Re: New to rheumatoid arthritis. Can anyone help?

[Guest guest]

Dear Kathe,

Thank you so much for your kind and comprehensive reply to my posting

on RA. I feel so much better knowing that there is someone with whom I can

share my concerns.

I go to a great Doctor here at the Cleveland Clinic. They are pretty

much #1 so I am confident in whatever treatment they give me. As I was just

diagnosed last Tuesday I am eager to hear anything you can tell me.

Actually, my primary care Doctor did not think this was RA. I kind of

diagnosed my

self through info on the Internet.

A couple of things I wonder if I might ask you. Does this go into

remission? Are there flare up that are worse some times than others? Does

cold weather make it worse? Sometimes my thumb joints get so hot I feel like I

would like to ice them. Could this hurt or help? Also, after 2 1/2 years,

can you still get around and work all right?

Again, thank you for answering my post. I hope my questions are not

too personal. I can't retire for 6 more years yet and as I said, my husband

and I really need the medical insurance my job supplies. I don't know how we

could pay for all this without it, especially as my husband is diabetic.

Sincerely, Polly from Ohio

[Guest guest]

Dear Kathe,

Thank you so much for your kind and comprehensive reply to my posting

on RA. I feel so much better knowing that there is someone with whom I can

share my concerns.

I go to a great Doctor here at the Cleveland Clinic. They are pretty

much #1 so I am confident in whatever treatment they give me. As I was just

diagnosed last Tuesday I am eager to hear anything you can tell me.

Actually, my primary care Doctor did not think this was RA. I kind of

diagnosed my

self through info on the Internet.

A couple of things I wonder if I might ask you. Does this go into

remission? Are there flare up that are worse some times than others? Does

cold weather make it worse? Sometimes my thumb joints get so hot I feel like I

would like to ice them. Could this hurt or help? Also, after 2 1/2 years,

can you still get around and work all right?

Again, thank you for answering my post. I hope my questions are not

too personal. I can't retire for 6 more years yet and as I said, my husband

and I really need the medical insurance my job supplies. I don't know how we

could pay for all this without it, especially as my husband is diabetic.

Sincerely, Polly from Ohio