How long does a flare up last?

LignumVitae

This was the question posed to me at far too early o'clock this morning by Mr LV. The implication appears to be that I have been messing about with this flare up business for far too long and it's time to stop now and get on with life now. I wish!

This is the thing with arthritis isn't it? It affects everybody and no matter how hard you try you can't just contain it and it's implications to yourself. That means that along with all the pain, watching your joints do silly things, worrying about how or when things will calm and how you will cope until then, you also end up with a big bag of guilt about how you are affecting everybody. The more you try not to affect everybody with your arthritis fun, the more you seem to fail at that. The worse you end up feeling and the more pressure you place on yourself to get better...the longer it takes for the flare to pass.

Oh for a magic wand!

mig

Wish i had the answer i could make a fortune. hugs to all Mig (((())))

Numptydumpty

Just what you don't need right now!!!
LV, you're doing all you can do, your flare will last as long as it will. You are not responsible for how it affects others, you have more than enough to deal with. There is no reason for you to feel guilty.
I really do feel for you, I know only too well what it's like when your OH struggles to cope with your condition. Please don't let him make this about him, you are the one who's really suffering.
I'm sure it's hard for Mr LV to see you struggling and in pain, but it's oh so much harder for you!
((((()))))
Take care,
Numpty

LignumVitae

Thank you both...after being put on a strict do as little as possible regime from my Rheumy nurse to see if the oral steroids I was prescribed could do what the injection failed to do Mr LV might be left wishing this flare had ended. He's going to be a busy bee this week - if it doesn't calm the flare watching him run around should at least raise a smile! Take your pleasure where you can when arthritis is running things.

Starburst

A "do as little as possible" regime can't be easy with 2 little ones running about. I'm glad you're on steroid tablets now, hopefully they will do the trick. I've always found them more helpful that the injection, so fingers crossed that this is the case for you too. Not much you can do really except ride the wave and hope it passes.

Be kind to yourself. xx

dreamdaisy

In my experience flares can last for weeks or months. What they don't do is clear off after a couple of days; an increase in pain levels does not constitute a flare, not to my way of thinking and I suspect you might agree.

We often point out on here that arthritis not only affects us, it also affects those around us with its effects on us; all chronic conditions have that in common. DD

Boomer13

Well, I agree they tend to last a long time. I began my latest flare about April 15ish. I thought I had reached the end of it around June 30th, but after some improvement over two weeks, I then plunged back in :roll: Mine is PsA, not RA but I think once a substantial amount of inflammation is present, the flare tends to drive itself. As usual, the patient is a helpless passenger with nothing to offer spouses or friends in the way of an end date (or anything else!)

Downing prednisone, or having the injected variety, may be the only way to have an expected date of relief from it's grip.

Hang in there.

barbara12

Oh LV, I hope it wont be much longer for you, could you not let them know see if they can come up with something else...sorry if you have already my brain isn't reading things right.. :? do you think Mr LV is enjoying it all really..the twins I mean... xx

LignumVitae

Thank you everybody. I'm just about hanging in there. Mr LV is doing lots with the girls although it has really illustrated how much of it I do normally and how much he still needs to learn. It isn't his fault - I work part time and he full so I spend lots of time alone with them and know them and their needs. They are really clingy at the moment but I think it is because they are getting less from me so want more - I can do cuddles though, always!

Work have been great. My mum as usual is pressuring me to keep calm and carry on. I know it's her way of trying not to be afraid and to seek control of it all but that's the thing, there isn't control and sometimes you just have to go with the flow and pray a wave of prednisolone will hit hard where you need it most, so far it doesn't seem to be doing a damned thing though - maybe I'm just impatient and scared.

I hate arthritis, it is like a slug in the garden of life, slimey, damaging and seemingly pointless.

Boomer13

LV, I think the point you make about loss of control can be the hardest thing for people (like husbands, etc) to understand. Until you have an severe illness, chronic or otherwise, I think it's almost impossible to understand how loss of that fundamental can affect a person.

Sorry the pred isn't working yet. For myself, it doesn't do anything systemically unless I have a whopping dose.

Hope things improve for you soon.

stickywicket

Sorry I missed this, LV. As I'm sure I've told you in the past (Probably repeatedly :roll: ) I found it very tough having small children and arthritis and that's the sort of situation where flares leap in. I never solved the problem except as you are doing - more and different meds, trial and error, family help, gritted teeth and - well, for me, anyway - a fair bit of choice language. (I'd have preferred some meds that worked but any port in a storm )

Don't leave it too long before asking for more help. The corollary to 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' is, surely, 'if it is broke get it sorted' At least as far as possible. ((()))