Flares and Weight | Arthritis Information

I just recently recognized a pattern I go through. I have read about issues with "anorexia" and eating during flares. I am 5'2" and usually around 125. When I first had problems with my feet, I lost about 10 pounds--lightest I'd ever been. I was also swimming at the time, but I was doing so because my feet were in such awful shape that I had to stop running. People would compliment my weight but really what happened is that I'd lost my appetite and wasn't eating enough.

This happened again after I had my first son. Dropped a ton of weight without trying, and I wasn't really hungry. I was almost worried about being diabetic because I was having all these weird symptoms. Faint a lot but didn't want to eat.

Then when I flared in December (at dx) I lost about 5 pounds (of baby weight-yay!) without trying. (Have since put it back on-my body just likes being 125).

But now all of a sudden I've lost my appetite again. Normally if I skip breakfast or lunch, I am non-functional, that's just the way my metabolism is. Now I'm having to remind myself around 12:30, wait, I need to go get lunch!

But my joints are the same for now. Just hoping that something isn't on its way.

I lost 18 lbs. during my severe onset due to how active the RA disease was. I was told it increases your metabolism by 20% plus the same thing- I had no appetite.

How are you feeling RA wise?

As soon as I got better (with MTX and prednisone) weight started jumping on me and of course the prednisone had my appetite out of control for a long time.

Wow, I'd never heard that!

I am feeling "normal" which means my wrist is still flaring but the rest is okay--except my shoulder but it's been flaring mildly for a couple of months now.

I am seeing floaters again in my eyes and my ears started ringing again today. Hopefully this will pass. I had a bit of a cold earlier this week. Will think positive!

I've had the opposite...during my worst symptoms, I gained as much as 5 lbs/week. When the symptoms ease up, the pounds drop off (slowly) without my doing anything. There is no real difference in my diet and activity level, so I conclude it is affecting my metabolism or other hormones.As usual reactions to RA are very different from one person to the next. Such an unpredictable condition.

You know I asked Katie how she was "feeling" but I guess what is more reflective to disease activity would be what are your blood numbers? I had very high numbers when I was losing that weight, I felt awful too but sometimes you can feel OK and still have raging disease from what I hear...

I haven't had bloodwork done since January, in terms of RF (previously neg) or inflammation (ESD, CRP which were high) (or x-rays). I think I am going to ask about that at my visit on July 21 (which will be after 2 months on 20 mg of MTX). I am also concerned about ROM and want to see what is going on.

I get the regular bloodwork on MTX, but I think they just do liver, kidney, CBC (that doesn't include ESD, does it?)

I think you are right about the MTX blood work but I have requested that the ESD, CRP is done also when I go for it. My doctor was pushing biologics at my visits but I was feeling good and my numbers at first were in remission and now are just slightly above normal and I want to keep track of it. If I see them go up it will justify biologics but not for now.i lost massive amounts of weight -like 50lbs during my onset flare and my 3 year flare from hell

I've lost about 60 lbs between Nov-Mar of this year. I am just not hungry. I make myself eat a bit of something during the day and I started buying those power type bars that has 23mg of protein. They have a lot of calories, but they also have 100% of most daily vitamins and fiber. My primary flipped when I told him I was eating those, saying they are for rock climbers, etc. and I just needed to force myself to eat. bgot hubby off my back - sort of. I've lost a couple of lbs since then, but nothing to worry about. Beef is the worst. I ate 3 small bites of filet and I had the worst abdominal pains ever (and gas) it was awful. I love fruit and this week, I have been eating almost one whole watermelon every other day - not those sissy individual ones either, I'm talking the big - dollar ones.