(re)Introducing myself

Hi, my name is Christina and I have been on and off of Healing Well for quite a while.  I live in Central IL, USA and am married with 3 kids.  I was first D_x with bipolar disorder in 2007, then about a year later with RA.  I got the phone call with my RH factor results on my 29th birthday.  Happy birthday to me, right.  I flip back and forth between the BP forum and here as the different conditions effect my life.  I have been going through the "hoops" to get Social Security Disability for the way bipolar effects my life.  I was awarded my claim in September, and the paperwork is finally falling into place. 

RA medications and Bipolar medications do not play well together in the body, and pain does not make bipolar easy.  I also don't do well classifying my pain because if I am answering in a manic, I might not be affected by what would land a linebacker- and in a depression I will feel every joint and muscle and the depression itself will cause aches. How do I tell the difference?  How do I explain the psychological conditions to the medical doctors?  They really don't always see the connection.

Right now fatigue is my biggest enemy. I think I could mostly get past the pain if I wasn't knocked on my butt all the time.  It effects every corner of my life.  The rheumy says that the inflammation is under control with what he calls "triple therapy".  I don't have function problems, but I continue to have pain.  I see the difference in my hands, but it seems like the rheumy can't, or it isn't pronounced enough to make an issue.  I can't even fit my hands into the gloves I wore last year.  the only thing that holds back function is "discomfort".

I am the local "expert" for RA in my circles because I am the only one who has that condition. Especially my age.  And I don't know a whole lot.  I try to control my conditions with knowledge, so I read the research.  My husband and I are both bipolar (we didn't know that when we married) and he is much, much more stable than I am.  My 12 year old daughter is just short of a D_x for bipolar also.  She just started showing signs this winter and the medication is working.  I'm glad we caught it early, and we will watch the others as they get older.  I'm going to have a very interesting home in a few years.

So, that's me.  If you would, please give me a quick bio so I can have a mental picture of who I'm talking to.  It would help me out a lot.  Thanks.

Hi here is Bstrong :) encouraging myself to stay strong even if sometimes is not easy...
I am 34, before RA always was healthy, active, going to the gym regularly, like to eat healthy. Originaly I am from Poland, 7 years in US.
Diagnosed in July last year and I was strugling around 1 year. I had tooth implant placed in my mouth 6 mnts before all of the pain started ( in my knees, elbows, ankles - couldn't walk) so I started to blame my dentist and titanium dioxide inolerance. Test for titanium dioxide was positive, implant was removed but nothing changed and I think maybe I was in denial looking for the answers everywhere... but well, what wouldn't we do to just find the answer and put the end on the struggle...
Was scared to death about the medications at first (hated them so much!!!) I decided to start Humira after while when my rheumy introduce it to me.. was scared about side effect, but anyway decided that maybe that will be the way to have my normal life back and enjoy it as much as I can.
Humira helps, I feel OK, not the 100% like before RA but it is OK. We need to take what we got right ?? :)
I am thankful that I am pain free, can walk, work and wish it will stay this way as long as possible :)
No deformations so far - on my first x-ray small/little corosion in the one of the fingers.
RA is aggressive lets fight it aggressively!
Wish you the best and welcome back on the forum!

Hi, I'm also 50, have 3 kids, 17, 15 and 11. I was first diagnosed with sero negative arthritis just over 4 years ago. I was in complete denial, I'd had the flu but was other wise fit healthy and strong, out there running and swimming, bike riding, walking distances, very active. How could I develop such a disease?

My rheumy prescribed all these heavy duty meds that to me seemed completely terrifying and majorly over the top for at that stage my two swollen knees and a bit of lethargy. Its taken several major flares for me to see the error of my thinking and a steady downward plunge into the true joys of RA with several major joints affected. I got so ill I ended up in hospital for 8 days having pulses of prednisone or whatever they call the cortisone by IV. I needed 3 grms of the stuff to get me back up and walking, I had to take 5 weeks off work and it took about 3-4 months to really recover.

So thats me, I'm currently on humira, mtx 20mg weekly, prednisolone 10mg,daily, plus mobic 15mg daily and that seems to be keeping me going.

I work part time and being on my feet is my current problem, over use of any joint will flare it so feet bear the brunt of standing and teaching.

But I feel I have come to terms with this disease now, I take it in hand and try to incorporate it into my decisions.

Welcome back o HW, I still get a lot of help and support here, golitho

hi christina i have had ra for 1 yr now which isn't long i know.
i am also struggling through my day trying to look after my 20 month old son.

to me my pain is normal until i have a flare then i am in so much pain all i want to do is lay in bed all day.
i am at the moment needing help due to this flare and my inflammatory markers are high which i don't get cause i am taking my ussal
meds.

well wecome back anyway and nice to speck to you. xx