Being A Newbie a 75
I am a newbie. I was only diagnosed a year ago this coming Thursday. My Rheumatologist called it inflammatory arthritis. I was totally surprised because l went to my Rheumatologist because l thought l had Sjogren’s . She finally called it Synovial RA when she ordered her every three month CMP and CBC I don’t have a lot of pain. The only deformities that l have is a knot on my right elbow which l discovered on Christmas Day. I am just trying to learn about RA and why at 75 l was just diagnosed. And why l have very little pain and deformity. Has anyone else been diagnosed later in life?
Hello,
! I'm so glad that you reached out here. I am sorry to hear about your relatively new diagnosis, especially as it came as such a surprise for you. We have community members who have been diagnosed at every age and stage of life, so hopefully some of those who have been diagnosed later in life can chime in on your post here and share their experiences with you. Unfortunately, RA can hit at any age. I will admit, people often end up with a diagnosis after having pain, so I'm happy for you that you are not experiencing a lot of pain at the moment. That being said, even with mild pain, RA can impact the body negatively, so it is good that you've been able to get your diagnosis to hopefully avoid any further damage to your joints and body.
You mention your doctor saying it is "Synovial RA" so I wanted to share a link to an article about the synovium and RA, https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/symptoms/ankle-swelling-inflammation. Was her diagnosis based on blood tests or imaging that was done? Also, here is some information on various types of treatments for RA, in case you're interested, https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/treatment. Is your doctor encouraging you to treat your RA? And finally, many people with RA also have Sjögren’s (although one certainly can have one condition without the other), so I wanted to share one last article with you here, https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/medical-conditions-occurring-along-with-ra/secondary-sjogrens-syndrome.
I'm so glad that you've reached out here, and I hope you get some helpful feedback from the community. Please don't hesitate to reach out here any time! -- Warmly, Christine (Team Member)
Hi
Thank you for taking the time to write in. I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I have the opposite problem (as I was diagnosed way younger). But I thought you may find it helpful to connect with another community member who posted in the forums here about being diagnosed later in life. Some people replied to this and it may be of interest to reach out to them as well, to see how they're managing, coping etc. Hope this helps and don't hesitate to reach out again if you need anything. Wishing you all the best! -Effie, team member
https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/forums/diagnosed-later-in-age
