Amplifying Black Advocate Voices: How Bias Has Affected My Patient Journey...Being diagnosed with an autoimmune condition like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can take years. Many people report their early symptoms were dismissed by doctors or they were misdiagnosed. This delays treatment...reactionscomments
New Insurance, New Troubles?...I recently got a full-time job as an Assistant Director with an office of research down in Florida. This was such a great opportunity, and I’m incredibly excited to begin...reactions2comments
Tech Assistance at School...In my last article, I described some of the helpful physical accommodations I use at school. In this article, I will detail the technological assistance accommodations I use for class!...reactions2comments
Diagnosed w/ RA and Fibromyalgia. Ideas to Cope?...I have been diagnosed with severe RA and Fibromyalgia. I’m am currently doing Humira injections twice a month. My question is, how do I tell the difference between fibromyalgia pain...reactions2repliesCoping
Janeil Whitworth...Janeil Whitworth is a 30-year-old Cleveland, OH native living with cystic fibrosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Diagnosed at the age of four with CF, Janeil enjoyed a relatively healthy childhood until...
Now's the Time to Make a Better Bed for Pain Relief - Mattresses...Sleep should be a time for the body to heal. Yet, poor sleep is linked to greater pain sensitivity. Unfortunately, people living with rheumatoid arthritis face this theft of sleep...reactions9comments
RA symptoms vs. normal pain?...I am newly diagnosed. It would be easy to attribute every uncomfortable moment to RA. I have attempted to determine cause and effects but find this difficult. How do we...reactions3repliesNewly DiagnosedSymptoms
Has anyone had luck with acupuncture?...I'm an advocate for blood cancer and skin cancer and came over here to look around because my sister has had RA in her toes, for about a year, and...reactions1replyTreatment
Juggling RA in the Covid Era...Sometimes you have a bad month. Or two. You don’t get to choose. You don’t get to postpone. You just have to juggle your way through. In mid-December, when my...reactions4comments
The Long and Winding Road of RA...It never ceases to amaze me, even after nearly 25 years since my diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, how circuitous the RA journey remains. Just when I think I have a...reactions12comments
Not old age...I played a lot of sports in my younger years and worked 3 jobs to support my children. As I hit my forties everything started hurting. Old they said! 2014...reactions3comments
More Than Just a Little Brain Fog...I’ve written about my experiences with brain fog multiple times. You know, the fuzzy feeling, the memory loss, and the brain fatigue? Brain fog is that annoying third wheel companion...reactions22comments
My Tool Kit: Over-the-Counter Support for Managing My RA...Joint pain, swelling, redness, and stiffness have plagued me for a long time. From high SED rates to waking up during the night screaming in pain as a child, I’ve...reactions47comments
Eyes and Vision...It is common for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to affect the eyes. Studies have found that 30 to 40 percent of people with RA will develop some eye problems related to...
Nerve Symptoms...Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) complications may affect the nervous system. Nerve symptoms caused by RA can occur from:RA treatments may also impact the nervous system. Nerve symptoms are common in RA...
Fractures and Bone Loss...Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease where the body attacks healthy tissue of the joints, cartilage, bone, and organs. Studies have found an increased risk of osteoporosis in those...
Started out as JRA, still going as RA...When I was about a year and a half in 1981, my left knee started to swell and stiffen. Since my family and I lived in a third world country...reactions8comments
Inflammation...The job of your immune system is to fight germs and diseases. When infection, injury, or illness begins to damage the body, your immune system fights back by sending healing...
Fatigue & Weakness...Fatigue is overwhelming tiredness, extreme lack of energy, and weakness over time. When you are fatigued, you feel exhausted and tired. Fatigue can impact your quality of life, making even...
The Emotional Toll of RA...Living with a chronic (long-term) and painful condition such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can take a toll on your emotions. Studies have shown that people with RA are at high...
