Hi.. I'm sort of new to the board here and have been lurking for a little while. I've been seeing a rheummy since last summer and she is still trying to help me deal with this arthritis that affects my feet and fingers. Yesterday I noticed a new flareup beginning in one of my fingers. I had my last cortisone shot back in October and when I see her again on Friday I'm going to ask for another one. She had perscribed the Methx treatment for me but I'm not quite ready to take that on yet. I'd like to try some other things first. She thinks I have RA although I don't have the arthritis factor when they drew blood.

At any rate my finger now feels like it's been pounded with a baseball bat. Is there anything I can do on my own for this? Do such flareups ever go away on their own or do they just get worse and worse? I'm thinking of asking for antibiotics when I go in Friday, maybe that'll help. I've read a lot of things on the net and they're all the same - sorry there is no cure and I see that the only things to really do are the usual, rest, ice, blah blah.. Is there any OTC med that will honestly and truly make this go down enough that I can last until Friday? This is not a nice way to begin the new year.