R. A. Poetry...R.A What is R.A.? What is it to you? What is my pain that only I work through? It is sadness. It is alone. It is my hands twisted like...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Seeing who really cares...Like many others, I'm glad I was diagnosed with RA in my early 40s, I believe I was 41. I already had fibromyalgia, I believe longer than what I knew...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Vitamin D3...The topic of Vit. D3 came up today in a discussion between myself and several other women. I take 5000mg of Vit D3 everyday. I have RA, I also have...Reactions0reactionsComments1 replies
Hand Surgery...I am contemplating having my left thumb and wrist operated on due to Osteo-arthritis. I also have RA, but the damage to my left hand (in addition to carpal tunnel)is...Reactions0reactionsComments28 repliesTreatment
Surgery May be Part of Your Battle With RA...A sixth RA-related surgery is scheduled for a few weeks. The goal is to remove damaged bone and tendon in the elbow and to reattach tendons to the joint using...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
Understanding Clinical Trials...A clinical trial is a research study that is conducted to determine whether a specific medical intervention, such as a treatment, device, procedure, or change in behavior is safe and...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Painkiller Injection Gets FDA Approval...An article on Reuters caught my eye the other day about a new painkiller injection getting approved by the FDA: Hospira's non-opioid painkiller gets FDA approval. With the federal government...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Coping with a Flare...Woke up this morning and a flare hit me like a brick. I tried to go to work today but couldn't even manage to dress myself. Life is getting harder...Reactions0reactionsComments11 repliesSymptoms
All This from A Spider Bite...Three years ago while working in our yard I was bitten by a common spider. Little did I know what was in store for me. First were the huge bumps...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Contemplating Goals for 2015...During 2014 I made some good progress on my health goals, starting with gaining strength and improving my walking. In the spring I started Enbrel and my CRP (a blood...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Tired...My grandmother had sever RA and passed when I was 13. She was bed ridden For those 13 years with it. I started experience fatigue and joint pain at 13...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Fighting the ra fight...I have been fighting RA for 20 years. I was in my early 30's when I was put on methotrexate. I am 56 and now on xeljanz, and piroxicam. I...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Starting ACTEMRA...Hello all! So I'm starting a new biologic this month--the first time in a long time. I've been on Remicade continuously for the last eight years. My doctor and I...Reactions0reactionsComments4 repliesTreatment
These Boots Are Made for Walkin’, Aren’t They?...A Barbie doll’s feet are made for female fashion footwear. Ironically, the human foot is not. Yet, in spite of the foot and back problems that plague many women, it...Reactions0reactionsComments8 comments
Flare in Ankles...Hello all, I am experiencing a flare that causes pain in the inside and outside of ankles and down the sides of feet. There's not much swelling. It is a...Reactions0reactionsComments4 replies
Confusing symptoms...I have read that there are very few lupus/ra patients and understand that some symptoms are very general and could characterize the majority of different autoimmune connective tissue diseases, but...Reactions0reactionsComments2 repliesSymptoms
New Year's Intentions...The other day I was going through the overflowing myriad of stuff in my e-mail inbox and I paused to look at an e-mail I received from a yoga studio...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
The very confusing world of autoimmune diseases...I am a 44 year old RN...I have not been told that I have RA by a Rheumatologist, but my positive RA factor and symptoms and my primary MD all...Reactions0reactionsComments9 comments
Only as Strong as My Weakest Joint...I’m gripping the walker tightly, listening to my heartbeat thumping. My thoughts are racing, but I grab onto one: “I will make it down this hallway.” The only problem is...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Never seeming to get anywhere...Hello, I was ms-diagnosed for so many years that when I finally did get the right diagnosis, it was bad. I was told that I have the more aggressive form...Reactions0reactionsComments2 repliesTreatment
