Re: Flare oh Flare HOW DO I GET RID OF YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest guest]

Hi OKD: Sorry you are flaring. I wish I had an answer for you. I

don't remember why you stopped your Pred. Maybe you need a short term

dose, such as a Medrol pack. This would calm down your body. It is

worth a try.

I am glad you are getting some relief from the Enbrel. At least it is a

begining in the right direction.

Have you called your Rheumy and told them what you are dealing with?

Perhaps they can suggest something to help you. It is worth a call.

What do you take for pain meds.? Do you think it works well for you?

One of my girlfriends has been using the pain patches and it works great

for her. My Rheumy has prescribed several types of pain meds. for me,

and depending on how much I hurt, I know the right one to take for

relief.

I hope you will be pain free soon. Hang in there, what choice do we

have. I was like you the first 4 years of having RA rearing its ugly

head. I never thought I would see the day that I was pain free. I

literally wanted to chop off my feet and ankles as the pain was more

then I could bear. It was a horrible 4 years for me. But there is hope

at the end of the tunnel.

I have been pain free since last Oct. I guess my " cocktail " of meds.

are finally doing their job. I do have stiffness in my ankles and feet

when I first get up in the a.m. My hands and fingers too, but as the

day goes on, they are fine. I do exercise my feet and hands. How long

this will last I don't know. I am very grateful for being pain free

right now.

We all owe it to ourselves to keep trying to find the best meds. for us.

I will take anything I have to no matter what the side effects. That is

just how I am. Never throw in the towel. You have to draw some

strength from deep inside, and plunge ahead. We are fighting the worst

battle of our lives.

I will keep you in my prayers, and hope you will be more comfortable in

the near future. I feel badly how everyone here suffers so much. Thank

God we have all these wonderful friends here that care so much about us.

It was one of the brightest days of my life when I found this group.

Wishing you pain free days ahead.

Hugs,

Barbara

--- In , " cofade_2000 " <Cofade_2000@...>

wrote:

>

> Hi folks:

>

> So I was feeling good (ceptin for 2 bad flares) on my 6th week of

Enbrel. I am not so stiff or swollen when I get up in the morning, my

ankle and hands have calmed down, my arms still get sore and my neck a

little, but its manageable, a little bit of energy has come back, but

the damn flares remain.

>

> It is ungodly humid where I am, and I am sure this may contribute. But

right now I am in my office with the A/c on, its cold and I am feeling a

flare in my shoulders starting to creep up on me.

>

> I am on MTX 6 months now, Enbrel 6 weeks, I dropped prednisone. I am

still taking my 6 flavor tea pills, but the flares remain.

>

> I thought they were dairy related via cottage cheese consumption -

nope (I tested this theory, the next time I ate it. I didnt flare)

> I thought there wre red meat related - nope (tested that theory).

>

> Cold showers, ice packs and A/C dont even relive them. They are

unpredictable. I hate them worse than the pain and swelling.

>

> Burning inside.....frustrated.....

>

> OKD

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks Barbara:

Such a nice response, I appreciate it. I stopped the Pred, cause it scares me.

What is a medrol pack? I am going to go home an do the 4 day 20 mgs loading,

then 10, then 5 and 5 to see how it goes for the weekend.

I take Fentanyl Pain Patches (50). They are strong, bring some nausea here and

there, I am never high or woozy, I do now sleep at nite easily, and I hesitate

to think how much pain I would be in without them. My pain doc upped me from 12

to 25 to 37 and now 50, I know one can go higher. She told me not to worry

about dependence, because the dose I am on is just dealing with the pain (well

obviously, cause I dont feel woozy at all)

I just get so depressed somedays, because my mind says OK, JUMP UP, LETS GOOOO

and the body says NO WAY. I never know what is going to hurt when, and my RA

was severe, but I am not hobbled by it (thank god), or deformed by it (saved by

the bell).

I even fret for my 3 kids, are they gonna get it? Everytime they go the doc I

tell them to mention it, becuz none of this happened until I hit 50......

I too love this group, it keeps me well informed and its nice to know others

understand.

Maybe someday I can get back to my horses and my therapuetic riding kids (I miss

that). For now, I am lucky I can walk the dog 3 times a day (she is saving me I

am sure).

OKD

[Guest guest]

Hi OKD:

--- The Medrol pack is Pred. in high dose to low, and lasts about 1

week. I do know that my Rheumy said that you can't go down to fast or

your body will be in agony. It is a very slow decreasing. I hope your

Pred. helps you during this flare.

I was like that before. I wanted to do everything, but physically I

could not. Pacing myself was so hard for me. It took a long time to

master this. Now when I get up in the morning, I decide what I want to

accomplish that day. I do what I can, if I get things done great, if

not, then there is always tomorrow. I don't beat myself up because I

can't do everything. I am just happy I can do things, even if it's

slowly.

When I was in bad flares, and believe me they were unbearable, I

thought I would lose my mind with the pain in my feet and ankles. It

hurt just to move my feet in bed, never mind trying to stand on them.

There were many, many days, I got out of bed just to use the bathroom.

I was home bound and bed ridden. Those were very bad times for me. I

have had RA now for over 6 years. I just continue to do the best I can

on any given day. I am sure you have heard me say " I live day by day,

and when in a bad flare, minute to minute. "

I hope you start to feel a little better soon. It is horrible to be so

riddled with pain. Hang in there, and rest when you can. There will be

better days ahead.

Hugs,

Barbara

>

> Such a nice response, I appreciate it. I stopped the Pred, cause it

scares me. What is a medrol pack? I am going to go home an do the 4 day

20 mgs loading, then 10, then 5 and 5 to see how it goes for the

weekend.

>

> I take Fentanyl Pain Patches (50). They are strong, bring some nausea

here and there, I am never high or woozy, I do now sleep at nite easily,

and I hesitate to think how much pain I would be in without them. My

pain doc upped me from 12 to 25 to 37 and now 50, I know one can go

higher. She told me not to worry about dependence, because the dose I am

on is just dealing with the pain (well obviously, cause I dont feel

woozy at all)

>

> I just get so depressed somedays, because my mind says OK, JUMP UP,

LETS GOOOO and the body says NO WAY. I never know what is going to hurt

when, and my RA was severe, but I am not hobbled by it (thank god), or

deformed by it (saved by the bell).

>

> I even fret for my 3 kids, are they gonna get it? Everytime they go

the doc I tell them to mention it, becuz none of this happened until I

hit 50......

>

> I too love this group, it keeps me well informed and its nice to know

others understand.

>

> Maybe someday I can get back to my horses and my therapuetic riding

kids (I miss that). For now, I am lucky I can walk the dog 3 times a day

(she is saving me I am sure).

>

> OKD

>