Arthritis Forum
Home.

News.

Personal Stories. Links. Message Board.  
Arthritis Forum  
Add your comments to this topic Start a new topic
Date: 26.08.2013
From: Denise

Subject: Flares

Hi Everyone

Not posted here before but followed the threads for some time. Briefly my health has not been good for about ten years now. For some time GP insisted in was emotional stress - have a very difficult scenario with my aging mother - but in 2009 rheumatoid factor positive, consultant concluded a false positive but finally got diagnosed of RA when rheumatoid factor went up to 235. Been on mtx since Dec last year, initially oral now sub cut 17.5 mg, co-odamol and weaning off steroids - down to 1 mg a day now.

But had two flares in as many months but when I spoke to GP and rheumy was told it might be that I am fighting something else off. Rheumy nurse gave me the impression that when I suffer anything else then I am going to experience a flare but when you ache all over it is not easy to distinguish.

Not convinced the mtx is working as well as it should but consultant seems to feel it is controlling the RA reasonably well. Ha, ha ... he isn't living with this. Had a really bad weekend so much so that it laid me flat on Saturday and still don't feel that great.

So am I suffering some other ailment, is it that I am now on a very low dose of steroids or what.

I am trying to manage this scenario as best I can but am really struggling to understand it all. Just feel everything is so contradictory. Anyone out there have any advice.
Thanks
reply | back to forum

Date: 26.08.2013
From: Linda Bradley

Subject: Re: Flares

HI Denise, I know how you feel. Its like banging your head against a brick wall. I felt rough after coming off steroids, may be a factor. I wasnt convinced about mtx at first, but on 8 tablets now. Hands, wrists and neck are a lot better. I just suffer with my feet! Nothing seems to help. Hope you get some advice from here. I'm new to it all. Take care.
reply | back to forum

Date: 26.08.2013
From: rhona

Subject: Re: Flares

Hi Denise,

Welcome to the forum, I am sure you will find it as helpful as I have as everyone is so helpful. I am sorry to hear that you have the added stress of your mother, I am sure stress makes this disease worse so I hope you are getting some help with her.

I think cutting down the steroids has caused your flares, it is quite common for this to happen. Often we need more than one drug to control the condition and many on here like myself take a combination of drugs. I think you should get in touch with your consultant or get your doctor to write to them and tell them how bad you feel, you shouldn't be left to suffer. I would think they should add either sulphasalazine or plaquenil, I take all three plus a biologic but I believe you have to try two disease modifying drugs before getting considered for them.

Have you had any steroids injection? I find them very helpful when things get bad. I hope things improve soon for you as it is a very painful disease.

Take care xx
reply | back to forum

Date: 26.08.2013
From: Denise

Subject: Re: Flares

Hi Rhoda and Linda

Thanks for coming back to me. When I mentioned the stress factors to the consultant he said stress is part of the disease. End of conversation. GP pretty unresponsive in that quarter too. Mum is very difficult, has isolated herself from everything and everybody (except me) since dad died many years ago now. Wont consider meals on wheels or the like, suggested Day Centre but that was a negative too. Have actually managed to persuade her to get a cleaner in once a month cos it was just getting too much for me but the stress levels there are never ending.

I did have a steroid injection in my hand last Dec and I certainly think it helped. Consultant has said can have another one but been hanging fire on that one for time being. Had xray on my knee last week and thought is that if that is pretty inconclusive will attempt to get wrist and knee injected at same time.

As to the steroids, I am not sure. Only ever felt they were really effective when I was on a 4,3,2,1 regime and only at the 4 level really which I think must have been 20 mg. Was on 5 mg for about six months and been reducing that over the last few months.

I have read on here so many times that a lot of people are on more than one DMARD and do know that you have to try two before being considered for bio. Mtx is my second DMARD, had adverse reaction to hydroxcholoroquine but all consultant seems to be set on is continually increasing the mtx.

And yep, Linda, how many brick walls can you hit your head against. Though with me I am not convinced about what I am being told. Consultant said in May, well you have got osteo and rheumatoid arthritis and degeneration of the neck and shoulders. So when I got home I thought, well what is what. So he has now agreed that I can get a physio assessment on the neck and shoulders as being told that it is because I have worked on typewriters and computers all my life really is not the answer.

Think I will attempt to speak to GP tomorrow and put call out for rheumy nurse to get back to me but feel sure that will only lead to another increase in mtx which I really don't want to consider at present.

Thanks for listening

xx
reply | back to forum

Date: 26.08.2013
From: Colin W

Subject: Re: Flares

hi Denise ,
welcome to the forum , cutting out steriods will cause flares & even coming off 1mg will but I always found that as long as I take something its ok but the long term side effects from steriods can be realy bad , so have stopped them myself this year & had a nice flare afterwards

Mtx tends to be used with more drugs like sulfasalazine + one of the new anti-tnf drugs , also you can have osto + RA & its not that uncommon , they claim you cant have RA in our backs & hips but alot of us have some hips/back problems along with every other joint cause of RA

it will take time for them to get your drugs right so ask about something to go with MTX like anti-tnf or sulfasalazine so they can get you sorted
reply | back to forum

Date: 01.09.2013
From: Julie

Subject: Re: Flares

Hi Denise, have your consultants not considered mtx injections? I started mtx tablets along with Diclofenac in February, they seemed to work okay after a few weeks but then all of a sudden I had three big flares in 3 weeks with only a couple of days in between. A steroid jab in my bottom sorted that out but now for the past five weeks I have been having mtx injections plus plaquenil and I have to say I am pain free, have been since 2nd injection. Next Wed I have to go to learn how to inject myself (not looking forward to doing that but its got to be). I would ask about the injections it could be that you are not absorbing the tablet form. It is horrible to be in constant pain and life doesnt seem worth living at times but there is light at the end of the tunnel so I hope you get some help soon. Take care
Julie xx
reply | back to forum

Date: 02.09.2013
From: denise

Subject: Re: Flares

Hi Julie

Yes I have been on injections for a while now ... that's what sub cut means. And once you get use to it, it is easier than sitting there looking at so many 2.5 mg tablets. Going to ask my consultant next time I go in Nov about adding another drug. But in the meantime absorbing info on here and trying to unravel things a bit to see if I can work out what causes the flares.
Good luck with the injections
Denise xx
reply | back to forum

 

Add your comments to this topic
Subject:
Please type your comment here:

Your name:
email:

4+6=
(This sum is to help prevent automatic spamming through this page - thank-you)


top

Site design: T - Creative Home | News | Personal Stories | Links | Message Board