Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...
Hi everyone. I am new to the group and its been really comforting reading everyone's stories. I'm 30 years old and I started noticing RA symtoms about 2 years ago (at the time not realizing that the sore joints were the start of it). I went to see my PCP back in the fall and she ran my blood work. From there my RA factor came back positive and since then I've been waiting to see the rhematologist (it will be 5 months since I made the appt--ridiculous). I'm feeling so frustrated because since the fall I've been feeling significantly worse. My sleep has been completely interrupted. I wake up crying because the pain is so unbearable. In the meantime, I've been taking turmeric and magnesium as a daily supplement. Aleve and Ibuprofen does nothing at this point. I feel really sad and with my appointment now being only a month away, it still seems so far away. My husband and I want to start a family this year, and I know a lot of the medication can't be taken while pregnant, which worries me. I can't imagine feeling this way AND carrying a baby. I've read that some women feel their best while being pregnant, can anyone relate or comment on that? And, does anyone have anything that they can suggest that works for them at night time? I just want to sleep comfortably :( also, do any of you suffer worse in the winter because of the cold? Its freezing here, and I was curious if that makes it worse? I'm trying to stay off of Google, so I really appreciate the feedback here. I'll be sure to come back after I speak with my doctor next month. Thanks everyone!
I was pregnant, miscarrying, birthing, or nursing five times in my thirties and I had a cessation of a lot of the symptoms I had in my 2o's - they roared in my 40's when I was formally diagnosed.
the degenerative OA was another thing - the scoliosis and stenosis were constant though my childhood to now (especially during pregnancy and after) but I had way more resilience than now in my 50's (whine whine sorry :)
there used to be a great group of 20 something and 30 something students and moms on here and I hope they speak up to your story and present reality - I think they would be the best source of comfort and referral as they would be listening to their rheums guide their family creation and stuff. That's big stuff - so I hope that together you, your spouse, the rheumatologist and OB/gyn (when it comes to that) make your action plan in the current light of what you want and what medical science can give you for advice, today.
I can imagine they may ask you to treat for some time, before family planning, or if you might want a quick prednisone taper, or to shake up your nsaids (there are 17 prescription nsaids so I have tried a lot more than aleve or motrin). is there a hot water pool anywhere near your home or inside any hospital near you?
I think any kind of nutrition that makes one feel empowered (including giving up dairy and meat if one feels like it) is fantastic. I like those things that I feel like I am doing instead of having things done unto me sometimes :).
yeah cold makes me miserable. i love the heating blanket on the bed more than my kids (kidding)
welcome again
it's a lousy disease but the folks on here are nice. collect rays of sunshine wherever you can get them :)
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