Hi! I am very happy to have found this discussion/support group as I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid last year in September. Prior to that it was the year from you know where.....tried going to the gym (to get healthy & lose another 25 pounds before age 50) but ended up with every 4-5 weeks having such inflammation in both my hands & feet - felt like I was 95 getting up out of bed some mornings! go to family dr, put on naproxen & prednisone (for about 10 days); that would greatly improve things after a few days and last for another 4-5 weeks, then again...repeat 4 times over the year.....and I developed mono for the first time in my life, then four months later got shingles!! I was stressing at the time over xrays taken of my right hip (had major muscle inflammation & doing pt, previously had left hip replaced in 2006 due to advanced osteoarthritis) - and yes, I was correct, right hip was not near as bad with osteoarthritis, but was presenting differently, so yes needed to have that replaced as well. Then I went back to family dr & told him something had to be going on as this pattern over the past year, so 10 vials of blood & 17 blood tests later, yep Rheumatoid. I have now been on Plaquenil for just over a month now and trying to wean off the prednisone (that has NOT helped my weight loss or blood pressure, been on it longest this time, since January). My first research on it found an "older" page of information (from mid 90's?) that stated "most rheumatoid patients after diagnosis will have some major physical disability within 5 years; most patients will no longer be able to work or function normally after 10 years" - I sat & cried! Having worked in an office all my life, typing, writing - not to mention I'm an avid scrapbooker! I then found the date on that and moved on....and found plenty more up to date information that noted the great advances in treatment & outcome! It also helped that when I had my right hip surgery in November, my OR nurse was about my age & had rheumatoid - since age 17!!! she did have some hand deformity, but functional, she stated she had had surgeries too; but that yes, now with the new medications, she has a good quality of function and feels good about it. Gotta keep that positive attitude! and I am more the "glass is half full" type of person - so look forward to learning more and exchanging information & support here!!