Hi Tim

I hope you feel better now. What did your rheumatology doctor say? Is it Rheumatoid Arthritis you have had all these years?
Are you now on any kind of arthritis med such as disease altering meds? Those are the meds that help put the rheumatoid arthritis arthritis into remission.

Those NSAID can be very hard on the stomach. As they can help with the pain symptoms, they are anti-inflammatory. I can not take them due to being on anticoagulant ant anti platelet meds, and the danger of bleeding.

If I have a flare up with joint pain, my rheumatologist sometimes prescribe some steroid in the form of a Medrol dose Pack, which is a 6 days treatment. With this med, I get relief, and feel better. But one has to be careful and not use it often, only when absolutely necessary, due to side effect in long term such as boneless (osteoporosis) and many others.

I hope you found a good rheumatologist.