what is a flare up like? | Arthritis Information

 

I'm wondering what a flare up feels like and how long it lasts?  I won't describe the symptoms I get that I think might be a flare up because I'm not diagnosed yet--seeing RA doc later today--but imput from all of you who've actually been diagnosed might help me later if the doc says I don't have RA.  I know I won't get an answer today, not if he's a decent doctor, because I'll have to get blood tests done.  Well, general stiffness in the hands and feet in the early morning and in the evening sometimes.  Sometimes full out swelling in the hands, feet, knees, shoulders, and usually bilaterally -- meaning it's on both sides, but it doesn't have to be.

Fatigue is really common.  I started having a hard time turning over and had pinched nerves from all the swelling.  Walking eventually became a problem.  My flare just grew and grew until I got some treatment.  It was going on for a few months.

Everyone has different levels of pain and symptoms.  It can also back off at any moment. 
my flares are very painfull usually i feel sick and tired and then i will suddenly get pain in a joint the joint will swell the pain is so bad that painkiller like percs do not work when the breakthrough pain happens. usually the joint pain will peak at 12 hrs and then start to back off. i also often get migraines before a flare. also this joint flare will move from joint to joint lasting 3 days a joint . my feet and hands are always inflamed my toes have spread apart i have been allergic to all meds so far i am only on predisone and plaquinel and painkillers. i have had ra si probly for 2 yrs but just got bad a yr ago.......teresaA flare feels like I've been hit by a Mac truck. Really. There's hardly an inch of me that doesn't hurt. Even the hair on my head seems to hurt. My toes ache and swell and buzz. My hands do the same. The joints turn red & hot. I can't flip a switch. I can't button my pants. I can't brush my teeth. I can't stand without crying. Everything hurts. If I brush one of the joints against something - even lightly - even against a piece of cloth, I scream. I can't fit into my shoes. I can't type on the computer. I want to crawl in a hole and die.

On a regular day with RA, almost everything hurts. My fingers burn, my toes burn, I walk much more slowly than I used to, and often with a limp. But I can do almost everything I used to do. I just get tired more quickly and have to figure out in advance what needs to be done versus what I would like to do. 

My first flare since I came out of remission felt like my finger was broken. I woke up at three oclock and was like what the heck is wrong with me. It did't get better so I went to urgent care they thought it was an infection it was swollen and red. It went away in two days then it came back again within the week went back to the doctor got blood test. He called and said I didin't need to take the antiinflammatories any more because my test came back good. Then I started having problems lifting my arm because my shoulder hurt and was swollen. I couldn't drive my car because the pain was too bad to move it. Saw another doctor she sent me to a rhuematologist got stuff done. Now everything hurts fingers, hands, knees, ankles, feet, shoulders. My feet were hurting so bad I didn't want to put socks or shoes on. Not everyones joints get red, swollen I think yes.

I think it all depends on the diseases severity. Hope this helps you in some way.

Great fatigue with overall stiffness throughout my body. Clothing feels tight, especially shoes. Hands, wrists, ankles, knees, hips, toes and sometimes my jaw and back hurt although usually not all at once. Usually I just want to stay in bed, but even that hurts so I'm better off getting up taking prednisone and moving around.I feel like I have the flu and sometimes run a lowgrade fever.I start out feeling like I'm getting the flue and all my
energy feels completely gone. I'm tired no matter
how much I sleep. Then in a day or two I wake up
with all my joints stiff, then to throbbing pain and
swelling and redness. Sometimes feels like
something is broken. Really reminds me to be very
grateful for the good days!I had one of the worst nights last night. I had pain in my knees that started out throbbing and continued before I went to bed. Then around midnight I woke up to some horrible pain in my knees and hips. I imediately used my tens unit, took some pain killers and used three heating pads and the pain was still unbearable. It was then also in my shoulder and hand. I was waiting for the pain killers to start working in the mean time.

I was so tired which makes the pain worse but I just couldn't get to sleep. I took some more pain meds and turned up the tens unit. The pain was increasing so the only thing I could think of to do was stand up and walk around then I would sit for awhile. I spent about an hour doing this, walk and sit. I think I finally went to sleep around 4 am.

I thought about shooting my joints off but well I don't know how to work a gun. Today doesn't look too much better. I'm swollen everywhere and it's painful to walk.
That's a flare for me or at least what one of them can feel like. I hope everyone has a better day.

Take care all.All of the Above.  I don't even like to think about it.  I don't want to be jinxed, it has been a few months.  RA SUX

TRTLDY41-Hope you are feeling better very soon.  I know what it feels like to want to shoot your joints off!!  I sometimes feel that if I could just take a hammer to them I could 'deaden' the pain.

But thankfully, the past few weeks haven't been too bad, except for today....need to get rid of my feet & knees 

 

Flare ups are surreal for me. I can lay in my bed and feel my joint on fire. It almost feels warm to the touch. It can be excruciating. Enbril has kept the flare-ups from occuring for me. Good Luck!
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