Heart Health and RA: A New and Unexpected PainIt's that time again: I've developed yet another pain and complication because of my RA. For those of you who have rheumatoid arthritis (RA), you know this feeling of dread...Reactions0reactionsComments33 comments
RA or Other? Distinguishing Symptoms and Self-AdvocatingI live with several comorbid conditions along with rheumatoid arthritis. Some of them have distinct symptoms, but many of them happen to cause similar responses in my body. Recently, I've...Reactions0reactionsComments54 comments
4 Treatment Hurdles and How to Overcome ThemTreating our rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can come in many forms. Some of us choose to manage it with traditional pharmaceutical medications, while others choose alternative methods such as functional medicine...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
The RA Fun Never Stops? Here We Go Again...Well, here we are again, on the roller coaster. Now, I know what you are thinking... "Who doesn’t love a roller coaster?" Well, I don’t. Real ones and emotional ones...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
A Weighted Blanket is an RA Must-HaveI have a dear friend whose love language translates to mysterious Amazon packages showing up at my doorstep. Sometimes the items are funny, such as a bizarre pair of lobster...Reactions0reactionsComments14 comments
Why I Look Forward to Infusion DayI recently had an infusion, something that happens 4 times a year for me. As I was getting settled in my chair, I realized I was happy to be there...Reactions0reactionsComments21 comments
Deconditioning and Reconditioning With RAI've lived with joint pain my whole life and was finally diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at the age of 30, which was 7 years ago. I take a biologic...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
My Journey With Community Acupuncture and RASince my diagnosis over 19 years ago, I have implemented a holistic approach in treating my rheumatoid arthritis (RA). I use of combination of Western medication, dietary changes, exercise, physical therapy...Reactions0reactionsComments22 comments
Stopping and Starting HumiraI recently went through a painful experience. I woke up one morning in incredible pain; my neck was almost locked up, I couldn't move my hand, and I felt just...Reactions0reactionsComments18 comments
Ask Our Health Leaders: Advice for the Newly DiagnosedWhat do you wish someone told you about managing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) when you were initially diagnosed? Most people living with RA would likely agree that there is a lot...Reactions0reactionsComments12 comments
Questions to Ask a New RheumatologistI've been lucky enough to have had care with the same rheumatologist for the last 8 years, covering my diagnostic odyssey, medication trials, and luckily, now, several years of remission from...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Getting Sick With RAI am not a good sick person. Now, this might seem bonkers considering I am a 3-decade alum of living with rheumatoid arthritis, but it’s true, and right now I...Reactions0reactionsComments24 comments
The Road to SurgeryMy goodness, this has become a legitimate saga. If you've read my recent articles about my reproductive issues, they ended on a cliffhanger: the total laparoscopic hysterectomy and salpingectomy that...Reactions0reactionsComments9 comments
Explaining My Rheumatoid ArthritisOver the years, talking about my rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and explaining it to others has changed as I have shifted my mindset and experienced the progression of the disease. I...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
How I Got Rid of My Methotrexate Mouth SoresAs a newbie to methotrexate (MXT) therapy, I don’t always know what to expect. I’ll admit I’m a little lost when trying to connect my symptoms to the side effects...Reactions0reactionsComments10 comments
What Now? New Year's Guilt and RAIt’s a new year, and always around this time people do that thing that is both hated, loved, anticipated, and dreaded all at once: the incomparable phenomenon called "New Year’s...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Misplaced Identity: Losing My Place in SocietyAs human beings, probably since the beginning of time, it’s natural to think about how we fit into the "larger" society in which we find ourselves. It’s often how we...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
RA Medical Bill Woes... AgainIf there is one unifying experience that almost everyone with RA (or any chronic illness) in the US has had — besides pain — it’s expensive medical bills. This is...Reactions0reactionsComments8 comments
New Year's Resolutions and Exercising With RAGuess what time it is? Yes, it's the New Year, and that means — you guessed it — the dreaded New Year’s resolutions. Every year, society bands together and conspires...Reactions0reactionsComments31 comments
A Lesson in Resiliency From My Emotional Support AnimalThe year 2023 brought me into my 19th year of living with rheumatoid arthritis. I feel like rheumatoid arthritis has really sharpened my resiliency skills. Living with RA has strengthened...Reactions0reactionsComments10 comments