RA Flare-up's

Kyla, Why-Ya Flare-up?

Once in a while, there are these days I have, where I can't get out of bed. My body is heavy. My head pounds. My knees and my ankles and hands inflate and hurt.

Chronic Illness patients refer to these days as flares.

They come when I'm stressed, when there's precipitation in the air, or when I'm sick. 

Pretty Much:

If I have a test at school.

If it rains.

If I get a cold.

However they are unpredictable, it can pour but I'll be perfectly fine. Sometime's I can have three tests stay up all night and be completely fine. And other times I get very sick.

I know what your thinking... aren't you always sick? But if your reading this and can relate to this you know that there are different ways to be sick.

There is a sick that you get used to. A headache that gets numb and sore and it's still there but you get used to it, you live through it and it goes away. It makes you tired and a little grouchy but you can still get up and go and go and go and go and sleep later.

But a flare-up is when it's too bad to ignore. You hurt and you can't explain it, it's just there. It's hard to get up let alone get dressed.

Every time I'm sick it is not a flare.

Flares feel different, you feel muscles and joints you didn't know existed. 

I don't want you to feel bad for me. I live through them. I get stronger because of them. And I am used to them.

The symptoms of a disease I already, always, have; will suddenly get worse and eventually get better. 

I've had flare's that last a week and some that last 8 hours. I've had some, where the pain was worse only on the right side or only on the bottom half of my body. 

I put ice, some creams help, heat packs, but I just have to lay in my bed in my comfiest pajamas and wait for it to pass.

For someone who has never felt one; just imagine getting the flu, no one can see it, and it goes away probably the next day. I don't get a fever, I don't have a runny nose, but inside my body is fighting a war every day. And when the good guys lose, I have a flare.