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RA for 7 months

massagediva Living With It Massage therapist. The irony is too great. I was a happy massage therapist until RA struck me down about 7... Send Message Subscribe: massagediva

Friday, February 27, 2009
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I was diagnosed with Ra about 7 months ago. I feel like my life has been stolen. I have a very 'good' rheumy, but so far we haven't found the right cocktail of medicines to stop the horrible flares. Now, normally my day job is that of a massage therapist. I became a massage therapist, leaving a career as a theatre professor, after battling a brain tumor. I love massage. I love what I do so very much. I specialize in helping cancer patients and chronic pain conditions...this was before the RA diagnosis. I'm terrified I'm going to have to give up doing what I love to do. Right now, I subcontract at a day spa where I'm the only LMT. My boss doesn't get the RA thing. I've had to explain it to this Barbie Doll eight times. I've had to explain it to the other Barbie Doll who is STUDYING TO BE A NURSE at least a dozen times. They don't get it at all. I'm really scared I'm going to asked to leave because lately I've had one episode after another that has caused me to have to reschedule clients. Being on immunosuppresents, I'm vunerable to every little illness clients bring in...then I'm out again! Three weeks ago, my jaw locked up. Then last week, I had bronchitis and strep together. This week's crisis was my hands swelling up to more than twice their normal size. If I hadn't gone into to my rheumy, I might have had permanent nerve damage at the very least. To top this all off, prednisone makes me horribly depressed. I'm on 15 mg right now. That's low for some, but it's really bad for me. I'm on cymbalta now, but it's only been two weeks. I had been on Effexor XR for years for migrianes. I know I'm rambling here but I'm so grateful to find a group of people who understand what I'm going through.

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