Why Wasn’t I Chosen for a Clinical Trial?...In any clinical trial, participants must meet certain criteria to be eligible to participate. There are two commonly used terms when describing clinical trial eligibility, and those are “inclusion criteria”...reactionscomments
Eating the Elephant...Rheumatoid disease (arthritis) is sometimes overwhelming. The frequent pain, fatigue, niggling low-grade fevers, and feeling ill and foggy are a lot for anyone to cope with. Add it to all...reactions11comments
To Exercise, or Not to Exercise...Every morning I wake up and dread the first movements of the day. I hate waking up and I’m the worst at it (just ask my amazingly-patient husband). I don’t...reactions6comments
You know you have a chronic illness when:...1. The people at your regular chemist remember your name. So they should, you visit them frequently. If, by chance, you have to visit a different chemist to fill a...reactions4comments
Attention Please!...I'm new here and I've felt a kinship from reading everyone's posts! I'm the only one in my family who has RA, and it seems the only one who knows...reactions3comments
Is this really happening...I'm a 20yr old diagnosed with RA beginning of this year. I was always sick with something when I was at college never thought much of it. But when you...reactions1comment
Wake Up Reminder...I received shocking news recently that I'm still trying to digest and accept. A family friend--a 61 year-old wife, mother, and grandmother--was found lying dead on her kitchen floor. When...reactions1comment
Chin up - toughen it out, but with balance!...Hello. I am new at posting here, but been lurking for a while. Just figured I'd share some of my story. I'm 28, most likely had RA since I was...reactions1comment
Weightlifting...I am not a bodybuilder, but I have been weightlifting since 1990. RA has interfered with this pursuit, since my hands hurt my hands and shoulders hurt. Hopefully, I will...reactions21repliesExercise
Holidays on Ice...The summer after I completed my master’s degree, I decided to celebrate by seeing the world and improving my Spanish via a couple of months spent in South America. Planning...reactionscomments
Enbrel...I was diagnosed with RA in 1991. When Enbrel received its' FDA approval I was one of the first patients in CA to receive the medication. Not only did it...reactions14repliesTreatment
Diet & RA...Hi all, I'm new here. I'm 32 and was just diagnosed with RA 2 weeks ago! So far I haven't tried any medications because my rheumatologist is having me try...reactions4replies
Ankle replacement...I was diagnosed in 1990 with RA. After running the gamut of what meds would work for me, the doc decided one of them that I needed was prednisone ...reactions2repliesTreatment
Is Enbrel The Solution?...Hi everyone, I joined rheumatoidarthritis.net very recently. I hope to have some useful exchange of knowledge and experience with you as a RA patient. I am 61 years of age...reactions28comments
Breastfeeding With RA...I have long understood the benefits of breastfeeding. My mother was the leader of the local La Leche League chapter, so she touted the positive impacts of breastfeeding, in addition...reactionscomments
Plaquenil, not sure what to Expect?!...My Rheumy put me on Prednisone for 5 days (since my blood tests were mostly mid level, not high) to see how it affected my pain and swelling. It worked...reactions10repliesNewly Diagnosed
What is it like to live without this?...My toes hurt. But unlike that residual pain from a propelled stubbing, it wouldn't go away. I was sixteen years old and not terribly concerned about my immune system laying...reactions1comment
Shut the front door!...I have always lived with the credo that as one door closes another one opens. This has proven true on so many levels throughout my journey with RA. For instance...reactions3comments
Newbie...I'm new to the group. Thanks for adding me I'm 38 newly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis got appointment in few weeks for long term treatment I'm on steroids and oramorph...reactions3comments
How to Embrace the Power of the Clinical Trial on International Clinical Trials Day and Beyond...When we pick up our prescriptions from the pharmacy, most of us do not think about where these drugs come from. Yet every pill or medical intervention – from cold...reactionscomments
