Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

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melissaenderle 05/26/2013

I've been in a flare for several weeks now. Lots of pain, stiffness, and fatigue. But it hasn't been consistent. I'll have a bad day, followed by one with reduced symptoms. Then the next day worse again. Last night I was awoken at midnight with significant pain in the knees, followed by many other joints.
On those better days, I thought the Prednisone was taking effect. Now it's another missed day of work. Is there anything else the doctors can do to provide quick relief of symptoms and even better, lower the inflammation?

deleted_user 05/26/2013

i am in the same sitation. i take 5 mg prednisone daily. yesterday morning 6 am i called my rheumy and told about my pains. she told me to take 30 mg 5 days, 20 mg 5 days, 10 mg 5 days and get back to my regular dose of 5 mg of prednisone.
may be u need something like that. talk to your doctor and see what he says. feel better.

Christine26 05/27/2013

Madhuri, so sorry you are feeling poorly and for so long. I am being to feel like you, what a good was of putting it. I was okay yesterday and today and tried a new patch and have a stronger pain medication on board and this afternoon, wham shoulders hurt, even my arms are hurting. This is even after the pain medication. i don't know what to think. Don't have inflammation just pain. So back in bed I go. Tomorrow will be another rest day. This is why I cannot get much of anything done in the house. Maybe once I get to sleep for the night I will wake up painless. I will pray for both of us. Feel better soon.

melissaenderle 05/28/2013

Guess we're all experiencing some downs right now. I am on a similar tapering regimen as you. Have you experienced good days and then a bad day right after that, even on the Prednisone? Hope you get some relief from the patch without side effects, Christine.

deleted_user 05/28/2013

I just added a discussion post about pain fading a bit with no rhyme or reason.

This stuff baffles and confuses me to no end.

Melissa, Christine, Madhuri - sending ya'll best wishes for quick relief!

melissaenderle 05/30/2013

Update: Today was the first day since being on higher Prednisone that I started to feel a notch better. There are many notches to go, but it's in the right direction. Now I have to be careful in not overdoing things. I was also able to get in to the pain clinic and get badly needed injections in certain painful, tense muscles (I also have Fibromyalgia, and between not being able to exercise at all and the pain of the RA flare, Fibro also flared), so hopefully that will settle down. A person deserves to get some sleep!

Hope all others who are hurting or otherwise struggling get some needed relief.

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