Living

For me, fatigue is one of the most difficult things about rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It isn’t a symptom, it isn’t a side effect, it doesn’t have a treatment and there...

When people ask how I am, I often say, "I’m managing." Acquaintances will say, "Great," and move along. Friends will say, "Managing well or just barely?" These are the golden...

Invisible Disabilities Week is recognized every year during the third week of October. In recognition of this year's Invisible Disabilities Week held from October 17-23, RheumatoidArthritis.net presents a guest post...

The reluctantly annoying patient. We all know them – they live inside us and only begrudgingly make an appearance when all other avenues have been exhausted. It recently happened to...

A few months ago, my ability to put my head in the sand about my osteoporosis came to a grinding halt. I fell and broke my hip in a classic...

A little more than 5 years ago, I changed jobs with the hope that it would be my last full-time position (fingers crossed — change happens unexpectedly). I moved to...

This morning while walking, an acquaintance and I stopped to talk. How often have we said, "Everything is alright" when we are suffering from difficulties of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)? I...

In recent years, I’ve experienced it — disappearing health professionals. One minute they are all in: "Yes, we got this. We know you have additional challenges, but we are in...

Official Rules, Terms and Conditions for the OXO Good Grips Container Gift Card Giveaway NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING...

I have been "lucky" enough to struggle with multiple health conditions over the years, 2 of which have affected me since childhood. Insomnia - or struggling to sleep - is...

I recognize the irony in actually writing this question here - this is a forum to read articles and engage in conversations about having rheumatoid arthritis (RA). But something I've...

I'm just getting back from a beach vacation in Jekyll Island, GA. It's about 3 and a half hours away from where I live in north Florida. While I had...

There are many wonderful long-haulers living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who share their valuable knowledge and experiences on this platform. However, I am not one of them. In fact, I...

Living organisms have an amazing ability to adapt to their environments. Humans, even more so, can adapt quickly based on a variety of factors. It only takes us weeks -...

It was 2011. I was 35 years old and walking through a store with my mom. The airflow and temperature in the store were normal. All of the sudden -...

I wake up feeling like I’d spent the last night on a bender with Keith Richards. My eyes are scratchy, my face is red, my mouth is dryer than the...

Guilt. It goes hand in hand with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and, really, all chronic illnesses. Why? It’s not like we asked the universe to please give us a nondescript illness...

When life is chaotic — you know, those days where you work long hours, meeting after meeting, and then come home, only to realize that there's another host of responsibilities...

Rheumatoid disease (RD)* can cause more than joint pain, destruction, and disability (as if that’s not enough!). It’s an autoimmune disease that causes the body’s immune system to attack the...

My pathway to a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis was lengthy. But, I felt so grateful to have reached a definitive answer - it meant that my doctor and I could begin...