About 10 days ago I started
noticing that I have been really stiff and slow moving
(I posted a while back about hip pain & swollen
ankles) It's wierd because it is different than other
flares, if that is what it is. All my bones hurt quite a
bit. I don't think they have all hurt at one time before.
I was sick this weekend with a cold or something
and called in sick yesterday (work was not happy
with me!!). I was off my feet for 3 days doing nothing
more that reading & sleeping. How lazy am I? But
that was all I could do. Had many things I needed to
get done this evening, but couldn't..ust trying to
mentally prepare for work tomorrow. Hurts to sit and
to stand up. I do administrative work and am actually
on my feet running errands around the building alot,
so really dread each little errand! ( I have to make
sure I stand up really slow because I am so
stiff-hopefully know one notices!) My next remicade
is not until the end of June, and I DON't want to take
prednisone again.
So what do you guys think....does this sound like a
flare?
Yep. You might want to call your doctor. Sometimes they move the Remicade up sooner or increase the dosage. But you sound like a flare. Oh, the pain! And, you are not lazy. Resting during a flare is very important and one of the best ways to get past one.
The doctor might also try adding something else like plaquenil -- there's different things. You might want to go into the doctor, get evaluated and get a note for work. My doctor has no problem with doing that. Tends to make work back off some since it is considered a disability.
Also, you have be careful about getting infections, even colds with the biologics like Remicade. See the doctor or at least call.
I agree with Deanna. When I was on Remicade I was paranoid about getting an infection. I'd be sure to give Doc a call. Take care.You know Tara~I've never been one to call my pain "A Flare". Things are so random with RA and so many different things go on at once it's hard for me when my knees hurt to say "Oh I'm flaring" or when inflamation in my breast bones bother me to say "Oh it's just a flare" With RA you have many different occations.....sometimes daily when inflamation flares up. It happens daily to many of us. I personally refer to it just as pain from RA. There would be times of constant flares if I didn't.
I think chances are high that your body is in this current flare from your resent bed rest episode. Granted you needed that constant rest and had very little choice; but with RA serveral days without moving can truely set off a chain of events that can take a week to recover from. Try to slowly but surely get back to moving around. Give yourself a chance to "Wake up".
Moving the remicade up if your over your infection isn't a bad idea at all.....but keep in mind that your body has had time to "Freeze up". It needs a little time to get moving again.
Hope you feel better soon.
Lovie is correct about not moving. You're body will tend to solidify into this mass of wrenching pain. When I do rest, I do in short stages. I actually find that if I always keep something moving, change what I'm doing, sit rather than lie down, etc. that I do much better.
If I have to be down for very long, it does make things worse.
Still call the doctor and see what's up.
Thanks you guys. Very wise advice from all of you. I am going to check in with my doctor, and Lovie, the not moving thing is something I hadn't really thought about. But now that I do I realize that may be a lot of it. It's like morning stiffness multiplied by 10. Thanks everyone!Trust me....I know how bad you feel right now. It hard to believe you could feel like you've been run over by a truck just from resting too long; but it does happen.
Sometimes though you have little choice.
Tara, How are you today? You know it really makes me mad at you when you say lazyI will be on plaq more than likely as well as metho starting in june.
Remember, don't eat nightshade foods (tomato, potato, eggplant, paprika, cayanne pepper) they cause flairs.
Shanbar - I am not eating nightshades or wheat. It is also supposed to be inflammatory. Boy, do I miss my p and b sandwiches.I love tomatoes, potatoes and egg plant. Aw, can't I just eat them? I've given up so many other things for this illness. I'll work on the sweets and the fats. But I'm with Crunchy, how can I live without my P & B sandwiches. Somedays, that's all I have the strength to make.