yes, yes, I have RA, give me the medicine to make it go away!

That was exactly what I was thinking when the ER Dr. Said I think she has RA. It started before this though. I was 12 and having pains in my ankles and wrists. The Dr. kept saying it's growing pains or I was faking it to get attention. This went on for 2 years, I gave up, I figured everyone must feel like this and I am being a baby. Though that was far from my personality, I loved exercise, I did gymnastics and gym was my favorite class because I was better than everyone! Now I'm 15, legs feel like sandbags most days and most people are better than me in gym class now, but I'm still better than average. I remember thinking I know I can do better but I just can't get my body to move the way it used to. Mind boggling for me! I was sitting in English class, the bell rang, I went to get up and then I fell right down. My legs would not hold me. I was taken to ER and got the news and taken to a rheumatologist for confirmation. This is where I said, what medicine do I need to take to get well! In 1983 there was no medicine, only aspirin,15 to 20 a day! I fell into depression, lost a lot of weight, lost my friends. We moved every year, no one wanted to be my friend and no one knew what was wrong with me but it didn't matter because we always moved. I never saw Drs regularly, hardly ever really or a much needed therapist or a nutritionist since I had all but stopped eating. I went down to 88 pounds before someone noticed, I think my mom. I used to weigh 125. For the most part my RA didn't bother me too much, no, I couldn't do gymnastics anymore but my legs didn't feel like sandbags too much anymore! My problem came with the not eating and the RA which sucks your nutrients dry and the lovely anemia! Long story short I was anemic and nutritionally deficient from the age of 15 to 43. It's sad that no one caught it. I have an enlarged heart, I don't remember these years very well and I wasn't the kind, patient mother I wish I had been. So now from that I now have guilt and regret and severe depression. Yup, RA sucks. Please take your vitamins and iron and take hold of your RA, don't let it take you....