newbie needs help | Arthritis Information

New here ... will introduce myself when Im more in control

In a bad way and not coping with flaring. Can anyone tell me how to cope with this? J Hi JosieB,
I'm sorry to hear that you are feeling so bad. Here are some thoughts:

ice or bag frozen peas for swelling
hot bath or heated rice bag for aches and stiffness
rest - listen to your body and don't over do it
stretching to keep mobility in your joints
talk to your dr. about pain management, and if your mood is persistently low, also ask about antidepressents (common for us RA folks)

I hope you are feeling better soon. I'm sure you will get more tips from the caring folks on this forum. And please let us know how you are doing.

hands and fingers so sore. hands mainly. thanks to anyone who replies. J I was given the tip to microwave dried lentils for a few minutes, then put my hands (or feet) in them. It's like a cheap, homemade parrafin wax treatment. The moist heat is very soothing. I've reused them a couple of times. Watch the time on the microwave -- they heat up pretty fast.

Joy, has given you good advice. Anyway you can deliver heat to your hands. I use a heating pad. It became my new best friend a long time ago. Don't know what you take for pain, but I think a call to your doc is in order.

I'm sorry about the pain but we all understand. Keep us posted. Lindy

Joy, Great advice. I use frozen peas and then micowaved rice bags for my hands. I also use my braces and I don't use hands as much as possible. Also Josie, REMEMBER, flares DO pass. You will get better but come here to vent whenever you feel up to it.roxy39235.4383796296

I am so sorry you are having a hard time right now. Have you talked to your doc recently about this flare? Please call him/her and let them know you are not doing well. I ignored a flare thinking it would pass in a few days. It didn't and it got worse and I wound up in the hospital for it for 3 days. Please, please call your doc.

Joy gave some great advice on to handle the flare. I think the only thing I have to add to it is try some relaxation techniques. Meditation, soothing music, if you have a spouse or a partner maybe they can give you a gentle massage. Especially your hands since you have said that is what is really bothering you. My husband will put heat on my hands to relax them a little and then massage them.

Hi and welcome, so sorry yu ar ein pain, I know so well as my fingers (right now) are stiff and sore in my knuckles. Ice and warmth may help, you need to experiment, but mostly we need to keep 'hounding' our doctors to FIX this! My doctor said the Remicade (monthly), the mtx 20 weekly, and the prednisone 7.5mgs. would help me. I'm still waiting. Good luck and will look forward to your posts, but I understand that typing could be difficult for you. SarahWhen I take a warm bath it loosens everything up for me. I dont care for a bath as much as a shower but it works so much better.
I hope you have had or are going to see a Rheumy soon.
Welcome to the board JosieB

Hi,

I'm new here too but I would agree with Thinkthinn. What I did, instinctively, was to stand in a hot shower and just let it beat on me. It was just the pain in the hands and wrists but that hot water made me feel relaxed and I could deal with the pain better in that state

I took an 800mg Ibuprofen for pain and stayed in bed.

GRAMMASKITTLES:

Sorry, another thought. (for us newbies) Grammaskittles, How do you know when you are letting a flare go too long? How do you know that it's getting 'too bad?' I thought a flare was this unrelenting, miserable barrage of pain and that you just had to ride it out.

At what point would one go to the ER? I have discussed this with my husband and neither of us knows the answer. In the past, with other problems, I have known that...hey, this is NOT going to stop and I need help, so maybe I just answered my own question. Thanks