LeneSouthAfrica
New member
I get this too and it can be totally debilitating. Varies from mild discomfort to cant-walk sore with the swelling and fever, and red spots up the legs as the flare up starts. The pain moves from joint to joint over 1 to 2 weeks. None of the drs I consulted seem to know exactly what causes it either, the general consensus is just that it is some sort of inflammatory arthritis response due to all the other inflammation going on in our cf bodies. I never seem to get it together with a lung infection, but have heard some people do.
I have my own theory and that is I tend to get flareups after a few weeks of eating unhealthily (e.g. coffee, sugar, too much wheat and yeast) and especially when I have been constipated - sort of like a toxic buildup. So here's my coping strategy, what I do immediately when I notice the first joint pain:
1. take something to clear bowels, even if I don't feel obviously obstructed. It does not seem the most logical approach for joint pain but I believe 100% this works!
2. Drink as much water as I can stand, to help flush out the system. And limit the caffeine - difficult to do as this is the time I feel crappy and in need of warm tea and comfort food. But I try and reason that now is not a good time to stress my body further.
3.Hot baths - miraculous relief. once I sat in a really warm car and was surprised that it helped too
4. massage therapy: About once a month I go for a body massage and I think this has helped the most, long term, to keep the arthritis at bay
5. i take a homeopathic arthritis remedy once a flare up starts. not sure if this really works, but I am mentioning it as it is part of the repertoire and I believe in it enough to keep doing it every time
6. paracetemol, for the fever as it doesn't really help the pain and I can't take anything stronger due to dodgy stomach
I have my own theory and that is I tend to get flareups after a few weeks of eating unhealthily (e.g. coffee, sugar, too much wheat and yeast) and especially when I have been constipated - sort of like a toxic buildup. So here's my coping strategy, what I do immediately when I notice the first joint pain:
1. take something to clear bowels, even if I don't feel obviously obstructed. It does not seem the most logical approach for joint pain but I believe 100% this works!
2. Drink as much water as I can stand, to help flush out the system. And limit the caffeine - difficult to do as this is the time I feel crappy and in need of warm tea and comfort food. But I try and reason that now is not a good time to stress my body further.
3.Hot baths - miraculous relief. once I sat in a really warm car and was surprised that it helped too
4. massage therapy: About once a month I go for a body massage and I think this has helped the most, long term, to keep the arthritis at bay
5. i take a homeopathic arthritis remedy once a flare up starts. not sure if this really works, but I am mentioning it as it is part of the repertoire and I believe in it enough to keep doing it every time
6. paracetemol, for the fever as it doesn't really help the pain and I can't take anything stronger due to dodgy stomach