Psoriatic arthritis flare ups.

Darwin

Hi all, I am a newly diagnosed psoriatic arthritis sufferer.I was just wondering how often people get flare ups in general? And if there is anything in particular that sets them off? How long they last? I have been suffering for 6months and apart from two ok weeks about a month ago I have felt terrible with pain and fatigue.

Colin1

Hi Mikey
I spoke to you a couple of days ago on the welcome, Its hard to say or should i say its hard question to answer. People are different and take different medications for the same PA, I feel sick 24/7 and at the moment i'm in such bad pain i will phone the Rheumy nurse in the morning. Its been none stop for days now and its a bugger that you cant do anything about it. I'm not always this bad and i try to keep as cherful as i can but there are days when i just dont know what to do with myself. I think my body may be calling for its next infusion of Rituximab. Sorry i cant help you more
Colin

Darwin

Hi Colin Thankyou for your replies. I guess I will just have to take things as they come just like every other sufferer.I just eager to find out more about this condition so I can try my best to live life as I was prior to this.
I really hope you start to feel better soon.
Mike.

Colin1

Thanks for that Mikey i never meant to have a moan
Your getting there with the attitude mate all you can do is try to fight it some days you win others well their not so good. All you can do is your best. You could have a look at diets for PA says the fat man boy those steroids i could eat a cow right now. Do you have a rheumy nurse if so have a chat with her about things you can do to help yourself. Its a long road Mate take it easy and i hope you get some good tips on coping with PA
Colin

valval

hi welcome i not sure we have spoken yet. but stress will make things so much worse, so try not to stress. so many of us are strugglaing with this cold weather i do hope it gets warm soon. eat healthy keep moving non weight bearing if in pain, in bath or warm shower rest as and when you need to learn to listen to your body you can not beet it but you can learn to live with it and if they find right meds life can be so much better so hang in there and tell docs how it is no saying not bad doing ok etc they can not help if they do not know it happening good luck val

Darwin

Hi Val thanks for your reply, I must admit baths are really helping I'm having aleast3-4 a day the only down side i tend to itch more in a hot bath.
Colin I am seeing the rheumy nurse on the 29th I will have a chat with her then. Thanks again.

frogmorton

Hi Mikey

good to see you posting.

Most of us on here will say it varies so much! Having said that....it may be that as yet your disease is not under control???

I agree with you talk to the rhuemy nurse...sounds like a plan

Love

Toni xx

lorraines

Hi I also have PA and there is no set pattern for flares ups or how long they last unfortuantly you just have to ride them out with help from painkillers and whatever the hospital prescribe I also find heat on the affected joints do help I use one of those wheatgerm packs and rest if possible I agree thAt stress is a big factor. I take methotrexate and enbrel both by injection twice a week and pain killers which keep it under control. so there is help out there sometimes it takes just a little time to find the right treatment for you I hope you get it sorted soon
Take care x

Darwin

Hi Lorraine and Toni and Thankyou for your replies. I am meeting with the nurse at the end off the month to talk about what treatment I will be going on but the rheumatologist did say I will probably be on sulfasalazine.
Also have been refered for physiotherapy.

dreamdaisy

Hi Mikey, I too have PsA and take sulph, methotrexate and humira (the latter two via injection). I am close to starting my fifteenth year of it and have not had a proper flare for some time, but that is because it is now being controlled by the meds. The humira has been the drug to achieve that (all the others I tried came nowhere close) but we are all different in how we react to the meds and in what the docs deem necessary. Sulph alone can be very effective and I hope it proves to be so for you.

As for what triggers a flare, well, I guess it's life. For some reasons our immune systems take against us: in the case of my asthma and eczema I knew what the triggers were and could mostly avoid them, but for the psoriasis/arthritis well, gawd only knows. Although my PsA is controlled (my blood tests are lovely!) I do feel very tired a great deal of the time, I lack stamina and I find that frequent breaks are required during the day. The joint damage it has caused has also led to OA, which is remarkably painful. I wish you well and please keep in touch. DD

Darwin

Hi DD, thanks for reply. Sorry to hear you are in so much pain. My pain at the mo is bearable a lot of the time but very uncomfortable sometimes. I hope your pain eases soon.

mcrmum

Hey there,

I suffered from a massive PsA flare up following the birth of my 2nd daughter last April. Having had nothing like it before, I found it pretty scary, painful and disabling. The pain was very acute in multiple joints. I found that sleep has a major effect, the more tired I am, the more painful the joints. I have just started a new diet and found it has really helped. I have eliminated ALL processed foods, including gluten free breads and products. Anything in a tin, packet or box, I do not eat. I stick to fresh fruit and veg (organic to avoid pesticides), and am trying to avoid tea, coffee and alcohol. It is boring but it works - it's a daily choice between pain or the old foods I love and miss. Good luck!