I'm in my 30s and was diagnosed with RA at 18. Few days after graduation. So these past couple of years have been a whirlwind. Some days are rough and I do feel like giving up but than I realize that there are ppl worst off than arthritis. Not trying to minimize my pain. My aches and pain are not going unnoticed trust me. But keep fighting. Go to ur appointments and keep up with ur labs. Ask as many questions as u can. Don't let ur doctor over talk you. Use your voice and make them hear u. No doctor can tell u how u feel.. if your pain level is a 10, well gosh darn it it's a 10. Don't let your doctor tell u it can't be a 10. I hope u feel better luv. Keep us updated😘🌻

Hang in there Sam, yes the drugs will help.

Obviously they won’t cure you, but, they will make your life more tolerable.

Most of us start off on methotrexate with an iron supplement and maybe anti inflammatory. If this works then that’s great and you will be closely monitored by your rheumatologist. You will need regular blood tests to keep an eye on your progress and to watch for any problems concerning your medication.

If this is not enough, other drugs will be introduced until a suitable one can be found for you. Some drugs can work quite well for months or even years, but then they might stop working and another one can be tried.

We are all different and what might work for one may not work at all for someone else.

The early days are definitely the hardest. We know we are in a world of pain and have no idea how we are going to survive this. But the good news is, we do survive.

Some of us have to change or make adjustments to our working life. When I was diagnosed I was working as a fish monger for a large retail store. I found that the cold of the ice and the heavy lifting of fish boxes was more than I could handle, not to mention the number of times I cut my hands when I was not fully in control of the knives.

I was moved to another more comfortable area of the shop to work in. I also cut my hours down to three days a week.

The thing is, life goes on, it just goes on a bit differently from before. 15 yrs in, I am still tending my vegetable patch, looking after my chickens, working almost full time. I have the occasional flair, which I hate but I know it will pass.

When I’m feeling down, or struggling more than usual, I come on here, have a good whinge and then I feel better.

I hope you will feel better soon, it is not the end of the world, it’s just a slightly different way of living it.

Best wishes Cherry 🍒

Yes, treatment does work!!! I’ve had RA for 55yrs. I’m 62 and I have Survived and I’ve thrived at times.. there is life with RA if you keep a positive outlook and realize you will Probably never be pain free, you just learn to cope and go on. I’m on a Biologic with Methotrexate now and it’s made a world of difference!! The last 15 yrs have been So Much better. My joint damage has almost stopped!!! I have a lot of metal in my body from deterioration before the Biologics …. My kids call me Their Bionic Mom ☺️ Hang in there it takes a while to get the right treatment, but don’t give up Because it is out there !!

Find a good rheumatologist with an aggressive approach toward treatment. I was diagnosed a few years ago around age 31. I had a very severe onset of RA. It took about a year to find a medication that worked well for me.

I'm not in complete remission and probably never will be. I still get occasional flares, but I am able to maintain a very active lifestyle.

With good RA medication you can certainly manage your symptoms, but you have to be proactive. I only see my rheumatologist twice a year. If you don’t feel like you’re improving don’t wait for 6 months to go by. Sometimes it takes patience getting the medication right. You can expect spells of inflammation and fatigue. Blood tests are essential to see where you are on the RA scale. Keep copies of all your blood work.
Best of luck! Mary M.