Wishful thinking I'm sure....anything help a FLARE???

[3nats]

Hey Everyone    Got a question here as I continue to struggle through each of these days. Has anyone had any luck with help of any kind during a flare?? I have been miserable for a month , & I don't see my rheumy for another week. My GP has been of no help , & wants me to see a neurologist. They called today & said they had an appt. for me in NOV.!! What a joke. Anyway......I guess I am pretty much desperate here & starting to feel really defeated. On top of all the fatigue , pain , weakness , etc. ya know. I usually think " if I can just make it through today " , now it's become " if I can just make it through the next few minutes."
I have very little help right now w/ my 3 young children , & I just don't have the foresight to see how this is going to work! Sorry to grumble , but if you guys have any knowledge on this I would so appreciate it.

Warm Regards - Nat - 

[Pooh]

Hi Natalie,
I'm so sorry to hear you are going through this terrible flare.  I just went through one that was so bad I had to resort to calling my rheumy and getting in to see him between appts.  Usually he puts me on 5 mg. of Predisone for 7 days and that knocks it out, but this time it took 10 mg. a day for a week to halt the pain. 

I'm not saying to take Predisone, but you could ask your rheumy to give you a prescription for some of the 5 mg. that you could take when you feel one coming on. 

I usually do this, but this one hit so fast I didn't feel it coming.  Thank goodness, it has worked and I feel much better now than I did last week. 

I hope you can find relief soon, I can't imagine taking care of 3 young children and going through a flare.  Hang in there and please know that we are here for you. 

(((((Hugs))))), Pooh

[irish]

Natalie, I am sorry to hear that you are having such a bad flare. Were you in the sun or did you do something that was really fun and are now paying the price? It is so hard to tell sometimes what is what.

I know that I have had flares and it has taken me a few days or so to figure out what is going on. I don't know what meds you are on but I take ibuprofen for the anti-inflammatory affect when I feel like this. I try not to over due it cause it really kicks my stomach pain up. I also use heat on my glands. I have always put my warm rice bag on any "owie" that I have as it seems to really calm me down and takes the edge off.

I hope that you can plan your work so that you can rest every hour for 15 minutes or so. I can well imagine that with the kids this is hard. It is never too soon for kids to learn responsibility and also learn to do things that Mom asks.  If they can even make their own peanut butter sandwiches for a meal it gives you time to rest. I hope they understand all that you do fot them and also understand that you need your rest.

Let your house go dirty and just wash clothes when you need to. Kids can learn to hang up their clothes and wear them more than once. Use paper plates for meals and save some energy. There are so many things that one can do to make things more simple and the most important thing is to not demand so much from ourselves. Plus, we all need to remember that it is not in the job description of a Mom to feel guilty if things don't get done. I don't know why Mom's always think they need to feel guilty(me included) cause heaven knows there is not much that we can control. Stuff just happens.

Please call your doc if you think that you have slid too far down to get back to normal by yourself. Like Pooh says, sometimes Prednisone is the only way to recover. The short bursts of Prednisone don't seem to leave us with any side effects and really are a miracle drug. Hugs to you. Irish

[Debora]

Hi Natalie

I'm so sorry that you are going thru a flare.  They sure are miserable, no fun and NOT fair!

I agree with Irish and Pooh on all the great advice they have given to you.  I really do feel for you with having 3 kids and going thru a flare.  I have one daughter and she is a real trooper thru all this.  It took her a while to understand all this but she is only 9.  She knows that when I am down that I am down for the count.  Her Dad and I are divorced but get along better now so when I can't do anything he will keep her for me. 

I am still going thru a flare - I think its been one big flare since September and I can't shake it.  I did remember to start on the prednisone for a few days.  My rheumy isn't happy with this and now I will be doing the methotrixate shots.

Take Care and take it easy, rest when you can

Debora

[salsen]

Wish I could tell you because I sure would grab that advise.  I was all proud of myself because the pn pain had calmed down greatly and I was feeling pretty good for the past month.   Last week I began to feel pooped constantly with general achiness.  Well  yesterday the pn kicked in to the max and I am feeling it from head to toe.  That is a new thing - the tingling is doing sprints up and down my body.  The pain at least is sticking with the feet and legs.  The rest just feels like something is crawling on me.   

Guess I will just ride it out and hope it will go away as quickly as it came.   Alas,lLooks like this is going to be a long night.  Wishing you the best  -  my children are grown and on their own so I can just try to sit back and rest up.  I know you do not have that luxury.  You are truly a brave lady!