Dx at 57, but had symptoms at 47. I would say moderate to severe, as my knees have been damaged to the point of needing TKR, hips are involved, feet, hands, wrists. I am still working, but am exhausted when I come home. No energy left for "fun". I'm hoping that may change.

diagnosed at age 40 (Jan 2011)
at the time, breastfeeding my fourth child

I would classify my RA as moderate and uncontrolled

Enbrel inj weekly, MTX 4 pills per week (I stopped this temporarily but hope to start again next week), 2 tabs folic acid every day, 300 mg ultram every day for pain, just starting muscle relaxants to help sleep at night (tonight will be my first night)

I still work full - time and parent full - time, but it is really hard. I take pain pills daily on a regular schedule, because without them I can't do it. I hurt every day, have swelling every day, and use helps like the elavator and an ergo dynamic mouse. I have problems with my hands, feet, jaw, and right shoulder, although i have involvement in other joints. I see changes in my hands. I've had one or two huge flares (the first lasted a week), but I generally just feel lousy every day. PT does help me and I hope to go back once the littles are back in school and my schedule calms down a little.

I try to walk at least a little every day. I try to write down at least one blessing G~d has given me every day. I journal. I try to be positive and optimistic.

I was dx at 27. I have severe RA. 8 pills of MTX a week, Humira every other week, 10 mg of prednisone (been on since Feb again). There are a handful of things I have not been able to do in a long time I would rather not list I would get depressed. I still have full range of motion, although very painful, stiff and swollen at times. 29 years old still waiting for remission. I hope to fit the scenario of my RA getting milder throughout my years.

Diagnosed at 53 with many joints affected, including jaws, ribs, throat, wrists, fingers, shoulders, and a high fever that stayed with me for many weeks. Defined as medium to severe at the time of diagnosis. Responded extremely well to treatment with Methotraxate, Plaquennil and Prednisone (still on 5 mg to this day) and for the past three years, since treatment started, just about pain free, side effects free, and leading a very normal life. No progression, no deterioration, no change since diagnosis. A very lucky gal...

I got RA at age 45 after a year of Palindromic Arthritis. I was diagnosed mild, and it became rapidly severe. When I was assessed for insurance, I had flares in over 100 joints. And most of it bad. I got it in my jaws, feet, knees, hands, shoulders, wrists etc etc. The only places I didn't get it badly were my ankles and hips. I have had flares in my hips which were horrific, but only once on each side.

I am on Rituxan but on occasion I take Naproxen with an anti-histamine since I am allergic to it. I am officially classed as "severe."

Got Ra at 59. The doctor says I have severe RA. I was on Enbrel until recently when it stopped working. I am waiting for the insurance to approve Humira. I can't take any thing to help boost it because I also have HepC

I guess I would be considered moderate to severe. I started out in extreme pain and I am sero-negative. So due to dumb doctors, I lived without a diagnosis for 10 years (up until this past March). I also have a knee that is completely deteriorated and am facing surgery this fall.

I currently take 15 mg of MTX and 50 mg of Enbrel weekly. I'm not sure how much it's helping yet because I'm on painkillers for my knee.

The majority of my pain is in my hands, wrists, knees, and ankles. Sometimes, I'll have a passing throb in my feet or shoulder and I'm terrified that that the pain is coming back to those joints again.
I'm not able to work and I'm looking into filing for disability. :(

Oh, forgot to add....I started having symptoms when I was 25, had a full-blown flare at 26 that lasted 3 years.

Dx'd at 26. Moderate to severe (mostly severe). My hands, wrists, feet, ankles, legs, you name it, even my jaw....but it started with the feet, and then one day my hands hurt so badly and were weak that I couldn't cut my own pancakes.

My mom had to cut my pancakes!!

That's when I said, time to go to the dr. Have had to go on disability because the pain/stiffness/lowered immune system that makes me very susceptible to colds and such has screwed with me. My dr. says I have one of the most progressive RA that he has seen in a while. My feet and ankles SWELL like you would(n't) believe.

8 pills of mtx a week, enbrel once a week, plaquenil twice a day, arava 20 mgs at night, prednisone when needed (but i try to not take it, I ballooned almost a hundred lbs when I was on it daily. Still trying to get rid of the weight!

And I won't mention the other meds I take for other diseases, such as a hiatal hernia, sciatica...etc.

Diagnosed mid 40's. RA hit overnight ( initially it was diagnosed as Palindromic rheumatism, a sister to RA) and kept me immobile until the right drug cocktail was found. In itialy antibotic treatmednt put me in remission all while I was pre menapausale. Now I am close to 60 and post menapausable have full blown severe RA. It took many years but I do have some severe joint damage even on the heavy duty drugs. During the time I have had RA I have also developed OA in my knees and hips which is common as we age. Unfortunately RA drugs do not help OA.

"Those diagnosed at an older age (menopause and beyond) tend to get a milder version". I asked my Rheumatologist if this was true and he very definitely said "No"
I was dx at 66 within three months of first symptoms(onset, literally, was between lunch and dinner the day we boarded a plane for 7 weeks overseas. Positive blood work with sky-high numbers reinforced the dx of severe and aggressive RA which is still not controlled..
I slowly weaned off Prednisone 12 months on.take 25mg MTX = 10 tablets weekly. Have tried Plaquenil, Sulfasalazene and Arava with MTX but had to discontinue these because of allergic/severe reactions.10mg Folic Acid weekly, Endone for severe pain and just waiting to start Enbrel which I hope will help control the "Beast".
I envisaged retirement as our time to explore new ventures, enjoying our grandchildren and travelling. not as it's turned out but it's better than the alternative LOL.

Onset: Age 42, 3 mo after total hysterectomy. Sudden onset with pain overnight, misdiagnosed as TMJ until it moved to other joints within a month. Pain at onset was mild then advanced to moderate in a matter of 6 months. I am now moderate to severe per Rheumatologist. Uncontrolled x 2 years with aggressive medication therapy. Dx with Seronegative RA, Psoriatic Arthritis, Sjogrens. Have had diabetes since 2000. Cannot take traditional therapy of predinsone and methotrexate due to diabetes. Fatigue is severe. Have to work full time but transitioned to a desk job. I hurt all the time... have to take pain meds to sleep. This is just the most absolutely, miserable condition .... comparable to bone cancer. Anticipate if not placed in remission being disabled in less than 5 years.

was diagnosed only in june at 49 after several years of hurt and a almost 2 years of remission. My blood showed very high RF yet normal inflamation factor (don't know what test was used). Would that mean I'm sero-negative? I'm too new to this to know.

The doc gave me a steroid cortisone shot which is just now starting to wear off as a bridge to the hydroxychloroquine and mtx.

I'm just starting to feel a bit of bruised feelings in my right thumb, my left baby finger, and my knees are a bit sensitive to stairs, as well as pain in my right collarbone (started yesterday).

Previous to my cortisone shot which was a systemic one, my RA affected my fingers, toes, knees, wrists, shoulders, bottoms of my feet, and left ankle. I would say I'm moderate to severe... depending on how I feel and what I can't do ;)

I'm 28 now - I was diagnosed at 14. It was originally severe, but diagnosed as JRA. Fourteen years ago, they didn't have biologics and MTX was somewhat new. I did MTX and Celebrex in high school.

It slowed down again until I was about 25 (mild, controlled by mostly Advil). In the last three years, my RA has been moderate to severe. I've been on Humira, MTX, Enbrel, Plaquenil, and now Cimzia.

I'm still working full-time and haven't had a systematic flare in about a year. I've dramatically changed my diet to limit gluten and diary and added probiotics and fish oil.

Overall, I don't think the age you're diagnosed or what age you are has much to do with how severe the symptoms are, but it would be nice to think this is going to get easier as I get older. :)

I am 57 years old, dx in May 2011. I think I was severe when diagnosed, but I am mild now. I do have some bone damage in my hands.I feel very lucky that I have been able to find the right drugs, right Docs, and dietary changes started to help right away! I am not 100%, and my Rheumatologist said that the best I could hope for was 95% several months down the road. It's a bit up & down, but generally better.