My girlfriend was diagnosed with RA at 18

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Hi. I feel a little odd writing on this board since I do not have

rheumatoid arthritis myself. I just started looking around on this

group and the people who post here seem to be very nice.

I knew that my girlfriend had RA when I started dating her, but she

was in a good spell so I had no idea just how bad she had been

suffering. I recently found out when I went to visit her at school.

She's in Law School in DC and I live in Miami so we have a long

distance relationship. When I went to visit her, her pains were

pretty bad. She had tried getting off of her meds, (methotrexate?)

and some injected medication because she says that although her pain

was better she felt sicker. She had been sort of self-medicating

with Ibuprofren and glusamine/chondritin supplements.

Well, the day I left she couldn't get out of bed to walk me to the

door. I had to pack and leave her there because I would have missed

my flight. I felt so guilty leaving her there. Now that I'm here I

just keep trying to research things to help make her feel better. I

worry so much that she has no one to care for her away, her room-

mates nice, but she's not an old friend or anything. I guess I would

really just like to hear from anyone who is either in my position, or

anyone who has had any success treating their arthritis. Her diet

seems to be a key factor, but even when she has good days, she is

NEVER 100%. Has anyone out there beat this thing into remission?? I

want to help her but I feel so useless. I'm currently pre-med and I

am now planning on going into rheumatology and immunology research, I

need to find something to help. I guess I must be rambling, but it

just hurts to watch your girlfriend, only 21 years old now (diagnosed

at 18) suffer and feel so impotent. Is it possible, can it be beaten?

Thank you so much, and good luck to you all in your challenges...