In almost eleven years I have a few doosies! When I first got sick I had little use of either of my hands. I remember being in a public restroom and somehow managing to get my jeans pulled down. When I was finished I didn't have the strength in my hands to pull them up let alone get them buttoned! I think I must have sat in that stall for what seemed to be an eternity. I was hoping to will them back into place. I think eventually I jiggled enough to get the jeans up far enough to be decent and to exit the stall, although they remained unbuttoned. Did I mention this was a tiny bathroom with only 1 stall and I could hear people impatiently waiting for my exit. That awful experience taught me to go at home before I went out! It also caused me to make wardrobe adjustments. I ditched the snug fitting jeans and opted for overalls. The overalls are great as they are big and baggy and have no waist, zipper or buttons. I used to be able to find overalls in abundance, the GAP, Nordstroms, Target etc. I can no longer find overalls ANYWHERE!

Okay, I'm serious. I don't really have an embarrassing moment yet, but I've just been diagnosed, so I'm sure they'll be coming. I'm naturally a goofy person so I'm sure that someday soon I will be able to add quite a few to the list. LOL. Good topic. Penny

well I really felt bad with this one.. my dad buys the BIg laundry detergents and I was washing clothes and since they are so heavy I dropped the NEW Tide 200 oz all over the basement floor!!
no one was at home at the time so imagine me with this mess and trying to clean it up! oh dear... that reminds me I still owe him for the new bottle!

Great topic bizemomm! O.k. hmmm. So many to pick from. Before I knew what was wrong with me, I had begun working at a toy packaging company. Everyone there was super friendly and vocal. I was having severe pain that began in my left arm. During a late night of intricate but difficult physical labor using my hands, I decided I couldn't handle it anymore and pulled out the Bengay. I had been popping painkillers but they weren't easing the strain. The smell wasn't as apparent to me because I had been using it so often at night. As soon as I put it on, everyone starting saying, "What is that smell?" For the rest of the night, I had to confess to everyone that I was the smell.........trying to explain that I had pain and had to use the Bengay. I don't think anyone understood and I learned from that one, not to use the Bengay at work.

An experience very similar to yours is why i wear elastic waisted jeans with a top that covers the wonderful fact that i can no longer pull up my pants....t

Nothing too embaressing but i remember a pretty funny moment. My husband gets up early in the morning and sometimes i'll get up to go to the bathroom and i'll be hobbling and he often will kind of catch me as i walk past him from the bed to the bathroom. Well this day in particular he was standing there and i kind of hopped on my good foot and went to kind of leap onto his arm so i didn't have to step on the really swollen foot and fell into the corner of the bathroom wall! I was like "I thought you were gonna CATCH me?" He was like "Oh i'm sorry!" but we had to laugh! The way i just leapt into the wall was funny! My head and arm hurt though :p

i was working for a coffee shop a couple years ago (Tim Hortons) i was collecting the dirty dishes when one of my hands let go .... tray and dishes met the floor in a resounding crash. instead of getting embarrased or upset i bowed to the customers as they applauded me and told them my next show was in 20 minutes so stick arround to see how many i break next time..

I've dropped a can of Rockstar twice now at the local small market near work. I just go back and grab a new one. Luckily they haven't gotten upset at me yet. I've also spilled things many times here at work. I'll forget that I have RA for a moment and try to grab something with one hand...........it always falls to the floor!

Probably one of the most embarassing things to me is not being able to get myself up from an on the floor position. I become like dead weight and it becomes an EVENT to get back on my feet.

Great thread! I don't really have a moment that sticks out, but I can't count the many times I've dropped things or the many times a co-worker has asked me "did you hurt your foot, ankle, leg, etc.?". Every time we walk to meetings outside of the building I get asked that question (Most people I work with do not know I have RA). Whenever I do tell someone I have RA they look at me like I'm crazy b/c of my age.

One time I was in a jewelry store, looking at some pieces near the bottom shelves. At that time, I was in a bad flare. I lost my balance somehow and fell, but avoided landing on my wrists. I ended up in the fetal position. Then I had to struggle to get myself back up! Both luckily and unfortunately, there was no one around to witness or help!

oh geez, I probably have more than I realize! This is so fun, I will have to think, be back with a good one! I have been dropping stuff for many years, and stumbling, I just thought I was clumbsy! sandy

Just thought this was a fun post so put it up for the newbies to see.

For the first few months I had RA I couldn't feed myself because I couldn't lift my arms: my shoulders/elbows/hands were so swollen they were locked in place. I was too embarrassed to have people feed me, but when I would try to feed myself, it would end up ALL OVER my face! Finally I stopped eating and just drank soup out of a straw---I lived off soup for months! It really saved my dignity... :)

OK, here are two embarrassing stories to do with my RA.The first happened during my very first weeks with RA. I was on the phone with my daughter complaining bitterly about RA and its side effects. In particular, I complained about the incredible water and the swelling of my legs that went with it. My daughter listened patiently to my story and then asked what I was eating every day. I told her that my new vegan diet included a banana every day. She told me to eliminate the bananas and see what happens. The water retention disappeared miraculously and so did the swelling and it was the last time that I could complain to her about my swelling without her laughing A similar embarrassing moment happened a few weeks later when I showed up to the emergency room with a story about RA related cramps. The doctors assured me that additional salt in my diet (which I was avoiding because I thought it would result in water retention and swelling) would solve the problem and, indeed, it did. Conclusion? Once we have RA not ALL our problems are caused by it. At least some of the problems can be caused by a too crazy dietat least this was true in my case.