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Rheumatoid Arthritis
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Posted 7/23/2011 1:17 PM (GMT 0)
Hello,

I'm a 22 year old female. I was diagnosed with RA back in FEB 2011. It started with a mild pain in my right hand index finger. Which quickly turned into severe pain on all of joints.

At the moment I felt my world crumbled, I wasn't sure what I was going to with the rest of my life being that I could barely hold on to a pen. I felt that no matter what I did, I was going to end up in the same dark future. I fell into a terrible depression, I was always tired, getting dressed in the mornings was a chore.

My first doctor didn't understand the pain I was in, he told me to take Aleve. I then switch doctor and was immediately put on Diclofenac which gave me some relief, but it was still painful to sit up, walk or to do anything for that matter. My doctor switched me to Celebrex, and enrolled me in a program where I could receive the Enbrel injection for free. Since I've gone back to my regular active-self, with the exception of some bad days.
Posted 7/23/2011 1:47 PM (GMT 0)
dilo88, welcome to HW. there are many wise people here who are very understanding and helpful. I know myself, I was having a hard time earlier in the week and there were people who posted and helped me alot. Be it questions,or somewhere to rant, or even to tell people of good things happening in your life. The healing well people are great bunch to get to know. Hope you are doing well. take care. ((gentle hugs))
I have had RA symptoms since Feb 2008, and know how you feel that suddenly your life gets turned upside down.
Posted 7/23/2011 5:27 PM (GMT 0)
I"m so sorry to hear you have RA at such a young age, it is devastating and life altering. However, as time goes on you do learn to cope with this disease. Welcome to the board.
Posted 7/24/2011 1:59 AM (GMT 0)
isnt it sad people so young can be afflicted with such horrible illnesses....i know until not long ago i and many ppl i know always thought of arthritis as an old people thing....well not since now...im 25 and have had psoriasis for about 12 years - waiting for my dx, my list of potentials is lupus, RA or psoriatic arthritis. all i know is i need a diagnosis fast so i can start taking some better meds, its starting to affect my job and i really need to be able to work, my husband and i cant afford all our bills on 1 wage...im having to drop out of online college too since the tuition money this semester needs to go on my rheumatology appointments. hopefully i will be able to go back to it soon :O(
Posted 7/24/2011 2:53 AM (GMT 0)
lately i've been feeling down, i am grateful i found this forum full of wonderful examples of people that live with RA. when i talk to others, they don't understand they try to relate but it is not the same. i'm happy to know that i am not alone =0)
Posted 7/25/2011 3:33 AM (GMT 0)
It can get you down, I know! I was diagnosed back in 2006.  My oldest was just entering middle school and he is now grown and out of school...when I think of it in those terms..in terms of years, that I have been going to my rheumy for that long, it can still get me down.  I used to ask my rheumy if this would *ever* go away, and he said he did not believe in remissions...I simply dismissed his lack of optimism, convinced that I would someday wake up feeling pain free and RA free, like my old self shakehead Needless to say, I have come to terms for the most part, that I am stuck with this auto-immune yuckiness that pretty much dictates my days. 
Posted 7/26/2011 12:18 AM (GMT 0)
Dilo, I'm glad to hear the Enbrel helped. I was diagnosed a couple of years ago at 20, and found similar relief from it (although I did have to join a 12 month clinical trial to get on it...)

Welcome to the forum :)
Posted 7/26/2011 5:38 PM (GMT 0)
Yes it is hard to find people who understand. If you need to look up your medications you can always do a google search on them
to find out what interacts with them, ect...Once you get a good rheumatoid arthritis doctor then you've got
half the battle won...Sure do wish they had a cure all for RA...
you'll probably get "but your too young for RA", that's what I get a lot and I'm not that young....So maybe try
to think of something to respond to that "why thank you, and I wish I didn't have RA"...you can use that for
when your feeling okay or having a good day, eh...
anyways, hope you get a good day soon...
many well wishes...
Posted 7/26/2011 5:47 PM (GMT 0)
dilo88 welcome!

Please know that RA can get a whole lot better for a lot of people. I started out so severe I was crippled for 3 months- I couldn't even sit up unassisted- now I am fully functional with pain levels that average 3 on the pain scale but it has become second nature to me. Background noise I call it.
I wish you all the best!
Posted 7/26/2011 6:04 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome dilo...I'm glad you found us..the best thing you can do for yourself is stay with your rheumy and take your meds! Finding the right cocktail of medications and then staying on them is the best thing you can do for yourself. I have learned my lesson by going on and off my meds many different times and the joint pain is horrid.  It is best to just take the meds!
Posted 7/27/2011 6:36 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, Dilo88...I am so very sorry that you have been diagnosed with RA at all, let alone at 22 years old...I have to be honest; I do not know what you are going through as I have had it since I was two and am now 44...I do not know life without it so I consider myself very fortunate...It can get better, believe me....it is not a death sentence....when I was young, there were times I could not walk; I do remember my father carrying me at times...I also was told by a podiatrist when I was around 16 that I would be in a wheelchair by the time I was 35 (nice thing to say to a child)...rest assured, I am nowhere near a wheelchair...my intention is to give you hope.

You will have to alter your life a bit but I always say that I can do whatever I want; I just have to modify the way I do it...I would also say that finding a good, understanding and knowledgeable rheumatologist is extremely important; they will help you to find the right mix of medications to help you...the new biologics not only cut down on the inflammation dramatically but they also slow down the joint deformity...yes, there are risks attached to them but there is a great risk, as well, by not being on medications...eating properly, exercise and rest...ironically, having this disease may just make you the healthiest you have ever been!

Your life is not over, not by any stretch of the imagination...like you, I have always been an active person and am extremely stubborn; I hate to allow this disease to dictate my life....yes, there are times that I slow down, but I do not stop....I exercise 4-5 days per week by strength training and cardio...I swim the Hudson River sometimes for charity and I do mud runs for the hell of it...I also became a certified personal trainer a couple of years ago in order to work with people like you and I; people with chronic conditions need exercise the most but most trainers want perfectly healthy clients.

You are NEVER alone...keep us posted and let us know how you are doing and how you are feeling.
Posted 5/31/2012 3:52 AM (GMT 0)
I am so glad I have found your post; I am also 22 (almost 23) and have just as well been dealing with a newer diagnosis of RA (Jan 2012).  I have been seeing many different doctors over the last year or two due severe pain in my feet and hands (one doctor actually laughed at me) i took a "one last chance" and went to see another different doctor (thank god i saw this doctor); he saw some severe rashes on my feet hands and arms and was extremley concerned by my swelling and ordered immediate blood tests, i saw him 4 days later and he said that he hasnt seen that bad of bloodtests in anyone my age! I am so glad that I got diagnosed when i did, he also diagnosed me wht Vasculitis, RA (obviously) sjogrens, and autoimmune disease. I have been taking prednisone and cyclosporin (?) as well for a month and a half (methotrexate made me feel horrible).  Thank you for posting on this, I have looked everywehre to see if i am the only one in my 20's with this and its nice to know I'm not :) (while its not something i would wish on anyone its nice having company lol)

smilewinkgrin  

Posted 6/1/2012 11:19 PM (GMT 0)
I was almost the same age when I was diagnosed. 23 in grad school and I got so sick I thought I would never be well again. It took 9 months to get a definitive diagnosis-although my GP was positive it was JRA after 5 minutes.

Once I got a diagnosis and good meds I felt so much better. It's been almost 20 years now and I have never again been as sick as I was the months before the diagnosis.
Posted 6/2/2012 4:08 PM (GMT 0)
 

I was dxd. with severe RA when I was 25 but I had the intermitten bad pains and swelling when I was 24 years old.

You have a good many years ahead of you.  I'm hoping that there will not be too many hurdles for you.  Better yet with stem cell experiements/treatments, a cure for RA would even be better.  Wishing for that.

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