My story is so close to Judy’s…other that the hiking you would like I wrote it myself. This site is so refreshing. To know you are not an odd ball is comforting. RA changes so many lives, yet we find the faith and strength from within and from above to carry on.
To Stephanie,
I think we all have felt ,(or been made to feel) like whiners at some point! Every case is different, but don’t “convince yourself” out of getting treatment! There are other effects R.A. can have–some even scarier than pain, like heart and lung involvement. I am only recently diagnosed myself, though I have been trying to get someone to test me for years, and many, MANY times I was made to feel like I must be crazy! I am just so happy to have found this site!
I have read many pages of the onset stories and have submitted my own story. I have had RA for 16 years, have had 3 good rheumies 1 was superb., was originally misdiagnosed by my gp (tendonitis!) and like many of you walk a tightrope trying to balance the meds vs quality of life. I listen to my rheumy, and he to me and I take the meds prescribed for me! He’s been to med school, I haven’t nor have any of my friends, relatives or colleagues who are so quick to give advice and give their opinion. Examples: my mother and son, you’ve got to get off prednisone, it’s so bad for you. Me, it makes me feel better even tho I get so hungry I could gnaw my own arm off. Besides I’d take cyanide if it would get rid of this hot red tomato that grows on my hand during a flare! Methotrexate! Isn’t that chemo? Yes and it really helps me. Son: I heard about a new drug infusion, orencia. Why don’t you try that? Me: I was in a study for 5 years for
Orencia to help bring it on the market and I’ve been taking it off and on for the last 4 years. The fatigue: when I mentioned to a friend that I was very tired, she replied oh, you’ve been tired for years! Ah yes, 16 to be exact. Another dear friend: I just don’t think you push yourself enough. Me: really! I worked fr om 97, when I was first diagnosed to June of 2010, when I finally retired, 6 days shy of my 71st birthday. And I had an intense job which I loved. But my body was betraying me; the disease was now affecting my eyes, lungs, muscles, back, skin, nerves and when I looked in the mirror, an old lady looked back at me. My son said,mom, you were always a hottie and a smartie. What happened? I replied, I got old and I got RA.
My name is Sheila I am 61 and was recently diagnosed with RA. My joint pain started in my feet and ankles the pain is so bad in my heels that I have to stay off my feet on Sunday to be able to work on Monday! I don’t know how much longer I can continue to work.looks like early retirement.
My story is so close to Judy’s…other that the hiking you would like I wrote it myself. This site is so refreshing. To know you are not an odd ball is comforting. RA changes so many lives, yet we find the faith and strength from within and from above to carry on.
To Stephanie,
I think we all have felt ,(or been made to feel) like whiners at some point! Every case is different, but don’t “convince yourself” out of getting treatment! There are other effects R.A. can have–some even scarier than pain, like heart and lung involvement. I am only recently diagnosed myself, though I have been trying to get someone to test me for years, and many, MANY times I was made to feel like I must be crazy! I am just so happy to have found this site!
I have read many pages of the onset stories and have submitted my own story. I have had RA for 16 years, have had 3 good rheumies 1 was superb., was originally misdiagnosed by my gp (tendonitis!) and like many of you walk a tightrope trying to balance the meds vs quality of life. I listen to my rheumy, and he to me and I take the meds prescribed for me! He’s been to med school, I haven’t nor have any of my friends, relatives or colleagues who are so quick to give advice and give their opinion. Examples: my mother and son, you’ve got to get off prednisone, it’s so bad for you. Me, it makes me feel better even tho I get so hungry I could gnaw my own arm off. Besides I’d take cyanide if it would get rid of this hot red tomato that grows on my hand during a flare! Methotrexate! Isn’t that chemo? Yes and it really helps me. Son: I heard about a new drug infusion, orencia. Why don’t you try that? Me: I was in a study for 5 years for
Orencia to help bring it on the market and I’ve been taking it off and on for the last 4 years. The fatigue: when I mentioned to a friend that I was very tired, she replied oh, you’ve been tired for years! Ah yes, 16 to be exact. Another dear friend: I just don’t think you push yourself enough. Me: really! I worked fr om 97, when I was first diagnosed to June of 2010, when I finally retired, 6 days shy of my 71st birthday. And I had an intense job which I loved. But my body was betraying me; the disease was now affecting my eyes, lungs, muscles, back, skin, nerves and when I looked in the mirror, an old lady looked back at me. My son said,mom, you were always a hottie and a smartie. What happened? I replied, I got old and I got RA.
My name is Sheila I am 61 and was recently diagnosed with RA. My joint pain started in my feet and ankles the pain is so bad in my heels that I have to stay off my feet on Sunday to be able to work on Monday! I don’t know how much longer I can continue to work.looks like early retirement.