On going pain or flare? | Arthritis Information

I'm sure this has been asked but can someone humor me an answer it again?

My symptoms began in Janurary and have been going up and down in intensity but have never left. Am I in a flare or is this going to be how I feel for the rest of my life?

Dont worry Lisa I always forget what I ask

My symtoms are up and down too, i feel sort of ok for a day or two and then I feel like a bus has run me over, then it goes back to being ok again. I used to have months of feeling really great but not lately, I am due to have my meds revised next month so that might be it

Blessed, mine are the same way. Just one toxic feeling event after another
that comes and goes. Some days worse than others. I feel like crap 50
percent of the time but Plaquinil seems to be helping the duration of the
flares. So the meds they prescribe us...MTX, PRED, etc...is supposed to do what exactly? Stop progress? Stop symptoms? I stay confused... A lot of them are supposed to stop inflamation and the progression of RA. I am not sure what i believe anymore as the more meds I have tried the worse i am. That is only my opinion as others have great relief from theirsI've been in a "flare" for nearly 4 years and yes, I've gone from one cocktail of meds to another. I'm better than I was 4 years ago. I have weeks that are great, then I have weeks that are not so great. Blessed, I don't expect the meds to work 100% of the time. If they only work 50% of the time I'm ahead of the game. My expectations are simple, just enough relief that I can golf, go on short hikes, walk the beach, and yes, even clean the house. Maybe we all expect too much from the meds. Don't believe the biologic commercials. Some people do famously well on their meds, others like me do moderately well, and some have no relief.

Lisa,

the goals of the medication is to put the disease into remission, which means no symtoms. Pain may not go entirely away if you have sustained joint damage but the inflammtion goes away and lab work shows no disease activity. You are still new in the process and your medication has not had a chance to really kick in yet, when it does hopefully the symptoms will ease or disappear entirely. The disease is cyclical so same days you will feel worse than others. At this point in time there is absolutely no reason to assume that the medication will not work for you, even if plaquenil is not the right med you have many other choices still.