I am 31 and just recently diagnosed. So I understand where you are coming from. I have just decided that their must be some reason that this was a cross I must bear in my life. I will keep you in my prayers. I refuse to let this disease change my dreams. I may hae to make modifications but it will not make me change them. Just keep your head up and use this forum as much as you can. It has really helped me as well as many others.

The last thing that we should do is let it make us want to run away and not actually live! If you ever need to talk all of us our going through this together.

God Bless.

I'm 51, and was diagnosed 10 years ago.  I was living in Florida, and I had no health insurance.  When the Dr said I had RA, I had no idea how severe and PERMANENT it is. He just told me to take Naproxen for the pain,, and that was it, I went on my merry way.   I came back home to get my job back as well as my health ins.  (THANK GOD I DID)!  It's has been a roller coaster.  The meds caused me to get severe infections, all the time.  What is that saying, The cure is worse than the disease, or something like that.  BUT, I have now learned to be very careful, almost to the jpoint of being OCD. 

I'm rambling, but just hang in there.  I FEEL how you FEEL.  I understand.  You can STILL be Girlie Girl!  You can!!

Hi Norma,

I can appreciate  how you feel!  I'm 57 and was diagnosed 5 years ago.  I'm a musician (though not professionally) and when the Ra struck, I couldn't play the piano for a half hour without having pain for a week!  After I found the right medicine, I went back to it, and for several years I was able to play piano and guitar when I needed to, even to the point of literally "leading the choir" at church for several months when we were without an organist - and i played at the funeral of a very dear friend. 

    I also couldn't type this much without extreme pain! 

I think you're still in the waiting stage for MTX to kick in.  If it doesn't, or if things are unbearable, you can consider  talking to your doctor about adding another med.  I had to skip over methotrexate because of high liver enzymes, and was put right on one of the biologics, Remicade.  I ended up switching to Enbrel, and have mostly been happy with it - nothing is perfect!  But having some choice gives you some sense of control over your life, if not the disease.

     I would be pretty annoyed with the doctor who just assumed old injuries.  Osteoarthritis does creep up in old injuries, but the pain of RA is of a different sort. I too had things overlooked because 'You look too young to have these problems'.  Before the diagnoses, I told my podiatrist that something was happening (shape changing) in my ankle, and he refused to do more xrays unless I was going to have surgery.  I got a shot of cortisone in my hand for a very stiff thumb for 'DeQuervain's tendinitis" from an orthopedist.  But shortly after my wrist swelled up halfway to my elbow and my GP said "uh oh! - I guess we'd better do those RA tests again!" I think he felt guilty, being the good doctor that he is, that he didn't take it as seriously the first time.  He had thought it was 'only fibromyalgia'.  I actually had swelling in the bone marrow - talk about pain!  

   But the good news is, I am so much better now.  I do have to pay a lot of attention to taking care of myself - which bugged me terribly at first until I realized - who better to do it?  It does mean slowing down - and prioritizing.  A visit to the mall is not a fun trip for very long.  I can't take long walks - my only previous form of regular exercise.  Instead I now have a recumbent bike in my living room.  I still play a little guitar & piano occasionally but have had wrist damage after all, from the beginning, which has taken its toll.  I have had to figure out how to do things differently.  I spent a few $$ on a veggie chopper (Proctor Silex $12) for those days when I can't chop veggies. But most days I can.  I wear only one kind of shoe, with orthotics.  I simplify as much of my life as I can, so I can pay attention to the most important things - my health, my husband, my job, and a few close friends.  And try to remember what I've still got and not focus on what I've lost.  Because it can drown me in self-pity if I do.  If I don't take care of myself, I'm miserable to myself and everyone around me.  that's the biggest incentive to take some of the meds - to stay on top of things but be cautious at the same time.

Hope I haven't said too much!  One last thing: some people feel better (less pain) if they avoid red meat, or even most meat.  Fish is better, veggies are even better. 

Blessings and best wishes for a good response to meds!

Ellen

I am 43 yo recently diagnosed and am very mad.  I am a nurse so I have seen the devastation of this disease.  The doctor told me and i have cried swore and been generally pissed at the world.  5 years ago had brain surgery for a aneurysm now this.

I sit in this chair typing and wanting to scream because it feels as if someone is pulling on my hips in seperate directions.  I do believe in meditation etc but right now I am like you and too mad to see or find a way to turn this around into a manageable thing.

Take care of you the best you can.  Email me if you want to #$#%#@%  or cry