I am being maintained well on Orencia. Off MTX cause of multiple bouts with the flu, the last of which I am still fighting.

Had first orencia infusion today! Methotrexate & enbrel didn't work. I take arava daily. I'm optomistic about orencia Arava combo. The finding nemo scene with dory singing just keep swimming is my daily theme song lol

I don't post often. But I am doing O.K. Stiffness is back with a vengeance. I am also dealing with water on the knee which makes me walk with a cane and a walker. Pain seems to move up and down the leg, more toward the foot. wrists are always a problem. Have also been dealing with tendonitis in the elbow and shoulder bursitis . had to stop the exercise classes 3 times a week. they are gentle stretch and exercise classes. Just a continuous aching pain all over. Other than that I am doing fine... But I deal with it. I do what I can when I can and that works for me. thanks for asking.

Very well, thank you. And you?

I'm new here. Just took my very first dose of methotrexate last night. Woke up fine this morning but, as time went on I realized I have no energy, which then just went into a crying episode. Right now I'm just so angry that I have this disease!!!

thanks for doing this Katie. Cassie it was nice to see your update. hopefully some of the silent majority will say hello.

depotblue

The posts from people just finding out they're on this crazy train with the rest of us just tug at my heart, and I often wonder how things are working out for them. So I'm glad to see some responses here. the format of this site makes responding in a conversational way to a specific post kind of awkward, I think. But if you're an infrequent poster, that doesn't mean that people don't care about how you're doing!

What always amazes me is one commonality in followup posts: "This sucks, but I'm soldiering on." I'm imagining Keatonsmm singing the Dory song, and Cassie, honest to God, you're amazing: everything hurts, but you say "other than that I'm doing fine." You are so strong! We are a pretty darn fierce tribe here, aren't we.

we actually used to be social now and then 3 or so years ago. christine liked to do word games. blue dogs liked to post his southern comedy tales. Alto used to take the microphone. Sally did a fair amount of what are you grateful for or reflective stuff. coaltrain talked about the country life. grandpa posted links to his baking. i used to put up kale recipes to piss people off. no one liked all of this stuff but it offered variety and gave us sightings of folks. filling is good now and then. this was a way to come around when you actually did not feel like contributing on the RA theme of the day. or to be less acerbic now and then.

i'd like to see that start up again. We all need reminders that we are more than the disease. Maybe a thread where we each list a few unusual things about ourselves or something. Sort of a way, with so many new people, to find connections.
Let's think about this.

Yes, Depot, those were the days! When we were all friends, and got to know each other off-line, too. (Well, I have one or two off-line friends from here, but I have been very bad about keeping in touch!)

As for me, I think I may have finally turned a corner with my treatment. My meds failed over 2 years ago, and I have been struggling terribly, especially with tendon damage. I had never had a tendon flare in the previous 18 years, so this was very upsetting!

I've been through a number of medications since then, right now on mthx, Arava and Orencia weekly shots. I was able to wean off prednisone completely a few months ago, and I think I am actually starting to lose weight! The chipmunk cheeks are disappearing too!

There were so many things I could not do with my hands - I was just remarking in church this morning, to a friend, how exciting it was to be able to have the strength to pull pots off the stove, instead of waiting for my husband to do it.

I went into a panic a while back, because every time I exercised, the next day I would be in agony. I did a series of stretches and light weights last night, and for the first time, I am not suffering. In fact, my old whiplash injury has been driving me crazy, and the lat pull down seemed to help it! I'm excited about getting on my bicycle again, and planting the garden, if it ever warms up. Last year, I had my whole garden in by now. This years, frost is still possible according to Yahoo weather! I live up north a long time, and I hoped this cold thing was over, since I moved.

So, because my body feels better, I also feel better emotionally. The depression seems to be lifting. Or maybe that is just SAD, and spring has driven it away? Nope, RA pain and damage is truly hard on the mental health.