Living

Here at RheumatoidArthritis.net, our community members and the stories they share in our forums are invaluable sources of connection, knowledge, and support for all, no matter where they are in...

Read the first part of this article here. As a child, my juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (now called juvenile idiopathic arthritis, or JIA) was extremely aggressive. Starting with my left knee...

I have come to understand that asking for help of any kind for those of us with RA is 1) not easy, as many of us are type A personalities...

In hindsight, it was blissful. I have had a few months of really low joint swelling, and every day when I was walking my dog I couldn’t help grinning wide...

An open letter to my younger self, before I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis: Dear Amanda, There's so much I want to tell you about, but I'm going to start...

“Yes, but...” These 2 small words seem inconsequential, but for anyone living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and chronic illness, they are part of one of the most important phrases you...

A life on the go might seem like it doesn't work with having rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and taking Humira. However, though it might seem odd, that's not the case —...

In January 2023, I went through extensive testing for ongoing left hip pain. I had been in pain with my left hip since July of 2022. Honestly, I thought it...

Many times, if you ask someone with rheumatoid arthritis, or really any chronic illness, what it feels like to live with this wretched disease, they will tell you some version...

When I moved out of my childhood home to go to college, I was thinking about the adventures of my new life. I was excited and terrified. It was a...

If you have RA, you likely have experienced some pain in your feet. For me, RA foot pain was actually one of the first places that I did indeed feel...

You know, we talk a lot about relationships and chronic illness, and how easily RA can make them more complicated and even ruin them. It happens — there’s no point...

After 45 years of marriage, working for almost as long, and raising 3 sons, my husband and I are now retired and finally able to do the traveling we have...

I did something a little crazy, but it made sense to me: I changed my biologic. My previous one was working great. I had no adverse reactions, and I liked...

I’ve been way too fatigued lately. Too tired. It feels that I have to exert so much more effort to accomplish the things that people my age can do with...

I previously wrote about my insecurities, anxiety, and fears of diving back into job searching. My journey into a new career path continues after I shared my feelings. The next...

Let me tell you — I’ve had a time-and-a-half with this uterus. As I detailed in my previous article, in a last-ditch effort, we tried an IUD to control my...

I have been lucky thus far. The pain pill issues and the war this country is waging on pain patients has only touched me somewhat — with pill shortages here...

Living with a chronic illness can be a challenging and isolating journey. The physical and emotional toll that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can have on people living with it can often...

When I was first diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), I was so grateful to have an actual diagnosis and answer to my most painful symptoms that I didn’t stop to...