I just read if you get RA after 50 it is less severe.Anyone know if this is true?nope, do not know, but by that i would hate to be 50 with one day before my 51st birthday to get this crud
I was hit at age 56, and the RA factor test showed 750
In my experience, any description of RA that includes the word 'usually' is missing the point. There is no 'usually' and age is certainly no indication of severity.
I was hit at age 53 and had severe symptoms that were brought under control within a year. Now, at age 57, things are heating up again and I can hardly walk, my feet are so swollen and sore. Time for Enbrel apparently.
So - no, age does not matter.
< =text/>_popupControl(); No, age does not matter. I belong to a support forum for parents whose kids have JRA and there are some kids on there that are pretty severe or have been pretty severe and now are in remission or under control. My 12 year old has JRA. She is mild right now tho thank goodness.
There is a huge misconception out there regarding RA and age. Many many people think of RA as an "old peoples" disease and the older you are the more severe it is. It doesn't really matter how old you are. If it's gonna get ya...it's gonna get ya. It takes people like us to educate others about RA and how severe it can be or not be at any age.
Rheumatoid arthritis has a worldwide distribution with an estimated prevalence of 1 to 2%. Prevalence increases with age, approaching 5% in women over age 55. The average annual incidence in the United States is about 70 per 100,000 annually. Both incidence and prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis are two to three times greater in women than in men. Although rheumatoid arthritis may present at any age, patients most commonly are first affected in the third to sixth decades.
http://www.hopkins-arthritis.org/arthritis-info/rheumatoid-a rthritis/rheum_clin_pres.html
I was just diagnosed 2 months ago at age 55, and other than the severe flare that initially brought me to the RD, I have been doing very well so far. I haven't needed the NSAID she prescribed, have taken only 1 aspirin on a few occasions, which seemed to do the job. Minor aches and pains, mainly in my left shoulder and elbow. I am one of the lucky ones, SO FAR. It's still way too early to know how this will progress, but oh, how I hope I can get away with a mild course. I go back to my RD on Nov. 2 for a re-evaluation. We'll see. Oh, almost forgot -- I started taking a triple dose of fish oil right from the beginning.that is great to hear, Nancy! I hope you remain one of the lucky ones