I have not heard of anyone being hospitalized for an acute flare. Your symtoms indicate that you are having a severe flare. I hope you are able to receive the medication that works for you. GOOD LUCK!!!!

I don't seem to get majors flares (just sink into oblivion where my brain and body don't work anymore and I am soooooo tireeeeeed.

However - there are some things that may help aside from the NSAIDS.  Although diet will not cure RA, some people find that a diet heading toward vegetarian (do what you can, this is not a rule book) helps.  In particular, red meat and smoking increase RA risk, and meat in general can increase pain.  Clinical studies have shown that eating more veggies and less meat can decrease pain.  Why?  I don't know.   On the other hand, some folks find that diary products make them worse;  some people find the gluten makes them worse.  It can be a very individual thing.  For me, dairy & gluten don't seem really to be a problem (but I don't eat cheese, and mostly gave up red meat for the aforementioned reason anyway...even before I knew I had RA.

       There are some OTC antiinflammatories - I don't think they will cut it with a bad flare, but I will mention them:  Zyflammend can be found in natural food stores.   you can also get antiinflammatory spices in capsules (or do your own, or just use them in food:   in particular, TURMERIC is actually being investigated for clinical use. (That's what makes mustard yellow, and it's in Indonesian rice recipes.  I actually put it on oatmeal a couple of times - wasn't too bad! - and made some rice & veggies using ginger and/or turmeric.  Turmeric has properties similar to Ibuprofen (but I can't tolerate ibuprofen since a decade ago). 

     There is also a product called YUCCA AR (for "Arthritis Relief") that I have tried and found helpful.  A friend of mine actually got off disability after 12 years, using this product. It's available in health food stores and also on the internet, and it a blend of 10 or 12 herbs, such as burdock, hydrangea (also being clinically investigated).  It DOES work (for me), but I can't take it indefinitely, again due to my stomach issues (and maybe the same for you if you may have ulcers).  I don't get ulcers but I do get bad reflux.  

     Well, there are a couple of things to think about. Even just making food I find a healing process (except of course when my wrists were so bad it hurt to much to do it.  So I bought an inexpensive veggie chopper/grater.  I think it was Black & Decker and cost around $10-12.  Works great!

     Vegetables don't have to be fancy to taste good and be healthy.  Even steamed carrots, or brown rice with chopped carrots, celery, onion (another antiinflammatory herb), garlic.  Sesame oil is nice to use with, or in place of olive oil, to add more background flavor if you can't use tomatoes as a base (tomato sauce is a no-no for me.) Which brings up the other food group that can cause people to flare: the nightshade family: potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant and green peppers.  Again, different for different folks.  I can eat potatoes and raw tomatoes, but not cooked/sauce (more acidic).  I don't particularly care for eggplant.  I used to eat green peppers like they were going out of style, but now they will make my hands flare up for a few hours.  I read of a man who was cured of his knee RA problems by giving up potatoes. 

    So - experiment and see if any of these things might help.  Even your favorite foods might be sabotaging you...hopefully not, but one never knows until you try!