Well, im doing this. I am here for the first time and extremely excited to find others going thru some of the same stuff. Excited, yet cautious! Its a hard topic for me....going about my business one day without much care in the world, getting my life started (had just turned 29 and recently married and had just bought a house) then bam! PAIN! It took a year to diagnosis me, but then when I heard RA I looked at the poster on the Dr. wall displaying pictures of what damage RA does to the hands and bursted out in tears! I have now been dealing with this for 2 years. I finally broke down and started ENBREL three months ago. For me, it has not been a miracle cure, seems to have just kicked in within the last 2 weeks, but not fully....decreasing prednisone (I know its bad for u, but I found tremendous releive from pain on it....to the point I felt normal). It was hard to do, but a decision I think will pay off in the end. I just wanted to say HI and I welcome the support from u and hope that I am able to support right back! I would love some positive feedback, sometimes I need to hear everything is going to be OK!
Alan
Sounds like you have made it through the worst...the first year in particular and up to the first couple to get a good med combo...congratulations and welcome. You will find lots of support and information here good luck and glad to have you here.
ginger
I am two years in since onset. RA makes you make tough decisions. I know how hard it is to wean from prednisone and I know how good it makes you feel BUT it is better to use during flares so your body does not get dependent on it. Many people are stuck on it the rest of their lives and it has many nasty side effects.
I started Enbrel about 9 months ago. It was great in the beginning but now it just gives me a few days of relief. I am a poor example of what RA is like. I am one of those lucky ones that onset came on strong and destructive. I have attempted to work three times since onset and I am now applying for disability. It has its ups and downs that is for sure.
I am going to bump an excellent article about the process of RA. You have come to a board with amazing people who will really be there for you. Welcome and I am so sorry you have RA but many people live fairly normal lives with it. I just have a feeling you will be one. WELCOME.
Hi Denapeeps. Nice to meet another newbie.
What timing for you for RA. You were kicking off the life you had been planning and RA came along and kicked you and a lot of your expectations for life, or at least your sense of control over it. The way it impacts younger people seems like one of the most unfair aspects of the disease.
Like Roxy, I'm hoping your RA will be controllable and you can still carry on with your plans with a tolerable amount of adjustments.
I'm hoping the same for me too, it's just too early to tell.
My doc doesn't know yet if I have a slow, mild case that started when my joints began aching off and on in my teens and it has taken this long to really bother me a lot, or if I have a sudden and not-mild case that started a couple of months ago involving most of the joints that RA can touch. Both pictures seem to be true.
I'm starting to adjust to wait-and-see as a way of life. I'm 45 and was an active, life-in-control kind of person until this. I'm still that person, but active is now relative and unpredictable and in-control is starting to be funny. Same for you?
I know what you mean, that you would like to hear that everything's going to be ok. Me too.
Well, as long as "ok" can be redefined daily or yearly, I suppose we can say it's going to be ok. I think that continual redefinition is part of our new job description.
But philosophy aside, I think I've shifted from wanting to know it'll be ok to wanting reassurance that I can do this. I'm getting that from this group, and I'm grateful.
Now, about that doc with the scary pictures in his office. What in the world?? He likes to watch people cry? Hopefully you like his medical smarts better than his decorating taste.
RKGal
Welcome aboard. Forget the pictures. Doesn't happen to most people any more. At least if you get treated. My hands don't work so good, but they still look fine. Others do have damage.
I've seen these pictures and those wonderful rubber hands in almost every Rheumy's office. I think the sales people bring them to the doctors, pushing their remedys and the nurses just have to put them somewhere. Occassionally, I suppose, they are useful in explaining what is happening. But mostly they are just ghoulish.
Still they are scary. The disease is hard on you so gather all your support. This is a great place to start.
Welcome to the board! You will find a lot of caring people, support, and knowledgeable people here.
I do hope everything is going to be ok for you and you do get the RA under control and slow down the disease process.
Welcome! You have found a wonderful place full of supportive, knowlegable people who completely understand.