Bad, bad, really bad flares... what | Arthritis Information

Share
 

What do you do when you have a SEVERE flare going on? I can't take NSAIDS and I can tell that I am becoming worse and nearly immobile by the day. I JUST moved to a new state so I can't just run to the RA doctor.

Suggestions?
The only viable solution is to get to a rheumatologist and get started on appropriate drugs or have current meds adjusted.If you don't have at least a primary dr. yet, go to Urgent Care.  They can give you a systemic shot of steroids to help out, and then get you referred to where you need to be.  There can be some long waits for RDs so I would definitely work on finding a new one.

 
Hope you feel better.  I'm sure the stress of the move isn't helping!
Believe it or not I was up here visiting my parents last spring (I now live in the same town they do as of this month) and I had a flare so bad it put me in the ER and they did not do steroid shots (kenalog) shots there. I couldn't believe that an ER said they don't do those when they are seemingly so easy. I now live in a really rural area of southwest WA (Winlock, in Lewis County) so I am guessing I would have to go to an urgent care in a town an hour or so away  or possibly a larger medical center ER to have any hope of medical assistance.
Prednisone ASAPKenalog is one thing - usually used to inject directly into joints. Few doctors are proficient in doing this and generally it's an orth surgeon or sometimes a rheumatologist. So I can understand why they don't do this injection in the ER.
 
However, the ER should have been able to give you a systemic DepoMedrol shot in the arm. A nurse can do this one. For me they knock out very little pain. But it's something.
[QUOTE=abbyrhoades]Believe it or not I was up here visiting my parents last spring (I now live in the same town they do as of this month) and I had a flare so bad it put me in the ER and they did not do steroid shots (kenalog) shots there. I couldn't believe that an ER said they don't do those when they are seemingly so easy. I now live in a really rural area of southwest WA (Winlock, in Lewis County) so I am guessing I would have to go to an urgent care in a town an hour or so away  or possibly a larger medical center ER to have any hope of medical assistance.
[/QUOTE]

Did the doc think you wanted him/her to inject into the joint instead of getting a systemic inection?  They won't do the joint shots in the ER, but certainly they must have corticosteroids available for systemic injection?  Addisonian crisis, anaphylaxis and other allergic reactions, severe wheezing, etc - all these are emergencies that often require quick administration of corticosteroids and most ERs should have something available to treat them.  Perhaps you have other underlying conditions that made the doc nervous about administering something?  Hypertension, diabetes, etc?
Contact your previous  dr and ask if they can phone in a script to your nearest pharmacy for a pred pack..
 That should help and it doesnt seem too unreasonable.
 
 Or go to er and ask  for a pred pack.
 
 OR go to nearest Dr office and just go in and basically beg to see him/her.. Explain you arent  narcotic seeking,  just  steroids LOL.. you know what I mean though..
 
[QUOTE=JasmineRain] [QUOTE=abbyrhoades]Believe it or not I was up here visiting my parents last spring (I now live in the same town they do as of this month) and I had a flare so bad it put me in the ER and they did not do steroid shots (kenalog) shots there. I couldn't believe that an ER said they don't do those when they are seemingly so easy. I now live in a really rural area of southwest WA (Winlock, in Lewis County) so I am guessing I would have to go to an urgent care in a town an hour or so away  or possibly a larger medical center ER to have any hope of medical assistance.
[/QUOTE]

Did the doc think you wanted him/her to inject into the joint instead of getting a systemic inection?  They won't do the joint shots in the ER, but certainly they must have corticosteroids available for systemic injection?  Addisonian crisis, anaphylaxis and other allergic reactions, severe wheezing, etc - all these are emergencies that often require quick administration of corticosteroids and most ERs should have something available to treat them.  Perhaps you have other underlying conditions that made the doc nervous about administering something?  Hypertension, diabetes, etc?
[/QUOTE]

I have an auto-immune kidney disease and because of that I can not take anything that has NSAIDS (advil, aleeve, etc) because they filter through the kidneys. That's about it.
abby.. sorry you're flaring.. but if you need quick relief.. the posters have the best idea.. get a systemic shot asap!!
Copyright ArthritisInsight.com