we don't even know when its a Flare.. when it is!! LOL
and then theres the RA flu,... usually goes along w/ it... sometimes...
where you just feel sick... uggy, hot, achey.. .. the flu..
Have i mentioned this? :P lol (i'm in a weird mood tonight, lol)
One good thing, when you're just starting out w/ this.. is one needs to learn how to
PLAN around it.. I"m one of the most spontaneous people , i know, but, sigh, i now learn that if i'm going out shopping thur, then the day before and day or dayS After
. I HAVE too& MUST REST!!
Very very impt, to get REST.... take naps, slow down... learn to take care of yourself
and Pamper your bed!!!.. get the sofest 350 plus thread sheets,
fav blankies, pillows and personally i think no bed, is complete w/o a cat.. but thats just imo..
and keep asking ?'s!
I've never had a flare last less than 2 days. I once had a flare that I thought I could outlast. At 6 weeks, I finally caved and started on prednisone. The people on this board that have to live with that type of severe pain every single day of their lives are so strong. I couldn't do it. I feel very fortunate that prednisone is such a life-saver during flares for me.Katie, I have flare cycles every four months. The first month usually involves me in bed. Sometimes I can't walk to the loo, but it is like having an extreme flu, where you are tired all the time and you sleep alot. The next month I generally get better, although I spend a lot of time in bed. The next month is a cross over month where I slowly get my strength back and am able to be out of bed alot more. Then I am OK for the next month, and then it starts again. The pain is constant, but I know how well I am doing because I am able to keep bed time at 10 hours a day, not 20.
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I ws in a constant flare for about 2 years... control was only occasional.
I'm doing better over the long run now, but the past 2 weeks I went into a horrible flare and need to go back on pred..
grrrr
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