I am 27 and have RA, I am interested in going to med school in to be come a doctor, but I am scared to do so b/c of my RA. My only problems are swollen knuckles and wrists, otherwise, I feel great. Is there anyone here who works in medicine or knows someone in medicine w/ RA? If so, how do you work/function? Should I pursue this career? Any advice would be great! Thanks!
PS: I'm new to myracentral.com, my name is Stephanie and I've had RA for 6 yrs.
I am a registered nurse. I was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis (which clinically mimics RA) when I was 24 years old, but actually had been dealing with it since age 17. It was attributed to growing pains (!), scoliosis, the fact that I am 6 feet tall. No one was able to get my pain under control. I went through a lot of grief as there were some days I couldn't even move without pain, and other days when the inflammation would migrate.
My salvation finally came when I was referred to a rheumatologist who knew his stuff (believe me, they don't all know) I ended up on methotrexate, which I was already taking because of my psoriasis since age 11 (another long story of misdiagnosis and poor self image). My doctor said he never would have given me that for psoriasis alone, but saw that this was only partially relieving symptoms. He tripled the NSAID dose I was taking and changed it to an extended relief formula. So I ended up on Indocin SR 75 mg - 3 capsules a noc, and Methotrexate 2.5 mg (8 tablets a week). More recently I have taken Humira. I didn't think it offered a whole lot of improvement, but the discomfort did lessen.
Anyway, forgive me for all the boring stuff, but I thought that I was not going to make it through my first year as an RN. Obviously, the rigors of med school are different than nursing, but I wanted to let you know that with accurate dx and treatment, I have continued on as a nurse. I am now an assistant director of nursing. I have a family to take care of, and my job is demanding.
If you want to go to med school, go for it! Don't let your illness become the center of your life. Like the commercial says "I have RA, it doesn't have me!" The other part of this is that having an illness like RA and understanding a patient's frustration with their illness will make you a caring, compassionate physician.
Best of everything to you!
Thank you so much for your post, I went for 2 years w/o going to a rheumatologist and I went to a few doctors who had no clue what was going on, so I feel you in the sense of not all doctors know! I'm so blessed to have a rheumatologist who has helped me go from not being able to work, to being able to function daily.
Thank you for informing me that you are a nurse, I've spoken to nurses w/ RA and the like and they all talk about how much they regret becoming a nurse b/c of how their bodies went from bad to worse or they had to take a job in healthcare that they hate b/c of their disease. I was pursing nursing, but (here's my story...) I was rejected from 2 b/c of my SAT score from 1997 although I've been to college and the third school messed up my application and denied me admission when I probably would have gotten in.
I do feel my rejection from nursing programs happend for a reason and maybe it was to push me to become a doctor since I finally have the personal strength as we as personal encouragment and loving support of my amazing boyfriend to help me make it through. I need to stop fearing my RA and just go for what I want to do. With anything, there will be rough times, but in the end, it will be worth it. I have too much life to not go for what I want.
Thank you again for your post! What field of nursing did you/do you work in? How did you handle the lifting and pushing of equipment, patients, etc.? How do you handle opening tops that are difficult to open. Those are my main concerns, regardless of whether I go into nursing or work to become a doctor.
Hi ive just read your story! i suffererd from psoriatic arthritus all of my life but used to go to the doctors regulary and i was told GROWN PAINS all of the time. i am now 18 and got diagnosed when i was 17. im finding it really hard to cope, going for my methatrexate injection every week and taking sulziphrin and folic acid and lots and lots of pain killers. has any one got any idea what career i can do? im not a care assistant but i dont think its my ideal job for what im struggeling to do at the minuite? thnx Leigh x
Heya just read ure comment. Im 18 and im on methatrexate i did have the tablets but im on the injection now. it still dont seem to be changing anything, ive got psoriatic/rhuematoid all over my body: neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hands, hips, knees (the worst), anckles, feet! argggg lol. and i think the methatexate makes me feel quite tierd, lazy and angry inside but thts probly got to do with the artheritus. a cnt really describe how i feel. what about u ? thnx leigh x
Hello
I am a Physical Therapist and have had RA for three years. Over my thirty year career I have treated many patients with RA. Actually having RA has taught me more about the disease process than all of the treatments combined. It has been a very painful but rewarding experience for me.
Once you get into the medical field you will learn more about the vast number of opportunities available to you. You may not be able to do some of them, but you will find a rewarding path to follow. After all, who could make a better Rheumatologist than someone with Rhuematoid?
Anyway, I imagine the Pro Bwolers Tour is out of the question.
Good Luck and Keep Going
Chuck
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Thank you so much for this, I never thought about it until you said it, "there are certain things that only we ourselves can let it take from us, our dreams." That is so true, if I believe I can't make it, I won't. I have too many years and too many dreams for me to let my fear of what RA could possibly do to me slow me down.
I believe I could offer so much to the field of medicine, I can, like you said, show others with RA and other autoimmune diseases they too can do it. You (I) can't let the fear of the unknown get in the way. Besides, I'm worrying about the worst case scenario when in reality I could end up perfectly fine. I really need to get out of that fear-thing...
I've been thinking more and more about it since I posted and I do believe I am going to go for it. When I think about it, the worse case scenario is that they say, "no you are not accepted." At least I still have my health, those who I love and a job...RA is in no way a reason for me to NOT go for it!
Thank you again! I so appreciate your reply!
Steph