You have to fight! I found out I had RA few years back, I'm an aircraft mechanic, and was 36 years old when I found out.(42 now) ..so kind of a mood killer to find out my body was attacking itself causing pain and causing me to not be effective at my job I love. I can't live on pain meds...with that being said I quit smoking (I cape now)..smoking was a part of my life I could stop and some of my inflammations slowed down, also there are many natural anti-inflams and natural pain foods...here is my short list
Kale, ginger, Hot peppers, B12, drink lots of water, I have more to add later when I have more time to respond, but the most important....DONT give up!! You need to push back at ur body and tell it NO that you won't be beat!!

Okay to continue...things to eat.. prickly pear (cactus fruit), pineapple, tumeric. ..

Things that set me off into pain..tomatoes, pizza,ketchup, pasta sauce, smoking...

Also my symptoms started when I started working nightshift and being less active, melatonin production and inflammation go hand in hand, so I try to sleep no more than approx 5-7 hrs Dailey and then get out and do stuff! Stay moving, pain killers slow you down and can add to depressed mood hence continues the cycle! I don't know everything and it's not like you can just eat a couple things and feel better, you have to stay strong and fight it daily!

My doctor gave me a sample pack of Limbtel 500 look it up...all natural ingredients.....he said it takes 10 days to work...I am only on day 4.

LIMBREL 500.....

My daughter has Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and we were just at a Juvenile Arthritis conference that was put on by the Arthritis Foundation. One of the speakers there talked about controlling pain without medication and she talked a lot about CBT- cognitive behavioral therapy. You can go to cbt for pain management and it sounds like it could be something good to try.

Medical marijuana will help with pain a lot. The DHC is taken out of it (the part that makes you high). There are different strengths you can get. You need a Drs perscription I believe.

Here is the active RA group.

https://www.dailystrength.org/group/rheumatoid-arthritis

When you have Chronic Pain you do whatever it takes to deal with it. Your not addicted to pain killers, unless your taking more than prescribed or taking more to just get high. Your body is dependent because it's used to having them. If you drink 10 cups of coffee everyday, guess what, your body is dependent because it's used to having it.

You can talk to your Rheumy and Pain Management Dr. about other types of pain meds that aren't Narcotics to control your pain. There are nerve pain meds, biologics, anti-inflammatories, etc. There are also many different type of therapies to help with your pain, PT, pool therapy, biofeedback, plasma rich platelet therapy, ice/heat therapy, lidocaine patches, etc. You can work with your Dr.'s to develop a treatment plan centered on multiple things other than Narcotics.

You would then do a slow taper to get off the Narcotics to avoid serious withdrawals while starting the new medications. But any meds you take for a long length of time, you will become dependent on regardless.

As for medical marijuana, not all States take out the DHC, it's also not legal in all States and it's not legal Federally. You do get high on it and you can't drive while taking it, it's the same kind of DUI as if you were drinking were you to be pulled over for being impaired, so be aware of that.

There are many different things to try, you need to talk with your Rheumy and PM Dr. about a new treatment plan and how to safely taper off the Narcotic meds.