24 Years Of RA, Want to know what people do to distract from the pain!

By tammyrstevens17

1 min read

I am 26 years old and I have had RA since I was 2 years old. I cannot believe that I have had RA for 24 years, I don't remember a time before my RA. I would ask my friends in school what it would be like to be normal? I ask myself that now. My family and friends tell me that I am normal. I know this is going to sound weird but since I was diagnosed with RA I wanted to be able to sit on my feet, I would day dream about being able to sit on my feet, after I was diagnosed with RA I couldn't move much, and wasn't able to run and walk without any pain. I am a very positive person but I have my days that I feel like crap and in a lot of pain. I am writing this because I am in a good amount of pain today and trying to stay positive and was wondering what other people do to keep their mind off the pain. I am hoping that others from the community can tell me what they do to get the pain off their minds. Just comment and I will receive it on here. Thank you for your time and reading my story.

This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The RheumatoidArthritis.net team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

Join the conversation

Please read our rules before commenting.

Erin Rush Community Admin
Thank you very much for sharing a part of your story with the community, Tammy. I think our community members can relate to those days where you are just tired of dealing with the pain of RA. One of our contributors who has lived with RA since she was a child likes to get massages to help with chronic pain and stiffness. I know some of our members have found adult coloring books a good way to distract from the pain. Others have found meditation/prayer helpful. Just like any treatment used for RA, these ideas work for some individuals and not as well for others. Some people in our community find heat helpful (saunas, hot tubs, heating pads, etc), while others find heat unbearable and a good way to bring on a flare. I know some of our members find watching their favorite TV shows or funny YouTube videos to be a helpful distraction from the pain. Here is some information from our editorial team about alternative treatments sometimes used in the RA community -- <a href='https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/alternatives-therapies' target='_blank'>https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/alternatives-therapies/</a>. I think you might also find this article very relatable to what you are going through right noe -- <a href='https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/more-than-mind-over-matter' target='_blank'>https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/more-than-mind-over-matter/</a>. I hope this information is helpful for you and you are feeling like yourself again very soon. Thank you again for sharing and for being a part of the <a href='https://rheumatoidarthritis.net' target='_blank'>RheumatoidArthritis.net</a> community. Best, Erin, <a href='https://rheumatoidarthritis.net' target='_blank'>RheumatoidArthritis.net</a> Team Member.
tammyrstevens17 Member
Thank you very much I will read that and try some of these
lucypiper Member
 Tammy I was diagnosed with juvenile RA about 45 years ago at age 9. I don't have symptoms any more.
tammyrstevens17 Member
okay I did
grodriguez Member
Hi Tammy! I have had it since I was about 3 for over 40 years. Believe it or not exercise is good. I hate to exercise but it does help. Couple that with a massage, heat therapy (especially parrafin wax on the hands), relaxing and sleep. Also having a great network of family and friends helps too. Hang in there! As you know this will end.
Kathryn Elton, OTR Contributor
Hi Tammy! I had to smile when you said you want to sit on your feet- I have literally dreamed about his since I was a kid! Like you, I was diagnosed at age two; I'm 47 now. I have found that the more I help my pain on a daily basis by doing things like gentle exercise, getting extra rest, hot/cold, massage, and a strong support system, my pain is eased. I also swear by my compression stockings when my knees get swollen, and one more thing I can tell you really helps- not on really bad days but as a lifestyle activity that keeps pain levels down. Buckram yoga- which is done in a hot room and works the entire body in a session. The first time I did it I could only do about 10% of the moves and still had a huge difference in my pain. I was really surprised but I kept going and over time was able to figure out how to adapt almost every pose. Just an idea for you if you feel so inclined.... Hope your pain is better as you read this 😀
audilove Member
Hi Tammy, I'm sorry to hear you're dealing with that. Have you tried switching to saturated fats only? I eliminated all polyunsaturated fats from my diet and totally got rid of all my pain. I haven't had in issue for 4 years now, since I did that so it seems to be a pretty permanent solution. Message me if you have any questions, I'd be happy to tell you more. It makes me sad to read things like this, and I can relate to it, so any help I can give I will.
mackena Member
Hi Tammy I'm new to this site I can relate to what your saying because I'm 52 and have suffered from RA since I was 3 and I also wished I could have run skipped and played like all the other kids, and just never could understand why I was different. How to deal with the pain is something that eludes me still now after all these years!! I'm a very positive person, if I wasn't I don't know how I would have coped all this time. I guess just hearing someone's else's struggle helps, that sounds weird but I mean I'm not the only one that sufferes on s daily basis. My pain seems to be increasing rather than decreasing even on all my meds but Ah well what do you do...I wish I had a miracle to share but I don't all I can say is keep happy in your mind heart and soul even on your worst days ...look for something that makes you smile, that's all we can do.
suann Member
I am 59 yrs old,I cannot remember a day without RA. As time has kept going I have run out of treatment plans to tryfor nothing I took or tried helped anymore so I have the crippling with severe pain.. I watch nature outside my patio door, I read alot, I try to be as active as I can but its not that easy. I don't know if I had of been treated as a young child if I would be like I am today, Back in the day they really had no meds that helped with RA. I also have Lupus, OA , sporatic A with my RA so things get intensified at times, I just grin and bear it, I focus on all the years I could do things.. it helps me live with my life now.. I guess what I want to say is, we all deal with our own pain in different ways, just because I cant go into remission doesnt mean u cant or wont, prepare for the time if it comes.. its not fun and its far from being easy...
kikikk Member
I'm 55 years old and have RA since I was 32 years old. I can't imagine having had pain since I was 2 years old like you have. I do a variety of things to keep my mind off the pain. I watch college football and the NFL. I color, do word searches, and work on Bible study. I also make myself go out and have coffee with friends, even if I'm sore. Some days of course, nothing takes my mind off the pain. Usually though, one or more of the things I mentioned above do help. I hope this helps you too!