Hi I'm looking for some moral support.

[Guest guest]

My Name is and I'm new to this group. I was just diagnosed with RA

three months ago, I'm currently 29. I know that my RA is mild, but its already

affecting my ability to do things. My mom was diagnosed with RA about a

year and a half ago and hers for a while had her completely bedridden. I've

never been the kind to give up in the face of an obsticle, but I've already

spent

12 years fighting bi-polar disorder. I'm afraid that now between the two of

them I am never going to be able to have a real life. The pain sucks but I've

been dealing with it for a few years now, right now what I'm realing having

trouble with is the knowledge that this is a problem that not only is not going

to

go away, but is likely to get worse and I don't know what it will do to my

future.

[Guest guest]

,

Welocome to the group! I also am young and have RA. Diagnosed almost 3yrs

ago, i'm now 28. Yes getting a diagnosis like this is life altering to say

the least, but it is manageable. There are meds out there that i hope will let

you lead a close to normal life as possible. The trick is to see which ones

work best for you. This is a wonderfull group of people and our moderators,

a & work very hard to bring us info on just about anything on a daily

basis. If you have a specific question dont hesitate to ask. Again welcome

sweetie.

HUGS

from PA

[Guest guest]

Welcome ,

Sorry about your diagnoses. You guys are so young but this disease

does not age discriminate. I read somewhere a 6-month-old baby had

it.

The good thing is you are familiar with RA and know it is a real

disease. Sometimes when first diagnosed with it, some of us just

can't imagine having to be in pain so often or the seriousness of it

all. Hopefully you get a good rheumatologist, then you can get

things under control pretty early. There is always life to be lived

in between the bad times. Go a lot of places, take pictures of the

good days, make memories on holidays and birthdays, celebrate life

whenever you can.

I have a relative with bipolar disorder. I don't see her as much as

I would like. She has a controlling mom who doesn't allow us to call

her often. She is 50, a young 50 but old enough to make her own

decisions. When I was able to call her, she voiced to me she really

got tired of the condition. But she is otherwise a very intelligent

upbeat person, mom of 2 beautiful children who are now in college and

definitely lives life to the fullest. She went to Cancun and went

hand gliding while there and took loads of pictures. She does that

sort of thing all the time. So there is plenty of life to live even

with RA and/or bipolar. Just have to get them both under control.

However, I go places in pain or not sometimes just to get out of the

house. I went to a nearby park recently just to see the water

feature and the beautiful flowers they had out. It was in town so

there were a lot of different people all around in wheelchairs, some

jogging, just a variety. I took my camera and got some good pictures.

Loads of information here in the archives. Great support too.

healing energy,

Ebony

[Guest guest]

Hi :

Welcome - we are happy that you found us, but sorry

for the reason you are here. Yes, RA is a very

frustrating and concern causing disease, there is no

real cure, but you can control the disease by use of

medications. No, nobody can say what the disease will

do to you, each disease process is very individual, as

you have seen in your mom's RA, so the future can look

bleak as you begin this journey.

I have had RA for 7 years now, am 52, married to my

best friend for 24 years in August, and have two kids,

19 and 22. I am on medications presently that are

providing very good control of my RA symptoms and

pain. In this group, I think that between us, we have

been on or tried most every pill, shot, treatment,

etc. out there for RA, so you will find a lot of

information just in the personal stories of the

members. That has helped me more than anything, that

I am not alone, and that other people truly understand

what I am going through.

Currently, I take Enbrel by injection twice a week

(its one of the biologics), Methotrexate - 5 pills

every Friday, an anti-inflammatory called Mobic, and a

pain medication called Ultram ER. I also have

Fibromyalgia, Osteoarthritis, and Raynaud's syndrome.

I take medication for my fibro too.

What medication is your mom on? What medications are

you on? It will take a while for the medications to

kick in, so be patient, and sometimes one medication

does not do the trick, so another will be added, or

the meds changed. It takes time and some juggling to

get the right meds and doseage to help you.

Yes, being bi-polar will cause you an extra challenge

in dealing with your RA, but you are not alone there

either, I am sure. You will get a lot of good support

and information here, and I hope that we can be of

help to both yourself and your mother. Just know,

there is life after RA, it may not be the life you

envisioned, but with the right medications you will

hopefully be able to attain a quality of life, don't

give up!

Kathe in CA

--- monica_p4 <monica_p4@...> wrote:

> My Name is and I'm new to this group. I was

> just diagnosed with RA > three months ago, I'm

currently 29. I know that my> RA is mild, but its

already > affecting my ability to do things. My mom

was> diagnosed with RA about a > year and a half ago

and hers for a while had her> completely bedridden.

I've > never been the kind to give up in the face of

an

> obsticle, but I've already spent > 12 years fighting

bi-polar disorder. I'm afraid> that now between the

two of > them I am never going to be able to have a

real> life. The pain sucks but I've > been dealing

with it for a few years now, right now> what I'm

realing having > trouble with is the knowledge that

this is a problem> that not only is not going to

> go away, but is likely to get worse and I don't know

> what it will do to my future.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi Kathe:

Thanks, My Mom is on Enbrel and Methotrexate and pain pills. I've recently been

put on

plaquinil and Soma. I haven't been on them very long so I haven't started

feeling any

different yet. The cool down we've had here in Southern California has realy

had my

arthritis acting up. I'm glad I found this group, I've already gotten a lot out

of it.

in CA

>

> > My Name is and I'm new to this group. I was

> > just diagnosed with RA > three months ago, I'm

> currently 29. I know that my> RA is mild, but its

> already > affecting my ability to do things. My mom

> was> diagnosed with RA about a > year and a half ago

> and hers for a while had her> completely bedridden.

> I've > never been the kind to give up in the face of

> an

> > obsticle, but I've already spent > 12 years fighting

> bi-polar disorder. I'm afraid> that now between the

> two of > them I am never going to be able to have a

> real> life. The pain sucks but I've > been dealing

> with it for a few years now, right now> what I'm

> realing having > trouble with is the knowledge that

> this is a problem> that not only is not going to

> > go away, but is likely to get worse and I don't know

> > what it will do to my future.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

:

I am in southern california too - where are you

located? I am near Lake Elsinore/Murrieta. Yes, the

current cool down has really been a relief, but it's

still too humid for me!

Your mom is on the same things I am! Yes, you have to

give the Plaquenil time to work - when I was first dx

I was put on that med, and it started to help within

about 6 weeks (I was also taking Prednisone for a

month, and then was on Motrin), and for the first

2-1/2 years, I did really well on Plaq and Motrin. I

had no side effects from it. Remember to get your eye

exams. I hope it works as well for you as it did for

me.

Kathe in CA

--- monica_p4 <monica_p4@...> wrote:

> Hi Kathe:

>

> Thanks, My Mom is on Enbrel and Methotrexate and

> pain pills. I've recently been put on

> plaquinil and Soma. I haven't been on them very

> long so I haven't started feeling any

> different yet. The cool down we've had here in

> Southern California has realy had my

> arthritis acting up. I'm glad I found this group,

> I've already gotten a lot out of it.

>

> in CA

>

>

>

>

__________________________________________________