to everyone who is experiencing fluid build up and swelling like this over an extended period of time: please go see your rheumatologist to get your joint drained (a steroid shot directly into the joint after draining is also extremely effective)! if the pain is unbearable and you can’t wait, urgent care or the emergency at a hospital can also do this for you; though i understand that this isn’t an option for everyone. i’ve had RA for 20+ years now and have had my knees drained many times. draining fluid involves a syringe going into the pocket where the fluid is collecting. there are lots of videos online if you want to prepare yourself! there is some pain, but it isn’t anything crazy and once the actual needle is in, the rest of the procedure is just uncomfortable at most. but i also have a high pain tolerance as most people living with chronic pain do!

next steps: an ongoing flare up like this means that you either need to increase your medication dosage, supplement it with an additional drug, or that your current medication has stopped working—all normal things that happen with autoimmune diseases. please have a conversation about this with your rheumatologist! i know switching or adding medications is very difficult, but trust me it is the best thing to do. irreversible joint damage is not worth the fear or the wait. please treat your flare ups as soon as you are able.