just diagnosed

Hi Steve,

I think it is safe to expect that your lifestyle is more than likely going to change somewhat depending on what it is like now. That said RA is a pretty complex disease and affects people differently. My father was crippled pretty badly by my age with it yet with advances in medicine I am not. I would recommend that you heed the doctor about going to a pain management clinic should they advise it. They can help to teach you ways to deal with chronic pain that will help while they find a strategy to help suppress the disease.

I can only give my experience with the disease;

I went from being in great physical condition working in the construction field to no longer being able to work and having to look for a more sedentary occupation. I also had to really change my lifestyle and start taking better care of myself in terms of rest. I only averaged about 5 hours a night before the disease and was able to function just fine. I need a full nights rest every day or my body becomes stressed and I start to hurt. Also I have had to really look at how I deal with stress or rather don't deal with it. Stress has been one of the biggest factors in my disease so far as flare ups. I really need to have some way to deal with even everyday things like deadlines at work etc otherwise my body reacts very poorly to it. I have used prayer and meditation to help with this and it has brought me a lot of peace that I otherwise would not have.

I would keep notes to take with you when you go to see your Rheumatologist. Keep track of flare ups and pain this way as well as any questions you have so that you don't forget. Also if you are married it may be wise that you take your spouse; this is a remarkably complex disease and the more your spouse knows about it the better. Plus any questions she may have she can be answered this way.

Don't freak out over some of the side effects of medications. I am not trying to minimize them but I took enbril for 12 years and until recently it worked great. It gave me many productive years relatively pain free. What I have found is that side effects are concerning but when I am untreated or on a medication that is not working my life can be quite hard and hard on my family who I love and have a very hard time seeing me in so much pain. My only recourse at those times is taking alot of pain medications and I really don't dig that.

Most of all try to keep a positive outlook. Many times especially in the beginning I have gone through feelings of hopelessness which while at the time I really felt were not the case at all. There are many very good medications these days that help to deal with RA and help us to lead productive fulfilling lives.

Oh, be carefull with ibuprofen; I took it for many years and it messed up my upper GI as a result. If you are taking it regularly make sure that you are telling your doctor how much and how often so that if you need it they can prescribe you pain medication. Believe it or not it is easier on your body to use many of them.

I wish you the best. -Don