Life expectancy? | Arthritis Information

Howdy once again y'all!
Thanks to everyone who responded to my last post!
So, I know that RA supposedly decreases life expectancy, but I'd be lying if I said it doesn't freak me out to know at 22 that my life is already gonna be shortened. I figure my grandpa lived to 63 and I a full happy life until the cancer got him, so I'll be thankful for whatever life I get!!! That said, does anyone know by how much life expectancy is decreased? I know there's probably no definite number, due to other variables, but any consensus on a range?
Thanks again to everyone...this forum makes things so much easier, just knowing there's a community of people dealing with the same stuff.
~Kristen

kschultea39415.7637615741

Well hun. Let me tell you. I'm 24, I've had this forever and a day. But it sure as sh*t isn't gonna shorten *MY* life. I full well plan on living to be AT LEAST 100. And if God thinks he's gonna take me before then, he's mistaken. I think he knows it though. We have an agreement.

But to answer your question, I think I read somewhere like 7 years. Or something. I might be wrong. Haha so that means I must have been meant to live to be 107.....since I plan on being at least 100 anyway...LOL

Lol I love it! I'll see if He and I can work out a similar agreement lol.

I use to worry about it, when I was told it a couple of years back, but that was because I just had a baby and the thought of possibly not going to get to see him grow up made me sad. I mean at that time I was not doing good RA wise and was thinking of offing myself just to stop the pain and the RA madness, but I did not because of my kids.

Breathing shortens your life expectancy!! My aunt has RA , she has had it for years and she is 81. My grandmother was 97 when she passed and she had al sorts of shortened life expectancy diseases.LOL Pip, You totally made my day. OMG I LOVE THAT MOVIE!! I thought no one else had ever heard of it!! Those of you that HAVEN'T seen Secondhand Lions, you NEED to. You simply CANNOT live life without seeing it!!!!
Lol I concur completely!!! It's AWESOME! Y'all, seriously, go rent it.

Ok, it's on my list!

Pip

I was also concerned when I realized this disease may shorten my life.

And then I remembered I smoked thirty years before I quit 8 years ago! I've always been aware that that bad habit may shorten my life but I figured I've done all that I can.

I'm going to take the same attitude with arthritis! I'm doing all I can.

I also saw a chart on diseases thar may shorten your life style and there were lots of things on it.

So I'm just hoping for the best.

That's all any of us can do...keep a positive mind and keep on moving forward!

Pip

Good Morning,

One year ago, I went to Cleveland Clinic for another of many opinions about my RA diagnosis. I met with Dr. Carmen Gota, one of the smartest physicians I've met with on this subject. She gave me an article about the end result of a study done at the CC. It states that people with RA can basically count on 5-10 year shortened lifetime. However, I will tell you that since then, I've done my own extensive research. There are a few significant things you can do to fight this statistic. Eat right, exercise daily, keep blood pressure with normal range, keep cholesterol within normal range, don't smoke, reduce stress, and I think just as important, keep your attitude in check.

I WILL NEVER give in to any statistics or studies! I will never let someone tell me to slow down, wear flat shoes all the time, stay inside away from groups of people, etc. Now, some people think that's suicide but I will tell you that I am continuing to accomplish the goals I set for myself in my life a long time ago. I continue to set new goals and accomplish them. I may walk at times like IGOR, and I may not have all the energy I would like to have (so I take a nap) but at least I'm living my life to the last minute the way I WANT TO LIVE IT!

My uncle died from the complications of RA at the age of 53. My father has it and is going on 80 years old and can outrun me to this day. Dad said to me just recently, don't ever give up! Not one doctor told me it would be easy to live with this disease, however, I find it's much easier to live with this disease with the determination to reach 90 years old and REALLY LIVE!!!!!!!

YOU CAN TOO!!!!! I plan on living until I die. What I refuse to do is live the life someone else expects of me. I absolutely refuse to awaken at the moment of my physical demise and realize I have been living someone else's life.

We are each responsible for how we live, IF, BIG IF our lives are foreshortened by our physical implications at least we should be able to say we lived fully and completely.

I do not want to go through my life unconscious, out cold

Pip, I LOVE that quote!! I'm going to call my almost 91 year old mom tonight and "remind" her that she's supposed to look this way.