I was correctly diagnosed in the early 1990's and have been on MTX the entire time. The side effects, if you experience any at all, are well worth taking the drug.

I've never once taken a day off from work as a result of RA. I still sail and do a lot of the things I did before I was diagnosed. I'm older than most, so I'm slowing down naturally.

That said, RA waxes and wanes and there are days when I feel a little tired. I was always optimistic and determined not to let this disease shut me down. Paid off. I've learned how to pace myself and be more selective about the things I want to do and places I want to go.

The drugs available nowadays are wonderful. I started on MTX but added Humira about 10 years ago. It's wonderful. Every reason to be thankful.

The first year is the hardest as you find the drug that is right for you. Then it's a lot easier.

Learn everything you can about this disease. You are your own best advocate. Make sure you have a rheumatologist who believes in a collaborative relationship with you. It's important that this physician LISTEN to what you're reporting, as opposed to simply going by lab results.

If you go in with a positive attitude you're far more likely to do well.

Californialynn, Thank you for your comments. You have given me hope and a reason not to be afraid of the med. I also want to learn to pace myself so i can do all the things I enjoy doing. Your advice has helped me be more optimistic. Thank you.

I have been on mthx twice. Once for 9 years, and after 7 years, I have been on it again for over a year. Why did I go off? Because my liver enzymes went up. But, I did not have a pro-active doctor. There are ways of dealing with it, like taking a week off, not using full dose.

So, why did I go back on it? Because, in combo with a biologic, I have always been my best. As in, close to normal. I've tried almost every drug, and mthx has always been an essential part of my treatment plan. The years when I was not on it, I was fighting to stop the pain and flares, most of the time.

If you do get things figured out, this disease will not totally destroy your life. I have recovered a few times, and been able to do a lot of things. Work wasn't on the table, because of the deformities I got before I got diagnosed and put on meds. But I am very severe. But, I have accomplished a lot in the past 20 years, since I got this disease. And, I hope, helped more than a few people, and not all RA sufferers. Being sick can teach you a lot, and shape your character for the better, if you let it!

Sorry you have RA, but welcome to the group!

I was diagnosed 3 years ago and the first stages of my treatment paralleled yours although it sounds like my symptoms may have been a little more severe. That first year was very hard. For the first 6 months I took MTX and prednisone orally. The MTX helped a little and that may be all you need but for most of us, adding some kind of biologic or the "triple therapy" (MTX, Sulfasalazine and Plaquenil) is the next step. Most end up taking one of the newer biologics along with MTX if you can tolerate it. For me it was Enbrel and then Orencia which I still take.

The first year was rough to say the least. Like most, I switched to MTX by injection after a few months since it is more effective and has fewer side effects that way. Most people don't' find taking the weekly shots to be a big deal and it works better. I take the maximum dose typical of RA patients, 25mg, along with the biologic. I weaned off of prednisone after a year going down gradually from 30mg to finally nothing but it was a bumpy trip with a lot of flare-ups when I stepped down the dosage of prednisone. That stuff has a lot of ugly side effects, especially weight gain and long term damage. It is just intended to get you over the hump with pain and swelling until you stabilize on drugs that actually treat the disease rather than just the symptoms.

All of the RA meds that treat the disease (conventional DMARDS and biologics take months to build up in your system to the point of doing much, if they work for you at all. So it's kind of a trial and error treatment regime for most people. After two years of treatment with MTX and Orencia, I am now considered "on cruise control" by my Doctor and my joint pain is mostly gone now, except for a little tenderness in my feet in the mornings, but none of the drugs seem to do much for the fatigue of RA. Otherwise I am stable and the disease is not causing progressive damage to my joints. That is, apparently, typical of "successful" treatment in today's state of medicine which is a whole lot better than 15 or 20 years ago. But the unfortunate truth of the matter is that RA is still incurable and you will never be the same as before but you can get to about 70-80% back and halt the progress of the disease.

The process of finding a protocol that works for you can seem to take longer than you can possibly bear. But hang in there, because there are things that work. You just have to clog through the regulations of your insurance company, and wait awhile when you go on a new med to see if it will work. I'm 58 and was diagnosed two years ago. I am still tweaking my meds, but honestly if I end up going back to the last combination I was on, I could live with it.

Now, here's what I've genuinely lost in the last three years or so (I believe it was causing me problems for about a year before it was diagnosed):

I have a sort of lumpy looking right hand now, with some swollen knuckles, one finger sort of torqued, and another pointing north by northwest a bit. My hand aches sometimes, when I'm tired, or when there's an imminent weather change. I no longer have jar-opening superpowers with that hand, and sometimes find it hard to do very fine-motor things like picking up a dime. But, the meds I'm taking have stopped or at least very much slowed down the rate of decline. Some of the initial swelling actually subsided a bit over time. I can live with this.

Sometimes I take a nap. I would like to have my old energy level back, and I'm still trying to tweak my meds a bit in the hopes of finding a combination that works just a little bit better for that. But, if it doesn't, it's not an unworkable thing.

I used to be able to lift 50 pound feed bags easily, and now I struggle. I hope that will improve now that I can do more exercise - I was really slacking for awhile because I felt tired a lot. So i'm pretty sure that's just a secondary loss, and it can come back.

All of my other symptoms - the brain fog, the extreme exhaustion, the achiness in my shoulder and hip - those things have all cleared up with the meds.

A year ago, I was afraid those things were all for keeps - or, worse, that I'd continue declining. It was an awful feeling.

I'd agree with Rackerby's assessment that you can stop the progession and regain about 80% of what you had. And keep in mind that there's going to be some changes as we age anyway - it's hard to sort out what's RA and what's a normal change. My rheumatologist has pointed out that post menopausal women often see some somewhat rapid changes in their late fifties, and then things tend to even out.

So hang in there, it's going to get better.

Thanks to all of you who have replied to my post. You have helped me so much with sorting through my feelings about this diagnosis. I am a pretty energetic 55 year old and tutor students in Math and Algebra. I am finding though that i am having difficulty keeping up with my schedule. My husband and I moved into a new house on Monday and I still have full boxes everywhere. My energy level is just not at the level it needs to be in order to do what needs to be done. I know the meds will take 4-5 weeks to help me, so I just need to be patient. I very much appreciate you all sharing your experiences. You have helped me more than you know. God bless you.

Oh, moving!! In 2014 I was on Simponi. It worked 100% from day 1, and no side effects. We started packing boxes, and suddenly I was getting a twinge, here and there. When I went to pack up my books, I took it slow, but the reality of moving really set in. I had major flares that day.

I really wanted to move. We were going to a beautiful house, view of the lake, much better gardening (I now know about 100 times better gardening) and a son and grandchildren only a few blocks away. It was perfect, except moving is so
stressful.

By the time we got here, I was having regular BIG flares. By the time I got into see my new rheumatologist I was in total med failure, even with a double dose of Simponi.

It took 2 years to get things straightened around for me. So, hopefully it won't affect you as badly as me! And that you will start to respond to the meds sooner rather than later.

I haven't visited this support group for a very long time and happen to see your post. I was diagnosed in 2013 and felt very much like you. I believe I was 56 and grateful that this awful illness didn't raise its ugly head until later in my life. I have a young friend that has battled RA since I believe 18 or 19 and I think that help me accept my fate. I knew it could be much worse. I was also frustrated to have a chronic illness that could slow me down but I still do most everything I did before. I just have to be a little more careful and pace myself. I only have to take methotrexate and folic acid but I am also an avid fan of healthy food choices, plenty of rest, and avoiding stress.