How long does a flare up normally last?

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Birgitb

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Now I have been officially diagnosed can anyone tell me how long a flare up normally lasts? During a flare up can you have good days and not so good days? Once it improves how long before it returns. I know this will probably be different for different people but I just wanted a general idea.
 
It's usually a day to a week for most people, but everyone seems to be different. If you're worried about the duration you should probably speak to a professional to get an idea what can be done to relieve discomfort. For the less fortunate it can last weeks to months but I'd like to think that's only an unfortunate few. Fibro can be very difficult on many.
 
Gosh i dont really understand the term flare up..from the day i got fibro every day is pain all over my body only kept even bearable by limiting activity .....as the years have gone by many symptoms added the party like ibs interstitial cystitis daily jaw pain and rigidity to point its hard to speak more than a little and my body hurts so much even in bed that doing the basic like showering and making an easy meal is hard.

I used to be able to walk for an hour before the pain in my legs got too much but now standing to brush my teeth hurts enough to leave me fightimg tears.

Im quite fascinated..does that mean that some of you guys with Fibro have days/hours pain free? or say just pain say in one arm or a leg and the rest of your body is pretty much ok?

I know from being on this site there is huge variety but the idea of fairly pain free sometimes is alien to me for the last 10 years.

Take Care and glad some of you are doing pretty well.
 
I'm like you Willow. These past 2 years especially have been very hard. Standing brushing my teeth is hard. My legs burn!!!

@David. I see you battle CFS as well.can you explain how you were diagnosed with both Fibro and CFS? I'm seeing my Dr in 2 weeks to actually discuss if I'm actually battling both syndromes myself. I would appreciate some helpful info if you would not mind? Thank you.
 
Yes Medicmurphy my legs burn too and seize up..sometimes i get say 20 minutes i can just about potter around but it still hurts from the waist down to move and the same with my upper body when i attempt activities.
 
Hi BIrg,

I personally have pain all over and fatigue everyday, but I can expeience one or two good days in between where I might have decreased pain and I can feel close to normal.

But when I experience a flare it usually occurs when I over exert myself physically.
I might wash the dishes,do laundry and clean up without rest.(On a good day)Or I might get really stressed emotionally about something.

That is when the pain and severe fatigue multiplies and alot of times you can be in bed for a week.Your energy is totally depleted and your not able to do much at all.Everyones flare can be different depending on the stress the body is under.

That is what I describe a flare.And it's not to say with everyday Fibro that there aren't days where you have to go to bed and stay in bed.
It is so unpredictable.

Sagey
 
I think it's hard to define how long a flare up lasts. Some people seem to have really defined 'flare-ups' and some of us seem to be in pain all the time. If I look back, I think I can see that periods of illness with headaches or pain were probably flare-ups. Now I have mixed pain - sometimes I have two weeks of bad headaches but the body pain is not so bad, then it shifts and it might be my hips and feet hurt a lot, but my headaches are low key, then it might be my shoulders and hands. At least it's variety!!! On top of that, we all tend to have multiple things going on. I suspect I've got some arthritis happening, so that adds to the mix and makes it hard to define fibro flare vs pain from another source.
 
My flares will occur when I've expended too much energy. For ex: last Saturday I entertained a houseful of people. Even though I felt I strategically pre-planned and paced the dinner party work/meals over a week, I still find myself completely depleted 5 days later. I foolishly thought the rebound flare would be lessened. The same applies to gym workouts. Excersize does help to some degree with Fibro pain, however, following a workout I am exhausted to the point where climbing stairs requires exertion. My Dr. has told me my stamina will never return. This is disappointing as stamina is what I'd like back in my life. In my case, flare ups occur ALL the time. Even a cold or flu will last 3 times as long than someone without Fibro.
 
Thanks for your responses. While I have body pain most of the time I try to do something everyday, a short walk with my husband and dogs is what I attempt most days. This last week has been worse than others because I feel mentally depressed and low and pain is more intense. Having said that there are some days that it is worse than others. The reason I ask is that this time my symptoms have been more severe than previous times where I have felt so depleted. I don't know if I am making any sense but I do appreciate everyone's response.
 
@Birgtib, you make perfect sense. This condition greatly impacts every area of our life. It takes a toll not only on us but our family and friends. Living with a chronic condition that has the capability of robbing us of our quality of life will definitely tire us our emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Everyday it takes extra energy to fulfill responsibilities and obligations, so when we have any extra stresses we can certainly flare up, which will include more pain., among other symptoms specific to you. Essentially your condition exacerbates from triggers.
 
Good question. Initially mine could be measured in hours, (that was almost a decade ago), but now both last longer and are more debilitating. Was just thinking how I really can't remember a time when I was not in pain...yet at first it was reversed.

Mine tend to be triggered by stress, although there is also a 'rhythm' to my flares - roughly every two to three weeks I can count on a few days to a few weeks of brutal times, where all the cannabis/morphine I can take is still not enough. All I can do is curl up into a ball and try to will every muscle and joint to relax. Sleep is a big issue during my flares as well, as it is constantly interrupted by pain, have real trouble falling asleep, and endure colourful nightmares due to opiates. Towards the end of a a flare-up period my IBS symptoms remind me they are still around, as I struggle with various intestinal issues.

Not a lot of fun, is it ?!
 
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