Hello! I imagine this has been a topic here a few times before but....

How do you treat a flare?! My ankle/heel is out of this world painful and I need to get better asap. Just got a new job and start tomorrow and don't want to be hobbling in there..

Tips please? Right now I'm sleeping a lot, hot baths and ice packs and T3s.

Susanna,
Hi welcome.
my opinion - stop eating for a day.
start slow, but very hot water throughout the day.

other than pain meds, this is what I do

I second Lon. Do a 24 hour (dinner to dinner so you don't feel like you went an entire 24 hours without eating, but you have, lol). Seriously fasting works wonders for me. Seriously. I also LOVE ice on flare ups, which only happens if I eat a no-no item.

Good luck!

last month was the first time i tried this, but was amazed how well it worked:

i took a 6 day prednisone dose pack.

they were magic pills.

my rheumy said if i do it that short course and only 2 times a year, it should be safe.

otherwise, i've always had to just ride it out, as you suggested. lots of ice and some heat. sleep if i could. mostly try not to tear any tendons or ligaments during the flare.

the pred works so much better. had no idea what i had been missing all those years.

Thanks, I will try that!

Thank you for your reply. I just finished about a week ago my first experience with prednisone. It was a 12 day short course and yes, it was pretty amazing! I felt.. normal

Hello, susanna:


GLA at about 2g effective (many) borage seed oil capsules upon retiring. Fresh wheatgrass juice in the morning--about 4-6 oz on empty stomach. Avoid eating for at least an hour. Three days in a row and then fast on forth day or so even fast two days or more (four is optimum).

Long-term fasting was the best way for me to eliminate a flare, and it usually only took four or five days but several times up to eleven days. Always worked, especially in early days of disease.

HEALTH,
John

Thank's John for the natural rx. Beats prednisone. I will have to collect this concoction to make. What is GLA?

Hi, Pea:

GLA=Gamma Linolenic Acid. Found in borage seed, evening primrose, and black currant oils available in health food stores usually.

I have not experimented very much with antioxidants, but some newer agents are touted as being very powerful--like krill oil and astaxanthin. No longer have active disease so perhaps others could better test these than myself.

HEALTH,
John

Thank's John,
Maybe it will help with my Fibro flares as well. Will try to find me some. I have primrose oil but I think I will get the straight stuff.