Off the Spectrum...I never really knew where to place myself on the spectrum of rheumatoid arthritis. When I was a small child, I didn’t know anyone else with RA so I couldn’t...reactions4comments
Thrown into the Deep End: Concerns of a Novice Caregiver...After that painful, sleepless night in the fall of 2006, Lisa finally received a diagnosis. What caused the pain and discomfort in her extremities? It was rheumatoid arthritis. Although the...reactions7comments
Tamara Haag...Tamara was previously a health leader on RheumatoidArthritis.net. Diagnosed with RA in 2000 at the age of 22 (following years of precursors, symptoms and misdiagnoses), Tamara has been balancing the...
Before diagnosis joint issues...When I was young I seemed to always have a joint that hurt. My knees, wrists and ankles seemed to be injured very easily. I was diagnosed with TMJ also...reactions4repliesSymptoms
Flare ups...What are your flare up like? I have what I think are micro-flares. I'll get sudden, sharp, shooting pain in my fingers or toes. I also get aching major joints:...reactions7repliesSymptoms
Time for a biologic?...I was diagnosed with RA a few months ago and have been on methotrexate since with minimal result. My Dr. has broached the subject of Humira a couple of times...reactions2repliesTreatment
Rheumatologist Finally Concurs!...This past Wednesday after much pain and misunderstanding plus misdiagnoses I was told, "we've been treating you for gout and apparently we've been treating you for the wrong thing." The...reactions3repliesNewly Diagnosed
The Importance of Medical Alert Bracelets And RA...I first considered getting a medical alert bracelet when I began teaching undergraduate students. While I knew that they would be able to call 911 if I ever had a...reactionscomments
What’s All the Noise About? Joint Sounds and RA...When battling rheumatoid arthritis, staying in one position for long is not feasible as joints become stiff and uncomfortable. After a few minutes the urge to stretch hits. When doing...reactions5comments
Traveling and Vaccines Shouldn’t Go Hand In Hand...Few people understand what it's like for someone with RA and fibromyalgia to go through security at the airport a day after having the pneumonia 13 vaccine. I wasn't able...reactions6comments
The RA Pregnancy Chronicles: Balancing Acts & Difficult Decisions...The RA Pregnancy Chronicles is a series of posts that share my experiences being pregnant while living with RA. This post was written during Week 30 of my second pregnancy.Life...reactions4comments
RA and Herpes...I don’t believe in coincidence. Karma, yes. Fate, yes. Coincidence, no. This is especially true in medicine. If you are trapped for hours in an airplane full of hacking, sneezing...reactions7comments
First, Second, 20th Opinions...Okay, I admit, I haven't had 20 opinions on my stubborn right ankle, but I'm guessing that I'm getting close to it. I'm in North Carolina right now because I...reactions15comments
Lady from UK...Hi, I'm a 63 year old mum of 5 and grandma of 7, from the UK. I was diagnosed with sero-negative RA in 1987, when I was 36. My youngest...reactions1comment
RA Fatigue Is Complex, Poorly Understood, and Not Treated...Hardly a day goes by on the rheumatoid arthritis Facebook site that a person doesn’t mention their persistent battle with fatigue. It’s one of the most frustrating symptoms of RA...reactions68comments
Infections and staying positive...For the last 3 weeks I have been dealing with infections. UTI which I believe has not totally clear up. I should get the results on Monday. Now a sinus...reactions4replies
Water (pool) has given me a better quality of life!...Being diagnosed over 20 yrs. ago-I remember friends suggesting a variety of "cures" ( they were well meaning) but it wasn't until a friend brought me to the local indoor...reactions1comment
Massage Therapy...When I was first diagnosed with RA and put on methotrexate I was suffering in pain until we got the right combination of medicines going. I remember getting a manicure...reactions1comment
Can You Have It All With RA?...Recently there’s been a lot of talk about whether women can have careers AND families, and be good at both. I think this is also an interesting question when it...reactions5comments
Fatigue...Is fatigue common with RA? I was diagnosed with RA a couple of months ago although I've been symptomatic for several years. I've noticed that I just get extremely tired...reactions17repliesSymptoms
