seems to be a flare

[Guest guest]

I feel for you, as I know what happens with unexpected flares. I have

several a year, and I too have three children - mine are aged 9, 11 and 13.

For myself, I am working on fully living during the flares, since they take

up six months of the year. For many years, I just stay home on pain meds and

a heating pad when I am really flaring.

Just recently I decided that I wanted to live fully despite it, if that was

possible.

For me this means better pain management and forcing myself to get out and

enjoy instead of being depressed and staying home like I had done for the

previous nine years. It is not easy as it sounds either. I am having a

major flare now and am using Duragesic Patch 50 mg, which works pretty well,

but needs a boost from Long acting Tylenol twice a day. I find it hard to be

motivated to get the phone in my hand to call a friend and even say " lets go

to the movies. " I know it is depression, which I have suffered with for ten

years also. Guess I need an adjustment in the ol' SSRI as well!

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

I woke up this morning, actually in the night...4 AM, and seem to be in another

flare. I don't know if you'd call it a flare or not as the pain never goes away,

but today it is MUCH worse. When I got up at 4 it took me 5 minutes to get out

of the bed and to the bathroom ( it's right outside my bedroom door). I took a

tylenol #3 then as my regular pills weren't due. I hardly slept between 4 and 7,

so much pain. It was still bad when I got up at 7, took my normal pills and 2

more tylenol #3. I get up at 7 and have the kids out the door by 7:50, but not

today. I needed my husband to make the lunches and help. This NEVER happens, I

mean having to have him help. I usually can get up and go, even with a little

pain. I don't know what triggered the increase. It is now 10:35 and I still have

a fair amount, although not like this morning. I have cried and felt sorry for

myself today. Why me?? And why can't it always be the same so I know what to

expect? I just start feeling a little more normal and then this happens. I

wonder though, I have had a bit of stress in my life the last couple days. They

say stress triggers it..I'm starting to beleive it.

Just needed to vent. Thanks

[Guest guest]

I don't know what causes the PA to flare.. not a lot of rhyme or reason to

it for me... I'll be here...sitting and reading a magazine and suddenly I'll

have a pain go from my hip down to my knee.. (new pain in this hip, usually

the other one).. and think.. " where did that come from? " or one of my

fingers will suddenly hurt like crazy and the pain will leave as quickly as

it came. I'll get up and walk to the kitchen bent over like an old woman

with my back killing me ... then 20 minutes later my back has stopped

hurting as badly and I can walk outside almost normally and feed my

chickens. Not knowing what to expect next is part of the frustration of

trying to understand this disease. Finding out I'm not alone in these

bizarre symptoms helps keeps me sane.. I think! )

I'm curious how many folks have been diagnosed with PA from their

nails..pits and ridges. And does everyone have pits and ridges in their

nails from the PA? My Dr made the diagnose of PA from my nails.

Anxious to see what the rheumy says about me on Friday...first time to see

this Dr. in Reno. Unfortunately it will be a 90 mile drive for visits to

see him. (I live in the country in northern California).

In response to the question.. who smokes? I do..for more years than I want

to admit.. and yes I have sinus problems, brochitis often and asthma.. dumb

t' dumb, dumb dumb ) that's me. Stress trigger this? maybe..but this is

actually the first time in years I haven't been under a lot of stress.. post

stress syndrome? )

I am also a polio survivor.. had polio at age 5.. my mom sent me an article

recently about post polio symdrome..and said to be sure to tell my new Dr

about it.. and yes I do have a lot of the symptoms that are described in the

article.. seems a lot of diseases have some of the same symptoms...my new Dr

will have fun figuring me out.. and what is caused by what ) PA,

fibromyalgia and/or post polio.. spin the wheel..and tell me what I have

today haha

Marcia

[Guest guest]

The Fergus' wrote:

>

> Hi all,

> I woke up this morning, actually in the night...4 AM, and seem to be

> in another flare. I don't know if you'd call it a flare or not as the

> pain never goes away, but today it is MUCH worse. When I got up at 4

> it took me 5 minutes to get out of the bed and to the bathroom ( it's

> right outside my bedroom door). I took a tylenol #3 then as my regular

> pills weren't due. I hardly slept between 4 and 7, so much pain. It

> was still bad when I got up at 7, took my normal pills and 2 more

> tylenol #3. I get up at 7 and have the kids out the door by 7:50, but

> not today. I needed my husband to make the lunches and help. This

> NEVER happens, I mean having to have him help. I usually can get up

> and go, even with a little pain. I don't know what triggered the

> increase. It is now 10:35 and I still have a fair amount, although not

> like this morning. I have cried and felt sorry for myself today. Why

> me?? And why can't it always be the same so I know what to expect? I

> just start feeling a little more normal and then this happens. I

> wonder though, I have had a bit of stress in my life the last couple

> days. They say stress triggers it..I'm starting to beleive it.

> Just needed to vent. Thanks

Sure hope that flare will end soon. It happens to me often. Just when

I think I'm feeling a bit better, there comes worse pain. It definitely

can be frustrating and depressing. I've lived with this a long time and

have learned to try not to question " why me " . Now I try to think " why

not me " . I definitely would not want my family to have to deal this

constant pain and fatigue. I'm trying really hard to accept what I

cannot change. Try to hang in there - those awful flares usually do let

up in awhile.

Marsha

[Guest guest]

Marcia Umland wrote:

>

> From: " Marcia Umland " <ldywriter@...>

>

> I don't know what causes the PA to flare.. not a lot of rhyme or reason to

> it for me... I'll be here...sitting and reading a magazine and suddenly I'll

> have a pain go from my hip down to my knee.. (new pain in this hip, usually

> the other one).. and think.. " where did that come from? " or one of my

> fingers will suddenly hurt like crazy and the pain will leave as quickly as

> it came. I'll get up and walk to the kitchen bent over like an old woman

> with my back killing me ... then 20 minutes later my back has stopped

> hurting as badly and I can walk outside almost normally and feed my

> chickens. Not knowing what to expect next is part of the frustration

This sounds all too familiar to me. Weird how we can be feeling

half-way decent one minute and the next minute pain strikes somewhere.

> I'm curious how many folks have been diagnosed with PA from their

> nails..pits and ridges. And does everyone have pits and ridges in their

> nails from the PA? My Dr made the diagnose of PA from my nails.

I don't have pits but do have ridges and some nails are loose. This did

help my dr. to diagnose the PA.

> Marcia

[Guest guest]

I'm curious how many folks have been diagnosed with PA from their

nails..pits and ridges. And does everyone have pits and ridges

in their

nails from the PA? My Dr made the diagnose of PA from my nails.

Re: [ ] seems to be a flare

Marcia...My diagnosis was made from the nails being heavily

pitted. The pitting has never gone away.

Poulsbo, WA.