The Three Parts of Chronic Illness FatigueFatigue. We've all experienced it; in fact, it's one of the hardest parts to deal with when you are living with RA and chronic illness. Why is it such a... By Daniel Malito1 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Body Exhaustion: A Pain in the Tail!I had a recent painful experience that I'm sure other individuals have also experienced--I'd like to corroborate this experience with my own experience. In august, graduate classes for my degree... By David Advent2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments26 comments
Meeting My New RheumatologistIn 2021, my rheumatologist, Dr. N, told me he was about to retire. Oh, I knew it was coming, but it was a difficult message to hear. Dr. N and... By L rick Phillips3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments13 comments
When Do You Throw in the Treatment Towel?At the start of my RA journey, I was unaware of how many different types of treatments were available to treat the pain, inflammation, and overactivity of the immune system... By Janeil Whitworth2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments23 comments
Questions That Linger after Half a Century of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis: When to Seek HelpI've now lived with the juvenile form of rheumatoid arthritis for over 50 years. I wish all that time meant that I had everything figured out, but unfortunately, just like... By Kat Elton3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments6 comments
How to Build Your Own RampI’ve always been a fan of ramps. When I was younger and could walk more, I liked them for being easier for me than stairs because I could walk them... By Kelly Mack3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments5 comments
Conversation of the WeekWe're continuing an initiative designed to connect you with our RA health leaders! Resuming in June 2023, each week a different RA Health Leader will lead a discussion in the... By Editorial Team2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments5 comments
Accessible RA ClothesOne aspect you might not hear discussed a lot when you have RA is how inaccessible clothes can be, especially when you experience joint damage from RA. You don't realize... By David Advent2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 comments
The Mask We Wear with RAI was looking through some old photos the other day of me from childhood. I was posed very proudly in an all-plastic, full-body Halloween costume. The costume came with a... By Lynn Marie Witt2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments38 comments
Voting with Rheumatoid ArthritisVoting is a fundamental American right, but it has special meaning for people with disabilities or health conditions. Until federal laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) were enacted... By Editorial Team4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Music Makes the Medicine Go DownWhen I was a kid growing up with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (now called juvenile idiopathic arthritis), I spent a lot of time in the car being driven to medical appointments... By Kelly Mack3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
Medical GaslightingI just read an interesting and very relatable article in The New York Times: "Feeling Dismissed? How to Spot 'Medical Gaslighting' and What to Do About It." In the article... By Angela Lundberg3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments37 comments
Accessible Alternative Short-term Pain Management OptionsYou need many options when you are battling varying degrees and types of pain on a daily basis. Whether it is stabbing, throbbing, on fire, or frozen, pain always comes... By Leanne Donaldson4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments1 comments
Accessible Alternative Long-term Pain Management OptionsThese alternative pain management options (often) take a longer time to see any noticeable changes in overall pain and fatigue levels. These aren’t my “go-to” options for immediate pain relief... By Leanne Donaldson3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments3 comments
4 Things You Don't Need to Apologize for With RABeing a newer member of the RA community (I just recently passed my 2-year diagnosis-versary), I have learned a lot about what it means to live with RA and the... By Janeil Whitworth2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments16 comments
What I Thought Was Eczema Turned Out to Be ShinglesEditor’s Note: This article was written by Patient Leader Cora Lyn Sears and originally appeared on our partner site AtopicDermatitis.net. She describes her experience of having shingles while living with... By Editorial Team3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
I Love and Hate My LifeRheumatoid arthritis has caused a real dichotomy in my life. It caused so much turmoil but also some wonderful things. More often than not, I want to curl up in... By Monica Y. Sengupta4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments17 comments
Emotionally Preparing for SurgerySurgery – a necessary part of living with RA, unfortunately, and a major event in a patient’s life. Since this is part 2 of a 2-part series on preparing for... By Daniel Malito4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments5 comments
Preparing For Surgery - A GuideSurgery. For many of us with rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic illnesses, surgery is as much a part of life as fatigue or blood tests or having to make a... By Daniel Malito4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
Oppression Days/DazeI’m coming to grips that some days are just not good ones. It’s not just the pain, fatigue, or joint limitations from rheumatoid arthritis, it’s the days when the fight... By Kelly Mack3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments14 comments