First Year with RA and Unsure of the Future

Hi All, I am 52 years old and have seronegative RA.  A year ago I began experiencing fatigue and morning stiffness in my hips and legs.  I went to my PCP and found out that I was anemic and my sed rate was 60.  My doctor diagnosed me with polymyalgia rheumatica and put me on 40 mg of prednisone daily.  I was very uncomfortable taking this large a dose but he explained that it was better to treat inflammation aggresively and then back off.  I had a lot of SE and we dropped the dose to 20 mg but then had to go back up to 30 mg.  Eight weeks later I had my first rheumatology visit.  The rheumy said that he thought that I was too young to have PMR and that this was more likely early RA.  He started me on Methotrexate and we started weaning the prednisone.  I've never been able to completely get off the prednsione, only reduce to under 10 mg but still experienced pain and lots of fatigue.  Then I began to have pain in all my joints and so much fatigue that I could hardly function.  We added Enbrel one month ago and my energy level is much better but I still have pain, especially in my hands and wrists.  I've been reading all I can about RA.  I am a nurse and so I have been reading in nursing and medical journals as well as sites like this.  I understand that the course of RA is highly variable, and that outcomes differ from person to person. Yet so many of the personal stories of the struggle with RA while courageous, are accounts of pain, fatigue and loss.  My ability to work has been extremly limited this past year.  I've always been active and taken good care of my health.  I just completed three years of training as a movement educator, and now movement is so painful.  I fear losing the things in life that have given me so much joy.  Can anyone share stories of people doing well with RA, or thoughts to help me cope with this unexpected turn that my life has taken? My hope factor needs a boost.