RA Flare Doc on vacation

Hi all

This flare has been bad and my Doc is not available for 2 weeks

My knee is swollen bad and painful

Doc usually draws fluid off and gives me a shot

hoping I can hold off till he is back

I have upped predizone has helped a little bit

knee is pretty swollen

ugh :

Hi Deb,
Sorry you are having a bad flare. Have you thought about trying to get a cortisone shot at the ER or an urgent care. If it's been six months since your last, you should be able to get it done somewhere.
As someone who has knee flares too, waiting two weeks could seem an eternity.
Beth

Wait a minute....are you on DMARDS? Or is this how you handle your RA?

How many times has the same joint been aspirated this year?

Have you contacted your doc practice to see if there is someone covering who could see you for an emergency? I've never heard of a specialist being off for two weeks without arranging for at least emergency coverage with another doctor.

I'd say to try urgent care before the ER, since at the ER they might want to rule out a bunch of stuff and prove to themselves you actually have RA even though you know you do and it's totally obvious!

I actually had the same thing happen to me December 30 when I was out of state visiting family. I found a rheumatologist where I was staying who could fit me in that day as an emergency new patient, and he drained my knee and gave me a shot of cortisone. Hopefully you've found relief already but if it happens again I'm sure there is a rheumatologist somewhere near you who could see you in an emergency.