Hello and welcome. Sorry you are suffering with a bad flare -- it becomes a vicious cycle of pain and fear and stress or anxiety.
Are you on a treatment regimen and do you have some strategies for your flares (whether medications or other coping mechanisms)?
Stay strong - you can get through this!

Thank you for your kind welcome. You are right about the vicious cycle. I am on orencia, methotrexate and arava and prednisone. I have an increased dose of prednisone for 5 days. I also take something for anxiety and am currently seeing a therapist who will meet with me on FaceTime in the case of a bad flare, when i cant get to her. I'm going to call her tomorrow. I could probably use more coping mechanisms. Ideas? Thanks again for your encouragement, i sure needed it. My family is suffering along with me and that makes me more sad.

I'm sorry to learn of your troubles. It sounds like you're doing right things, but I don't know what your RA treatment regimen is. Practice meditation, exercise if you are at al able, and, as DB25 said, trust that you can get through this. Please make sure you review your treament with your rheumatologist.

The best immediate solution to "level" the anxiety spikes that's non-pharm is to rub Frankincense at the base of your skull where the spine goes under it. That's the best I have to offer.

Thank you both for your advice. I am going to the rheumatologist on Thursday and praying for good direction. Hope all is well you.

Welcome. I completely understand your flares. I just had one myself. I am on humria once a week now. I was on Arava also but I started to loose alot of hair and it was one of the side affects so Dr took me off. I use prednisone as needed and sometimes you just need the relief from it. Hang in there it will pass. I hope you have a great family to support you also. Never hears of RA until I started researching my symptoms. I have only been going thru this for 3 years can't imagine what you have been thru.

Thank you for responding Debbie. I do have an amazing supportive family that keeps me fighting. I am very blessed there. Thank you for the encouragement . I was told to join a support group a long time ago. So glad i did thanks to all of you kind people. You made me smile and give hope reminding me this will pass. You can get so down and dont always see any relief coming. But you are right.

Lots of people on here have different coping mechanisms or ways to help those flares get better while the medications are (hopefully) doing their thing. First you need to be careful what you are doing isn't hurting your joints -- especially with things like heat vs cold (for me sometimes heat feels good and other times I really like cold), and with any exercise or stretching. I try to stretch often but I am always careful on any joints that hurt. Some people use different braces or compression gloves or dictation programs for the computer to reduce your use of your hands. And then there are the other things like talking to your therapist you mentioned, praying (if that is important to you), yoga or meditation as was mentioned above, reading or music or watching a funny movie or whatever. I also hope your family is learning to help you so you can cut back on some responsibilities when you are in pain or tired.

I am so sorry you are in that much pain on that much medication...it's time to talk to your doctor about a change of meds. What biologicals were you one other than orencia? Have you tried simponi or zeljanz???

They tried me on Humira and that did not cut it so then remicade. I had a bad allergic reaction to that. Have not tried Simponi or Zeljanz. Appointment tomorrow.

faithhope60, do you mind my asking what was the bad allergic reaction you had to Remicade?

I do not mind at all. After first dose i had a bit of a rash on the cheeks but wasn't really noticeable so we ignored it and so second IV drip they had to immediately stop, crushing feeling in chest, couldn't breathe....absolutely frightening. Glad my husband was sitting next to me who got the nurses attention immediately.