waited seven years ...firmly diagnosed a one year this last summer ...thougth it was two.but its only one year a few months :(:( RAfighter didnt you say you have had it since a child ???

No Tamiangus. I was diagnosed 5 years ago with RA. I was 34 when I was diagnosed with it.
I haven't developed any chronic illnesses but doctors suspect I developed pneumonia quickly from a sinus infection due to my medications a year ago. 2 years ago while on methotrexate (on it again now), I was in the hospital for a few days with complications of my heart. They thought I was having a heart attack. To this day, the doctors aren't sure exactly what caused the complications other than they said it had to be because of the mtx. I did have my appendix bursts this past June and again, the doctors suspect something with the RA.
I am currently taking Humira injections every 2 weeks, sulfasalazine, methotrexate (25mg) weekly, folic acid, ibuprofen 800mg 3xdaily. I am being told I will probably be on prednisone starting in December.
I don't have any joint deformity as of yet. I do, however, have some 'gentle' erosions starting in a few of my finger joints and also my wrists. :(

I was diagnosed in April 2013 at the age of 61 although I suspect I've had RA for years. I am doing pretty good on MTX . Rheumy also thinks I have fibromyalgia. I have not noticed any joint deformities.

Diagnosed April 2012 with unspecified inflammatory polyarthropathy, at 53. Re-diagnosed March 2013 with crazy-bitch-probably-a-drug-seeker, re-diagnosed (again) August 2013 with psoriatic arthritis with a side order of anklyosing spondylitis (or vice versa). That said, this may go back as far as 25 or 30 years.

Other illnesses: nothing directly.

Treatments: on MTX and prednisone, folic acid and leucovorin. Didn't do well with either Enbrel or Humira, Orencia is next.

Deformities: one bent finger, one where a joint bends out backwards, one that won't unbend past 40 degrees, some crooked toes, elbows that don't fully open, damage to sacroiliac joints, bone overgrowth in lower spine.

Diagnosed Oct. 2013. I am 21 years old.

Illness believed to have started when i was 18.

Too soon to tell, at least since official diagnosis of last month.

Currently im on: MTX, Folic acid leucovorin calcium, mobic and vit D, blood work every 4 weeks. and possible adding enbrel or humera next month.

No noticeable deformities. Still too early.

I've been diagnosed for 11 months, I was 27 years old, I had strep throat with a fever of 106.4 for a few hours and when I woke up had a flare of (RA) which I didn't know I had. My treatment plan includes Methotrexate injections, Embrel injections, folic acid, vit D, hydrochloraquin, prednisone and I think that is it. My fingers (index and middle both hands) Are curved towards my pinkies and my middle fingers have knots aka nodules and my toes are curved towards my pinkies, my index toes (not sure of the technical name for this toe) are like claw toes. I have lost the joints in my ankles. But that's pretty much it :-)

I was diagnosed in 2007. At age 42. I already had fibromyalgia. They have tried several different meds. Currently on MTX, folic acid, prednisone and Humeria. I don't really feel like it is working. Some days like today I just feel like someone has pulled my plug out of the wall and all the energy is just gone.

Last October 2012 (but I am positive it started years before). I was 66 and found out after the rhuemy who saw with with and RF factor of 919 and normal is 14; bingo answers to many questions about weird things. Started Methotrexate in Feb (was scared of the meds at first), folic acid, Leucovorin and occasionally steroids for flares. In the last year I was hit with an aneurysm behind my right eye, they say was bp related (something I never, ever had in my life till RA) underwent major surgery and they were able to keep vision going-but know I am farsighted/nearsighted and crappy depth perception. Then Sept 1 another eye thing, this time it was a stroke in the front of my right eye; I do take meds for bp, but I also still smoke. So now I am down to what I jokingly refer to as 1 1/2 eyes of steel. My grandkids think I'm being a pirate when I wear my patch and my husband delights in calling my his very own cyclops. What I did find after all s*#t hit the fan last year is that 4 of my 5 paternal aunts had RA, my younger sister has had all kinds of weird "arthritii" all of her life and my 31 year old daughter suffer from "autoimmune", and has all of her life. So this is my story and I'm stickin to it! Love the "roll-call" part of this, very clever; and what better way for all of us to learn. Have a great one. Trish

I think I probably have had RA for most of my life, but I was officially dx at age 46, and fibro about a year later. That was 14 yrs ago.
Currently on Enbrel, plaquinil, mobic, vit D, Arava, Cymbalta (for fibro) flexeril and Norco (for pain).
Both wrist stay swollen (lump on top of wrist), left hand is swollen most all times & slight amount on right hand, both ankles outside have been swollen for over a year, left great toe is totally unbendable & some toes are claw toes.
But outside of this I'm fine ;o) !!
PS My daughter was the same age as you when she was dx with RA ;o(

I was diagnosed at age 36. That was 8 years ago. I started off on Minocycline and had one wonderful year of complete remission. Then I developed a severe reaction to the Minocycline and had to stop taking it. I was on nothing but prednisone for about 2 years after that and did ok. and then I had a couple of years on nothing, but didn't really have any problems. About 3 years ago I got worse again and started on MTX, Humira, and Celebrex. That's what I'm currently on and doing ok. I have some crooked fingers and my left shoulder doesn't have the full range of motion.

How long have you been diagnosed with RA?
8 months

How old were you when you were diagnosed?
43

Since you have had RA, have you developed any other illnesses as a result of RA? Nope

Current treatment plan? MTX 15mg every Sunday

Any joint deformity related directly from RA?
Per my Rheumy & X-rays no deformity

2006 I went from feeling great, to the next day ...not able to get out of bed. And I was in bed for almost a year. It was bad!
I was 49
I do not have any other illness that I know so far.
Orencia
No joint deformity. but I had RA in my knees really bad, so I am bone to bone. My Poor chubby knees. =(

Lin

dx may 2009 2 weeks after my Dad passed away. I had been caring for him for 9 years. I was 51 but I think I already had it for a couple of years before dx. I developed psoriatic arthritis on my feet a couple of years ago which is also autoimmune. I'm on remicade infusions every 8 weeks and prednisone tapers when in flare. Also panadeine forte when needed. I have deformities in my thumbs and and feet.

Keloxx

i was dx'd in september at the age of 33. now that i know what the symptoms are, i'm pretty sure i've had some symptoms for a bit over a year, but the bilateral pain started in july. i haven't developed any other illnesses.... yet :/

currently i'm on 15mg of mtx weekly, upping that to 20mg with this week's dose. i take 1mg folic acid daily, as well as biotin, a probiotic, calcium +D, multivitamin, flaxseed for omegas, and i take 1.25mg vitamin D weekly. my rheumy sent me for bloodwork yesterday to prep me for starting a biologic in a month...

i have had an issue with the index and middle fingers on my left wrist for some time. the topmost joint on the index finger has twisted a bit toward my pinky and has a small nodule. it is always painful when i like squeeze it, but it doesn't always hurt on its own. the middle finger started twisting like that over the summer. my gp thought it was a heberden's node but that doesn't explain the twist in my finger. however, that type of node only affects the distal interphalangeal joints, which most people tell me are not involved in RA. so it's confusing. i don't now if that's directly related to RA; if it is, then i've had that symptom since i was about 20.

RA Sally - No research at all. For me, it's great to hear everyone's story. When I read everyone's comments on different threads, I always wander what their background was with RA so I can understand what they are saying more clearly. I think it's important for us to all understand everyone's story on here....it helps us to be more supportive of one another.