RA | Arthritis Information

 

hello everyone.i am 18 years old,and when i was 17 i was diagonised with RA!it is very severe at the moment.last week my parents had to rush me to hospital three times,because i took an overdose!its scary to think now that i nearlly died on saturday.i only did it,because of all the problems i have been having with the RA.the amount of tablets i have to take is horrible,and i am also anemic,because of the RA.i have very supporting friends,ut round my area there are no support groups for RA,so i decided to search the web abd found this forum,and i decided to post and see what happens.i find it hard to cope with the RA,even knowing its getting better it still really gets me down!if anybody has any suggestions,or can help me please do!Hey Tom,

We know where you're coming from (except that not many of us are 18, and we're mostly older women - except for that Hi Tom..welcome!

First off welcome to the board.    Finoa is right.   We may not have many 18 year olds on this board but we all have RA and have been in the same situation as you at some point and time.   Getting tired of it all and wanting it all to end is normal.   However, taking your own life is not.   Talk to us or talk to someone about these feelings.   I can be honest and say that I too have thought this way and knew that I needed help of others or a doctor to get me out of the slump.   We are ALL open minded, freely speaking and most of all caring.   So please, if you feel the need to dump, vent, whine, complain, whatever.... please, feel free to do so here.   We are all here helping each other though the ruff and tough time and the good times.

 

tom
     I WAS DX,D AT AGE 22 I AM NOW 56.MARRIED RAISED TWO CHILDREN COMPLETED A MILITARY CAREER NOW DRAWING A PENSION AND LOVING IT.I WON,T LIE TO YOU ITS HARD,HURTS LIKE HELL AT TIMES,TAKE YOUR MEDS AND YOU,VE GOT TO GET YOUR HEAD AROUND IT,WHICH I THINK IS THE HARDEST PART AT TIMES.
    THERE,S LOT OF PEOPLE WORSE OFF THAN WE ARE.YOU HAVE LOTS OF GOOD TIMES AHEAD OF YOU,YOU JUST HAVE TO PUSH HARD AND GO GET THEM.YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF IN REMISSION ONE OF THESE DAYS IN THE MEANTIME HANG IN THERE.
     LOT,S MORE I WOULD LIKE TO SAY BUT I,M TYPING WITH ONE
FINGER.IM NEW TO PC,S TWO MTHS,NEW TO CHAT LINES,HANG IN THNERE BUDDY IT WILL GET BETTER.
                                     GAFFhehe im a girl called rowz,tom is the name of my horse!!thanks for all the advice,and help.ive juswt been seen by the shrink,and they are all very helpful!!Welcome to the board.  I hope you are feeling better soon.  I think in time you will realize that this is a functional illness that you can live with and have a good life.  

Hi and welcome---there are really people of all ages out there with RA, it is just that the majority of the ones here that are on regularly are middle aged. But alot of us have had problems from either childhood and teens or early twenties. Just remember that there are good days and bad days. The good days always make the bad ones worth it. It is also important to find things that you can enjoy even when you are flaring and housebound. If you plan ahead, it wont be so overwhelming when you cant get out. Alot of us here have found the internet to be our only connection to the world outside at times. This forum is great. One advantage for your being dxd young is that you will have the opp. to plan your career and family accordingly. For alot of us, the ds didnt come untill we were already dependant on physically demanding jobs and had young kids at home that needed constant care as well. If I had known at 17 what I know now about RA, I would have made different choices.

We are happy to have you here- another helpful site is www.butyoudontlooksick.com 

 Feel free to come here to vent. We all do.  Ten years ago if you had this disease the prospects were grim. Now there is a handle on it and it is just a matter of time before there will be a cure.The meds can stop the crippling. In your lifetime things can only get better. Right now you are at a difficult stage where you have to figure out what meds will work. I'm old enough to be your grandmother but I went through the whole med dilema about a year and a half ago when I was first diagnosed.  It stinks but it gets better.I remember feeling mostly sick until I adjusted to the medicine.  Now I have more energy and I am working full time.Being this sick makes you think about what is really important in life. Make time in your day for things you really enjoy. Being your age is difficult. Realize that your emotions are not that stable right now. They're not for any teen ager. Talk to your parents and a doctor and us and give it time.  It gets better.

Welcome Tom!!!!!!We all have days that we feel overwhelmed,but it does get better. I am glad to see that you are getting help and are beginning to feel better. This is an example of how things look bad one day but you have a different outlook the next day. You always have to hang in there! You will feel better once you get the right med combination. You have your whole life aheaad of you. You are just going through a rough patch. This illness is just an annoyance and it seems that you are in a flare which could subside or be put in remission soon. Good luck and hang in there.  Suzq

oops : ) I appologize. I called you Tom and your name is Rowz.  Suzq

Hi Rowz I'm also from the Uk and stumbled onto this great site while researching, I'm also recently dx'ed (Feb) and tryin to get my head around it all its hard enough for me at the ripe ole age of 42

Take care

Hey Rowz, The hardest part is the initial flare & the initial shock - the "this can't be happening to me." I've been working on this since December, and I am MUCH more functional now than I was. I can DO anything. I just have to realize that there will be a price to pay for some of it. I can push really hard for a day, if I factor in enough time to rest the next. That's hard when you're 18, but you can do it. 

Welcome! I think your off to a good start with finding this site. Here you will learn alot about the disease and get some great support. I know you have family and friends but sometimes it's easier to vent to strangers than family. I have found this site to be extremely helpful since I was dx in March. Unfortunatly I'm not 18 anymore but I think we can all help you with any questions you might have. The biggest thing is to have a great RA doctor, if you have this you will get better before long. So again welcome to this site and feel free to vent anytime.

WELCOME!!!!!

On a different note, you have a horse????? It has been my dream of having a horse. Someday maybe. As a kid, I had several names picked out. The closest I have come to owning one, is pretending the neighbor's horse was mine! ha ha! That was when I was 8.  I would sneak it carrots. [QUOTE=crunchy] One advantage for your being dxd young is that you will have the opp. to plan your career and family accordingly. For alot of us, the ds didnt come untill we were already dependant on physically demanding jobs and had young kids at home that needed constant care as well. If I had known at 17 what I know now about RA, I would have made different choices. [/QUOTE]

Isn't that the truth!  I would NEVER have chosen a job that depends solely on my fingers.  I mean, I couldn't have picked a worse job. 

Rowz,

Hang in there!  You can get through this.  The people on this site are a great support group, and I'm glad you are seeking professional help too.  Finding things that you love to do, even when housebound, was a great suggestion- I'm trying yoga... and I got it on DVD for when I can't leave the house and I'm also learning Italian (online and through CDs).  I'm 23, so not much older, and was just diagnosed in December.  Keep venting to us and let your family and friends support you too! 

Trish

Hey!

Welcome. I was 19 when diagnosed and ready for the college life..not Ra.
I am now 29 and I have learned to cope and still have a great time.

Tom's the horse? I have ridden my entire life---not the same since
diagnosed but I still get to the barn when I can.

beckyyer toms my horse,its been hard over the past few weeks,because i havent been able to ride!thanks everyone for your support it means  a lot,and it also helps!
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