I'm not 100% if I have RA or not but here is what I'm experiencing:
1. Chronic pain in ankles, fingures, wrists, knees and hips at times.
2. Pain increases with low amounts of sleep. If I get only 2 or 3 hours of sleep in a night then I usually severly in pain in the next day.
3. Pain decreases at night further away from morning.
I'm pretty sure from everything I have read that I may have RA. I am currently 26 and have been experiencing this off and on since I was 18 but more so in recent years. I am an avid weight lifter and this does help afterwards but can be downright painful when working out at times. Does anyone have any advice or suggestions? Is it also true that RA can severely shorten your life span? I heard this from someone so I am just inquiring before I make an uninformed judgment on that statement from the friend. Anything would be greatly appreciated, thanks.
Not sure, about the symptom question, nor too much about the shorting of life span. But I would not worry too much about the shorting of life span. Anything can short your life span. Even living healthly does not garantee a longer life span. Just when it is your time to go, it is your time to go.
Just wanted to say welcome to the board and it could be RA. I know, I am not much help, but ... I have had mine all of my life, and it seems that the way I see my symptoms do not really match up with what people who have just fell ill with RA have. Maybe because I have forgotten some of it or blocked it out mentally.
But the best way to find out if it is RA is to go to a Dr. or Rheumatologist and get blood work done, and maybe they can tell you what is really wrong with you.
Sorry for the rambling... it is late and I get that way.
Good Luck! Please post an update if you do go to get seen about.
Hope that inspiring story cheered you up.
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