What is a flare?

Post date: 2021-07-29 08:19:52

Autoimmune diseases are described as "flaring". What exactly is that, and how is it measured?

New to this. Have some questions. Thanks in advance.

I understand that a flare is an increase in disease activity and/or symptoms. I'm trying to identify whether what I experience are flares, or just -- disease. I have days, mostly single but sometimes a few in a row, where I feel like I'm on fumes, empty, well past what I'd say is "tired" because it seems like there's no way to relieve it or re-energize with the usual sleep, food, or caffeine. I just ... lower my expectations and wait them out.

Are these flares? Or are flares a months-long change in illness? How do you (or doc) decide what is a flare, and what is just the new normal, and what/how/when to treat? This seems like a fuzzy area in everything I've read thus far.

Second, I've just been started a month ago on plaquenil, which I understand takes some time to work. My inflammatory markers were up -- CRP 20, sed rate 90. They'd been high (but not 90, which seems kinda high) for a while, like year+. At what point should I expect treatment, or more treatment? Are these markers, treatment targets themselves?

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