The Importance of Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness
*GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED* Why is RA awareness important to you? What should others know about rheumatoid arthritis? By participating in this forum, you will be entering to win a $100 gift card to Vionic Shoes! Full giveaway details can be found here and you can read our Terms and Conditions here.
Im 31 years old and was born with rheumatoid arthritis. It’s so hard growing up with an incurable chronic disease. It’s very misunderstood and people who don’t have it just don’t get it. This is why I spread awareness and education so others can start to understand what it’s like for those of us that have arthritis. It’s not just an old person’s disease, kids get arthritis too.
Good Morning
! Thank you so much for posting on what is important to you regarding RA awareness. I could not agree more about educating and bringing awareness to others about how the weather can effect RA. Thank you for being an advocate for RA. You might have already read this wonderful article by one of our RheumatoidArthritis.net Team members. It is entitled, "Whether the Weather" I have attached a link to the article. This would be a great article to share with some of those people in your life who might not understand how the weather effects you.
https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/whether-the-weather/
Please continue to reach out to your RheumatoidArthritis.net Family. We look forward to hearing from you. ~Just Keep Swimming, Lynn Marie "Rheumatoid Arthritis.net Team Member"
Thank you! 👍🏻🙂❤️❤️
Hi
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Thank you for educating others and bringing awareness to what others, on what Rheumatoid Arthritis is. As you are well aware RA can effect anyone, any ethnicity, at any age.I did not receive a diagnosis of RA until I was in my twenties, however I often cringe when people said, "you are too young to have RA." People really do mean well, they are just misinformed. Thanks for doing your part to help others understand this complex disease and its many impacts. Good luck in the contest.
We appreciate your posts. You are part of our RheumatoidArthritis.net family and we would love to hear back from you with any questions, concerns, or just an update on how you are doing. We are here for you!!
Just Keep Swimming,
Lynn Marie (RheumatoidArthritis.net)I am 50 years old. I was diagnosed with RA six years ago.
Adapting to a life with chronic illness has been difficult but I do my best to stay active and upbeat as much as possible.
There is always pain but for me personally, I find the fatigue and brain fog to be most bothersome. When brain fog hits at work it’s difficult to explain that I’m really not an airhead!
It seems like when most people hear the word “arthritis” they assume that RA is just a few aches and pains that can be cured with yoga or Tylenol.
Awareness is important because it leads to funding and funding leads to better medicine and hopefully one day a cure. Also, the more people know about our disease, the less we have to explain ourselves or feel guilty for feeling unwell yet again, or pretend we’re fine when we’re not feeling fine. I think it’s very important that people know that even though it’s an invisible illness, it’s a life long serious disease.Hello! Thank you for sharing your viewpoint on the Importance of Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness. So true that educating others leads to awareness which can lead to increased funding and research.
Brain Fog and fatigue are big issues with RA. Brain Fog definitely has effected me. I have been living with RA for 16 years. About a year ago I read this book called, The Brain Fog Fix by Dr. Mike Dow. I have provided a link to the book synopsishttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24886256-the-brain-fog-fix
I am not endorsing this book and I do not get paid for mentioning this book. It is a tool I used to help me understand what Brain Fog was. In my own life I have implemented parts of the plan the books author laid out. I did find it helpful. Like any resource there were pro and cons to the book. Overall, I felt it helped me understand more about what Brain Fog is and the fatigue associated with it. Note, when I was reading this book I was suffering from severe Brain Fog. I actually listened to this book as an audio book and did so free through my public library account. Thanks again for sharing and we are excited that you choose to post with our RheumatoidArthritis.net family. Just Keep Swimming.... Lynn Marie "RheumatoidArthritis.Net Team Member"
RA awareness is an important first step to acceptance and meaningful change in our culture, medical enviroment and workplaces. I was diagnosed at 29 and have been on the receiving end of a number of "old" jokes in the last four years...well, they get old.
I wish more people understood why I'm often in comfy clothes and flat shoes. I'm not "lucky" for staying home in bed. I'm not "lazy" for modifying my work.
Hello! Thank you for your words. You are right no one asks for this disease, I call RA my uninvited house guest. We definitely are not lucky if we have to stay in bed during the day. You are so right, Awareness, Education, and Advocation are key for a culture shift. Thank you for being the warrior and advocate that you are. Every day I say to myself if I can educate and bring awareness to one person, then it's a good day. It is through that one person, who then tells another and another, that we will bring attention to what RA is and what it means to live with RA. We encourage you to continue to post questions, concerns and updates on how you are doing. Just Keep Swimming! Lynn Marie, "RheumatoidArthritis.net Team Member"
