Just a little conversion disorder...I have been sickly my whole life. By the age of 8, I was labeled an "attention seeker." I became a nurse and worked in that field for 30 years...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
I'm not convinced......After a year of diagnostic testing, I was finally diagnosed with seronegative rheumatoid arthritis. I was first referred to a rheumatologist after my hands and one elbow were swollen for...Reactions0reactionsComments2 repliesNewly Diagnosed
New drug? Has anyone experienced Tofacitinib/Xeljanz?...Hi all, I'm new here having started treatment for RA in the last 6 months (man, it feels good to finally have a diagnosis and start DOING something! :). I...Reactions0reactionsComments19 repliesTreatment
Day and Night...It struck me recently how much different RA is during the day versus at night for me. I wonder if this true for others of just one of those quirky...Reactions0reactionsComments16 comments
IT ALL BEGAN WITH A MIGRAINE......I was 36 weeks pregnant with my second son when I experienced the most excruciating migraine, beyond anything I’d ever experienced before. My husband, a pilot, was typically away on...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
The Great Coffee Debate..."I Don't Drink Coffee. Should I Start?" is the headline of an article I just read in The New York Times' "Health" section, written by a non-coffee drinker who is...Reactions0reactionsComments24 comments
Diagnosed at 17...I was diagnosed in the fall of 2014. I had joked with my girlfriend at the time, when I would be sore or have pain, that it was arthritis. Little...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
One Painful Step at a Time...Walking. Such an important and necessary part of our lives. We need to do it just to function. Not to mention the joy that it brings or the part it...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Info required for DIY house maintenance tools...Good Morning Folks My father seems to be developing symptoms associated with arthritis and is increasingly finding it difficult to handle general household maintenance tools such as : screw drivers...Reactions0reactionsComments2 replies
Surgery Prep...I had my colonoscopy on Friday and have surgery coming up the end of March/first of April. The nurse who put my IV in insisted on using my right hand...Reactions0reactionsComments5 repliesTreatment
Chronic forgetting...I have heard many people say that after having a child, women will “forget” the intense pain of child birth. Maybe this is an evolutionary adaptation so that women will...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Recently diagnosed...I'm 23 years old and was recently diagnosed with RA. It all started one morning when I woke up and my pinky was inflamed and hard to bend,I thought it...Reactions0reactionsComments6 comments
Your Incredible Shrinking Wren...I'm a slightly smaller wee bird these days. In January, I challenged myself to get serious about dropping some excess weight. The reasons are righteous (and, let’s face it, unavoidable). First...Reactions0reactionsComments7 comments
Illness from a Child’s Perspective...When I was a child, it was difficult to understand my illness. All I could comprehend was that I didn’t feel well and had to take medications and do therapies...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Arthritis pain...I am experiencing pain affecting the back, hip and outer side of the leg. The MRI showed that the pain was caused by the compression of spinal nerve root in...Reactions0reactionsComments2 repliesTreatment
Attitude is everything...Handling RA on a day to day basis requires a lot of tools. From my perspective one of the most important and perhaps less tangible ones is attitude. For me...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Pain in my right hip...I have had pain in my right hip, in the center of my right buttock for a little over 4 years now. I cannot sleep on one side and notice...Reactions0reactionsComments7 repliesTreatment
The Tao of Kitty...I have been fortunate to have cats since I can remember. Our first cat when I was a little girl was black and white, lived outside, and was aptly named...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Pinky...Have had RA for five years, seems longer than that. Also have psoriatic arthritis and OA. Starting my third Biologic, Actemra. Also taking Methotrexate 25 mg injectable once weekly, Prednisone...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Understanding the Application Process for Social Security Disability Benefits...Applying for Social Security Disability Benefits The Social Security Administration is a branch of the United States federal government that provides disability benefits to individuals who cannot work due to...Reactions0reactionsComments7 comments
