Experience A Flare

[lesliec]

I'm experiencing a "flare" and I need a kind word. I feel like curling up in a ball and dying. My body aches all over, I feel nauseous, and I am weak. I just called my doctor to get steroids and have taken them, but in the meantime, what do I do? I have a small child, a husband and house to take care of. I'm not sure what to do.

Leslie

[cat]

Hi Leslie
I'm sorry to hear you are in a flare. I know it is not easy with a young child to care for. I've been there and done that. Don't put too much pressure on yourself about getting things done. Perhaps your husband can take care of you and your child for a bit so you can get some rest. Do you have any family nearby or close friends to give you a hand. Sometimes just having someone prepare a meal can be a big help or taking the child for a few hours so you have a break. Im not good with words but I hope knowing someone is thinking of you helps some. Feel better soon.
Lynda

[amberjolie1]

Hi,

I'm also sorry to hear you're feeling rotten right now.  I agree with Lynda that you should try not to worry about getting things done.  Focus on the most important things, even if it means letting the house go a bit.  And, yes, see if there's anyone who can help you out.  Maybe just see if hubby can get some take-out (there are some not-so-fast-food items in grocery stores if you don't like fast food) for a bit to help you over what is hopefully just a bump until the steroids kick in.  And I don't know exactly how young your child is, but if necessary, maybe just sit them in front of some videos for a bit and lie on the couch (I know, they say kids shouldn't watch too much t.v.; but sometimes you have to bend the rules at times, and you could maybe put on educational videos).

Sending you best wishes and hoping you feel better soon!

[Jellyb]

Hi leslie, i am so so sorry you are having a bad spell. I think also having your husband take your child out for a while so you can have the house to yourself and some quiet time, that always seems to help me, just some time alone. Also have him pick up something for dinner on the way home. I am sending you good thoughts...

[hootyhu1]

My daughter is 19 months old now, when I was in a flair I take naps with her and we did low key things. she would read books and play with some toys and I would lay on the couch. (this was when my husband was deployed so I was by myself). I hope the Pred kicks in for you so you feel better. take care-hootyhu

[marilyn143]

Give yourself permission to rest and learn to treat flares like you would any inflamation.If you have a sprained ankle and it's swollen (inflamation) you know it wont feel better if you keep stressing it and don't give it propper rest and care.same with these body inflamations ,they tend to run their course alot faster if you don't push yourself past what you can handle for the moment.I hope you will feel better soon and this flare is just spring doing it's thing.I spend half of spring sleeping it seems ,but now I know it's weather and I just gotta ride it out.Since I got on Lyrica a couple years ago My "In bed days" went from about 10 a month to 1-2.those are days like you feel now.I used to try and just keep pushing myself to get things done but learned it was only causing flares to drag on    

[Pisces24]

Can your dr give you anything for at least the nausea?   It would help to get the nausea under control.
It is durn hard trying to do anything when you think any minute you are going to throw up. 

[susan]

Thinking of you---I think we all know that awful feeling! And so stressful when you are a caregiver to your little one.
Is there any chance that someone could take care of you for just awhile? (hubby, friend, relative?)

[lesliec]

I am feeling much better now. The doctor gave me steroids (Prednosone?) to deal with the symptoms until the Plaquenil gets back in my system. You see, I stopped taking Plaquenil about a month ago because I was concerned that it was causing seizures. I now think that the seizures are anxiety-driven, based on my psychiatrist and therapist's opinions.

Now I'm trying to figure out what to do about a job. I've experienced about four flares over the past year and work as a adjunct professor and writer. What can I do when I have a flare, in terms of getting time off? How do you guys handle it? It's tricky because missing one day of class means the students miss a lot of material.

Leslie

[Skylar]

(((HUGS))), I'm experiencing a flare right now too - although not nearly as bad as yours. I've been on a plaquenil break also. I started to notice many of the symptoms coming back but it took awhile before I put 1+1=2 together and realized I needed to call my Rheumatologist right away and get back on medication. I'm hoping I learned a lesson and maybe my insight will be helpful for you - once you have Sjogren's it's always going to be there so I realize the minute I start to feel a change in symptoms is when I need to act upon it.