Frequency: How often do you have flare-ups?

[Charlotte.]

Just curious, since it looks as I'm having a flare-up again. I couldn't sleep last night due to TI pain (ice pack for TI, heating pad for my stomach with gastritis works best then; could decrease the diarrhoea with going on exclusive elemental diet again) and I wondered if it is a "normal" frequency with anti-tnf to have bigger flare-ups every 3 months and smaller ones which affect mostly my joints but don't end up in extreme pain for my tummy every four weeks?

 

[DougUte]

That does not sound normal. Never been on Simponi, but I think I would doc to my GI if that was going on with me.

 

[Tubes]

The longest I've gone without one is about a year but I've also had periods where I've had a giant 2 year flare in which it just wouldn't go away and I spent probably 90% of that time in the hospital.I don't think there's a normal flare pattern like with everything everyone's different.

 

[Charlotte.]

Thank you Tubes, you probably hit the nail right on the head. I wished there was some sort of forecast but there will never be one. It's just the way it is.

DougUte, unfortunately my disease was chronically active before treatment, now this is a huge improvement for my condition. The current treatment seems to be the most promising one for me, as I see improvements and have a few weeks of fewer symptoms already, also long term improvements (finger joints etc.).
My rheumatologist and my gastroenterologist know what is going on but in fact even Simponi, which is similar to Humira or Remicade (also anti tnf a), can not prevent from having flare ups. The ideal would be to stay in remission but for some people it is not working that way, at least it improves the condition.

 

[Pug Gamer]

I have had at my worst two flare ups in two weeks. And my best is 3 months. Ive been on entocort since febuary so fingers crossed this will be the end of my flare ups for a long while!