Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) - Introduce yourself and meet others

Thank you Christa,
Your mention of your doctor prescription for a short course of Prednisone for micro flares interested me.
I too have started having the same issue. For several days my shoulders, upper arms and wrists were becoming very painful making sleep and daily living miserable. I took a 5 mgm prednisone yesterday and today my symptom's arm much less. Thanks to you I will talk to my doctor about trying this.
My meds are Cellcept and Plaquinil I have taken these for about 9 years and have done well.
I really appreciate your sharing and Mayo for providing this site.
Wishing you the best, Jilly

Welcome @novice, Christa. I love your picture. I hope you will add it to your profile http://connect.mayoclinic.org/account

I also appreciate the enthusiasm in your intro message to grabbing RA by the horns, metaphorically speaking, and living life. Already @jilliemo12345 was able to take a practical tip from your experience to apply to her own.

Christa, Jilly and others, what helps you stay active with RA?

Hello, I would love to join this group. I was misdiagnosed with PMR in June and just got an updated diagnosis of RA on Wednesday (12/14/22). I don't know much about RA but am happy to be able to get off prednisone (PMR treatment), which has caused a raft of terrible side effects, including severe osteoporosis which caused a broken hip. My understanding is that there are more--and more effective--treatments for RA...? What concerns me is that, unlike PMR which goes away in 3-5 years, RA appears to be a permanent condition--hopefully not a degenerative one. I'd welcome any input from the community.

Hi ldingwall88, like you fellow member @dinym was originally diagnosed with PMR, but later discovered she has rheumatoid arthritis and tapered off prednisone.

Here's a helpful place to start for more information:
- Everything You Want to Know About Rheumatoid Arthritis https://www.healthline.com/health/rheumatoid-arthritis

@ldingwall88, are you currently tapering off prednisone?

Hi @colleenyoung,
Yes, I've just started the prednisone taper. The unfortunate part is that my previous doctor had me at 40mg/day, so it's going to be a long process--not to mention the severity of the side effects I've experienced! I'm thrilled to be able to get off it. They're going to start me on methotrexate once my labs have come back--and probably Fosamax too. I'm also going to have a bone density test next month. Thank you for the message and link. I'll go check it out now.

I belong to a research arthritis group. I am hearing about many many other patients who have all typical RA symptoms as I do, but without the rheumatic markers, and so we have the osteoarthritis diagnosis and not any support. We are in just as much discomfort as the RA diagnosed group, but are fighting so many of our battles without medical support. To make matters worse, every time I give myself a Hizentra infusion of gamma globulin, I have a few days of torturous pain. Now, I am noticing that the blood vessels of the RA side of body 9my right), several in my hand and arm are swollen. I don't use pain meds or cortisone derivatives because of a serious former concussion,, but would welcome suggestions for controlling symptoms. I'm Moderna 1 vaccine injured since 1/12/22, bed-bound from fatigue and leg weakness, on crutches for walking short distances, wheelchair for all travel. I recently managed to stand for about 2 minutes in the shower without holding on. which is an achievement. Water fasting and some supplements and a severely restricted diet is how I am managing
my symptoms. I also have severely suppressed IgA and IgM, and low IgG. Also with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which was quiet until a SARS infection and Moderna activated it a few years ago. I am also recently 90 years old and was super active until the SARS and Modena vaccine, followed by years of body infections , pain and autoimmune activation. All helpful suggestions would be so very welcome.

Hi….my sister has RA and I keep her in Topricin with ArnicaX 10……she swears by this for her hands which are quite deformed. She says it is so amazing she slices the bottles open to get the last of it!……so it’s become my standard gift to her. This time I tried it myself on sore joints and hands too……it’s still stunning to me that it actually works !…..it’s on Amazon. Wishing you all less pain. Oh…..and the Salon Pas small pain patches around each finger is also a miracle !

I'm 64-year-old woman dx with RA* 6–7 years ago after years of no diagnosis. Current meds: abatacept infusions (past 3 years).

*also relapsing polychondritis

I’m a 75 year old women diagnosed with RA in 2003. Being in the healthcare field I knew to get a second opinion. One doctor said I had Fibromyalgia and second said , by lab work and swelling of my hands I had RA.
I had severe pain in my knees so injection in the back of knees helped some ,my hands became swollen and stiff and the eye doctor found sclerosis of the eye. Put on 80mg of prednisone and Remicade was started. Methotrexate had been tried , however, I had loss of hair and stomach issues. I started on Remicade infusion. In 2014 we moved a warmer climate and my new Rheumatologist started me Xeljanz and in one month I was doing water aerobics 3 times a week, walk class twice a week and I volunteer in a Therapy dog program. Yes, I do get tired and often will take a nap.
What I learned about myself during the with RA years: always get a second opinion,( if possible).
Get moving , warmer weather or heating pads can be beneficial, meditate. Besides my knee replacement, Life with RA has become much easier.

And a purpose in life by doing something you enjoy.

were swollen and stiff. I became very proactive with getting a treatment. Plan. First I was on methotrexate injecting at home. This drug started to bother hair and stomach. I was then switch to Remicade infusions However, my knee problem became worse. Both knees were replaced . Then we moved to a warmer climate and I was placed on Xeljanz.. Within a month I my tiredness stopped and I joined PAWS Therapy group

I love arnica!! In use it for bruising issues related to my leukemia. Really works well!! Hearing that it helps with arthritis is a great thing !!