Does anybody have Rheumatoid Arthritis, And what was your decision at diagnosis?
Wednesday, September 8th, 2010 at
11:38 am
I was diagnosed in February and am noticed symptoms getting worse.
Scared of taking meds for it but is It worth It?
Have you benefit from the meds now?
any side effects?
should I see a specialist?
I probably should I’m noticing my knuckles and feet getting disfigured…(bigger)
And pain …I just get motrin…the only way to sleep good is on A blow up mattress.
Tagged with: anybody • Arthritis • decision • diagnosis • Rheumatoid
Filed under: Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms
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What is rheumatoid arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis can also cause inflammation of the tissue around the joints, as well as other organs in the body. Autoimmune diseases are illnesses that occur when the body tissues are mistakenly attacked by its own immune system. The immune system is a complex organization of cells and antibodies designed normally to “seek and destroy” invaders of the body, particularly infections. Patients with autoimmune diseases have antibodies in their blood that target their own body tissues, where they can be associated with inflammation. Because it can affect multiple other organs of the body, rheumatoid arthritis is referred to as a systemic illness and is sometimes called rheumatoid disease.
While rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic illness, meaning it can last for years, patients may experience long periods without symptoms. Typically, however, rheumatoid arthritis is a progressive illness that has the potential to cause joint destruction and functional disability.
I was diagnosed when I was 12 years old, and I am in my mid 30′s now. I rarely take any meds – I was given anti inflammatories, but all they did was upset my stomach!! I used to use plain old paracetamol (in the USA it’s called acetaminophen), but over the years other injuries have happened to me, unrelated to the RA – like car accidents and work accidents and I ended up with chronic neuropathic pain all over my body and had to step up to stronger pain meds. Now I take a special neuropathic pain med called pregabalin and rarely need anything else at all !!!! The pregabalin has taken away my RA pain as well !!! YAY!!!
As hard as it is, you have to keep on the move, as staying still just makes you more stiff. The old saying really is true “if you don’t move it you lose it”
good luck – it’s no party living with RA.