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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/5/2009
Posts: 90
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I am going to the hospital tomorrow. Am really wondering, how my bloods are.
I have had a flare for the last 2 months. From having normal ESR at 25-35 and CRP at 6-8 they went sky high to 112 and 117 respectively. They gave me a depo, but it did not help at all. I have now been on an increase of 10mg prednisolone. (For years I was on a maintenance dose of 4 mg).
I am feeling a bit better, but not back to how I was> I have been really lucky the last 10 years managing my RA reasonably well. I am convinced, that loosing my brother to cancer within 3 monts earlier in the year sparked off the flare.
What experience have you got, when you have had a flare? Have you been able to trace it back to an event in your life? When I mentioned to my rheumy nurse, that I had lost my brother a month before, she felt that it certainly could have caused the flare.
Much love,
Merete
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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 2/26/2010
Posts: 271
Location: hampshire
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Hi Merete, so sorry to hear you're feeling poorly and also for your loss. I totally agree with you that stress can trigger a flare. My consultant agrees with me that my RA was probably triggered by the aftermath of a nasty dose of flu, followed by the shock of losing my brother 4 months later. It most definitely is a contributory factor.
I really hope you can get this flare under control and you are feeling better soon.
With love
Heatherxxx
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 3,157 Location: Huddersfield
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Hi Merete,
Sorry you've been feeling so unwell.
Stress can definitely trigger a flare, and as Heather discovered, can also trigger the start of RA.
We have discussed this before and a lot of us suffered a period of stress or illness just before the onset of RA.
Hope things improve for you soon.
Love, Doreen xx
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 2/18/2010 Posts: 1,098 Location: farningham kent
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Hi Merete
Hope all goes well for you at the hospital tomorrow, and sorry to hear the last couple of months have been so difficult for you with this flare.
I agree too, stress plays a significant part with RA, I am sure stress brought it all on for me. I now try to avoid it at all costs, pretty hard of course but I am aware it and avoid it whenever I can !
Take care, hoping you feel a little better soon.
Julia x
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/7/2009 Posts: 89
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Hi Merete, I'm convinced about the stress thing too. My RA kicked in not long after my partner died, and I had a breast cancer scare, then lost my dad.
Live on my own and i've noticed the slightest upset or worry is often followed by a flare up of RA.
Hope your appointment goes well and you feel better soon, hugs Kath
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 872
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Hi Merete,
I agree with others too..
Sadly, stress and RA do seem to go hand in hand,
I'm so very sorry to hear about your recent loss, hope you have some support systems in place that are helpful for you?
Sometimes Knowledge is power but I find sometimes life changes and events happen ~ which subsequently make the RA take over and take charge ~ i think that's when we are most vulnerable and in my experience each one of my worse flares has been linked to some kind of stress or trauma,
I use different self management techniques - eg breathing and meditation techniques, music and also my gp is supportive and my good friends / family...
hope you have some good support, do let us know how things are lots of love ~ Liz xxxxx
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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/5/2009
Posts: 90
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Thank you for all your replies. It certainly seems, stress can play a big part in having a flare. I am sorry to hear, Kathleen, about the loss of your partner and your dad over a short period. I know, I am not alone loosing somebody close. It`s just my brother was so well and super fit, and then over just 3 months, he became ill and died. He never had any chance of trying some treatment. The doctors said right from the beginning, that there was nothing to be done.
Well, I am back from the hospital. My CRP was down from 117 to 57, and my ESR is also improved. I have to carry on taking 10 mg prednisolone, which I am not very happy about, but as the rheumy said, if it is the difference between functioning or not, there is not much choice. I had a second DAS score, and have been put forward for Humira, so I am pinning a lot of hope, that it will be the drug for me. She gave me a form for a chest Xray.
Whenever I have a flare, I become anaemic, so I am not surprised I have been so tired.
I am off to have a little nap. I hope, you are all having a stressfree afternoon.
Merete
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 4/20/2010 Posts: 1,749 Location: Somerset
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Hello Meret.
Hope you had a nice nap I have had one since I did the shopping earlier as well.
Sorry to hear you are not feeling as you should do. Yes stress definaltey brings on
a flare etc. It happenned to me in March I was not accepting that I could handle my
job and then had a flare and high blood pressure etc. Awful.
Keep resting
#Rose
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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009
Posts: 854
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Hi Merete,
Hope that you feel better after your nap. Doreen is on Humira so will be able to give you some advice . She takes a dose of MTX with it so that may be an opportunity to come off steroids all together.
I agree that stress triggers of a flare.
Hope that you feel much better soon.
Eleanor x
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 1,689 Location: Durham
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Hi Merete, Hope the nap did you some good, and you feel a bit better today. If you get humira I hope it works well for you. I`ve been on it for 3 years now, and it has been a considerable help to me in terms of mobility etc. Take care, Kathleen x
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 2,237 Location: nr Southampton
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m_nanasbaum wrote:
What experience have you got, when you have had a flare? Have you been able to trace it back to an event in your life? When I mentioned to my rheumy nurse, that I had lost my brother a month before, she felt that it certainly could have caused the flare.
I know that the big jolts in the trajectory of my RA have often been related to stress. especially shortly after the main surge of stress has just begun to pass.
RA is not a smooth progression- there are jumps and starts.
Much love Merete.
Jenni xxhow to be a velvet bulldoser
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 714
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Merete
I am sorry to hear about the problems you are having getting your RA under control. I agree that stress can certainly cause the onset of RA and flares. My Husband had a very bad breakdown four years ago. He was very will for the next three years and had to give up work. Everyone kept on saying to me how well I was coping with this. We managed to get him medically retired and sorted out finances out at the end of the three years. I gave a big sigh of relief and within a month I started to feel very unwell myself. Within three months I was diagnosed with RA. My Consultant says I must have been under extreme pressure for the three years and when I let go my immune system packed in and then I developed RA.
That was 18 months ago. I am due for my fourth injection of Humira tomorrow and I am glad to say that already I am seeing and feeling a slight improvement in my health. Hopefully if you go forward with the Humira you will also find benefit and manage to get off the Prednisolone. I came off it three months ago.
Take care
Jackie
xx
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