When I blogged about this in August, here is what I said:

“Well, the past three weeks have proven that the methotrexate really DOES help keep my RA under control.  That's the good news.

Now I just wonder how long it will take before my feet will stop feeling like they will break, my hips/knees will move smoothly again, and my knuckles will stop their slow swelling.  I hope that it works as quickly as it works well.

Besides the pain increasing, my brain is foggy.  I'm TIRED and have slept each afternoon for a couple of hours.  As a result, I haven't done my normal amount of writing/researching.  I'm slacking, I tell ya.”

Getting back to my meds proved to be effective.  It wasn’t immediate, but the pain and swelling did recede.  My body returned to ‘normal’ after a couple of weeks and I was able to move on. But I wonder about this type of transient flare-up and I wonder about the remission which only sustains while continuing medication. 

Is it a true remission?

I don’t know the honest answer to that question and will ask my rheumatologist during our next visit.  What I do know is that the fear of RA coming back full force is real.  Thankfully, my experience was a temporary one.  Not everyone is so fortunate.

What about you?  Have you experienced a temporary flare-up as a result of stopping your meds for a brief period of time?  How long did it last?  Did getting back on your medication make the flare die down quickly?

Lisa Emrich is author of the blog Brass and Ivory: Life with MS and RA and founder of the Carnival of MS Bloggers.