Flare Ups

historynut

Good Morning all,

I hope everybody is ok and keeping well.

I was wondering how other people cope when they get a flare up? Mine started on Saturday afternoon, i was overcome by incredible fatigue and pain. I've been on the sofa or bed since then. I'm too sick to feeling like eating and am struggling to walk any distance. Its been a few weeks since my last one but this has hit me like a tonne of bricks.

I know it sucks, but I'm wondering what other people do when it happens, what coping mechanisms do you have?

ta,

Historynut.

Lilymary

Hi HIstorynut, sorry to hear you're feeling so bad at the moment. I hate to say it but think all you can do is accept what's happening and nurse yourself, mainly by resting. If heat pads or TENS machines work for you, keep those going, and feed and hydrate yourself well with good nutritious food, and keep on with your prescribed medication. This is the weaponry your body can use to recover. Try some very gentle exercises to stop everything from seizing up, but don't push yourself too hard.

I wish I could offer a quick fix, but our bodies take the time they take to heal, and very often there's no short way round it other than to help it on its way. It might be worth having a chat with your doctor to see if they can suggest anything, but if you've been through this before, I guess you know the basics already.

My hip is just bloomin' agony at the moment, has been for nearly a week now, but I know why, I've been overdoing it. When I say "overdoing it", I mean just pottering about compared to what I was capable of just 6 months ago, but it's all I can do at the moment, and still it hurts like mad. I know I've just got to give it a chance to settle down again. 😕

historynut

@Lilymary thanks, as always for replying so quickly and informatively.

I think the problem is that my conditions advanced again, I've been battling the flare for days now. Thankfully i am working from home permanently now, so less tired from travel. But things haven't improved as much as i hopped.

I'm with my doctor tonight, I'm going to ask about alternative meds - think i am having a steroid injection as well, so get to look forward to be worse tomorrow!

Lilymary

I hope the injection does some good (eventually), but it is frustrating when it takes so long to settle. The amount of work I’m having to turn away because of the limitations of my hip is heartbreaking, but there’s nothing I can do about it. I just avoid doing things that will make it worse, and rest it as much as poss in the hope that it will settle. No treatment on the horizon, so I don’t have any alternative.

good luck tomorrow.

Airwave!

Watch the weather forecast for low pressure areas coming in from the Atlantic, they will cause a ‘flare up’ of OA, mine is usually a few hours behind the weather but the effect is always the same.

See www.cloudywithachanceofpain.com

Autumn is like running into a brick wall, you can’t go over it, round it or through it.

Mike1

Who needs a weather forecast when you have arthritis? 😁

jearnshaw

So tired...broke my foot 3 metatarsal’s, after 2 years of pain and difficulty walking have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, have had 2 sets of injections 1st didn’t help 2nd was better but has worn up and currently having a flare up...is there any recommendations to ease the pain.

cannot take pain killers as also have diverticulitis, don’t know where to turn.

Anna

Hello @jearnshaw and a very warm welcome to our online community,

After two years of pain in your foot you have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis and you are now experiencing a flare-up but are unable to take pain-killers. It's understandable that you are feeling tired and don't know where to turn.

Many of our members have experienced or are experiencing pain due to arthritis and I'm sure you'll hear from some of them with suggestions for how to deal with it or at least a listening and sympathetic ear. While you're waiting for some members to join in, you might like to read the managing pain section on the Versus Arthritis website. As well as the usual medications, it also offers some suggestions for self help:

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/managing-symptoms/managing-your-pain/

With my very best wishes,

Anna : )

jearnshaw

Thank you Anna, I will take a look at this and hopefully get some ideas on what may help. All the best Jenny