How long do RA flare ups last?

rella1965
rella1965 Member Posts: 34
edited 7. Jul 2009, 10:04 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hi there

Have had RA for 9 months or so now. The symptoms first started after my 16 year old ran away from home for three weeks and that initial flare lasted for three months. By the time I got to see Rheumy in mid January I was almost symptom free but not quite.

All was fine for about three months and then my eldest son came back home to live (another stressful period) and it flared up again. Have been like this for the past two and a half months now.

On average how long do yours last?

I have read the messages on what triggers a flare up, and for me (retrospectively) it seems to be stress.

Comments

  • noeltone
    noeltone Member Posts: 878
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi my flare ups vary from a few days to a week or so and I think stress brings flare ups on and I try to not overdo it to much and then regret it afterwards i find it is all about balance but when i get caught up in lifes daily living i dont pace myself so well and over do it and regret it..
  • kathbee
    kathbee Member Posts: 934
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    HI

    I'm pretty much the same as noeltone,
    few days or maybe a week.

    Stress does not help at all with me.

    Overdoing things also is bad, but on a day
    when I dont feel too bad, well, I just go and do
    too much then have to suffer pay back time.

    Hope you are feeling not too bad today.

    Kath
  • c4thyg
    c4thyg Member Posts: 542
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I find that flares last weeks or months but that is likely because I'm no good at taking it easy. I'm learning the hard way. Sometimes life just doesn't allow you to slow down and then you really need some extra support. I'm always told to get the rest/activity balance right but I haven't found mine yet.
  • scattered
    scattered Member Posts: 326
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    It varies. My first continuous flare lasted almost a year. Now I have weather related/over-doing it flares that last up to a week, and prolonged flares with no obvious cause that last months.

    Just started a mild flare after being in remission for a while - it started almost 2 weeks ago. Combination of weather and stress I think!
  • joyful164
    joyful164 Member Posts: 2,401
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    c4thyg wrote:
    I find that flares last weeks or months but that is likely because I'm no good at taking it easy. I'm learning the hard way. Sometimes life just doesn't allow you to slow down and then you really need some extra support. I'm always told to get the rest/activity balance right but I haven't found mine yet.

    Hi C4thyg
    Hello again,

    I admire how you seem to be coping, especially with a little one. You mentioned in your other posting about chronic fatique. Is she/he old enough to go to a playgroup, if you have one near to you that is. If you could leave your child there for a morning, you could use that time to de-stress. I find that if I get uptight about anything, that can tip the scales to to speak.

    When I was your age, I was working doubly hard to get everything just so and perfect for my OH. Make a list of all your chores and see if there are any that can be done every other week say, instead of every week. Then other chores that you do every day, can they be done every other day. e.g. Like changing the bed. Once a month, the duvet will get washed. I will change the fitted sheet and flat sheet and pillow cases fortnightly, then the next week, I just wash the pillow cases. Also, do you iron everything? are there some that can be left as they are. I recently bought myself a steam press. It was expensive about £100., but the effort was minimal and the time it took to 'iron' things was half the time. You can do it sitting down.
    Hope you can start looking after yourself a little more

    joyful