I was diagnosed with RA after getting over Fifth Disease which I contracted from my childrens daycare. I was 34, I am 42 now. I had been controlling my flareups by eating right, etc. for some time there after and at that time I began a relationship with someone. I went to my OBGYN to be placed on birth control. It was your typical birth control pill and I took one pill a day. It was about 2 to 3 weeks into it that I began to be in tremendous pain as I had been when I had the fifth disease. I called my OBGYN and told him I had RA and asked if birth control pills could effect someone who has RA at all. He asked why I did not say anything about this when I was in the office and I told him I didn't think one would have anything to do with the other. He said I need to stop taking the pills right than and there and told me it was most likely the estrogen causing the problem. I stopped taking the pill and about 2 weeks later all my pain was gone again. The comments above seem to conflict with my experience.