I'm usually the opposite. I get the flu or a cold and I feel like there is a truck continuously running over me.

I don't know, it's hard to tell. I don't really remember if it was worse or not. Last time I was sick I had stomach cramps for 36 hours and I was hoping to die. I'll try and pay more attention next time. I'm kinda like carpecoffe, when I am sick I just feel like I fell off a building!

i have a cold right now and my joints are better, although i could be too distracted by the coughing and sneezing to notice anything else!

Charlie, I'm sure it was terrible at the time but your comment about paying more attention nesxt time is just too funny! Thank you for a wonderful start to my day!

carpecoffee, yes it was terrible. Not only was I sick but we had the granddaughter and she had the same thing, I think I may have gotten it from her. So I'm sick, cramping, running to the bathroom, and having to change runny poopy diapers all night. Lots of fun, NOT
I am not wishing for a repeat. Hope everyone is well and having a great summer. I am feeling pretty good and riding my bike some. Highly recommend biking if you can. It works for me. Charlie

I'm in the group who's RA seems better when my immune system is fighting something real- it seems to lay off the joints.

I'm that way, if I get sick with anything the RA gets better.

I've thought of this before, but I'm not sure if I am right... just throwin it out there though, but, with RA, isn't it that our immune systems are overactive...
I know that some of the drugs actually decrease our immune systems so they don't attack our own bodies as much, so my thought with the feeling relief while having a sickness is almost like the immune system is distracted from attacking our own body, and busy getting rid of the new sickness.
I have found that when I have a cold sore, my pain is less. I'll try to make more observations with this stuff, see if it's consistent :)

Yes I had I had this experience this morning my stomach was upset and the pain level was less.

I'm that way too, I had a bad case of pneumonia a few months ago and hardly noticed my joints at all for two weeks.

Actually, I think it has to do with the pathways of the brain. The brain can only take so much pain, and because the nerves can only channel so much. Try and imagine a telephone line, being flooded with phone calls.

Last year after my surgery, I was in the garden, wearing my cast because the bunion hadn't fused, and a wasp crawled up it and stung me. After a few minutes of intense pain, I realized my foot did not hurt me. In fact the pain did not return for 24 hours. I told my daughter, who has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and she explained the mechanism and the gateways in the brain.

Still, getting stung by a wasp is a little bit too much to avoid pain. Same with any kind of cold or flu. Maybe a different kind of pain?

How about this one guys...

I have heard before that autistic children have been recorded as being able to speak complete sentences for the first time when they experience extreme fevers. Then they go back to normal the moment the fever goes down. Of course, some people believe that autism is an inflammatory problem.

Another thing to think about. Many people go into remission when they're pregnant. Pregnancy is inflammation. your ESR will be very high....70's, 80's or higher when you're pregnant. Knowing this, does the body have a cut off limit to inflammation? Can it only handle so much before it decides to stop trying? Is it like nature girl said, "distracted?"
hugs,
Sarah

Sarah - I think the distracted bit might be right. How many females here found yelling very loud took away pain in childbirth??!!! Maybe other things distract pain beside more pain. And homeopathic remedies work on "like cures like".