RA at 26, any advice for fatigue?

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone. I've been reading all of your posts and learning so much great

information, thank you!

I was just diagnosed with RA (seronegative) but have been having symptoms since

I was 23, it's just gradually gotten worse. I'm on prednisone (and Tylenol) now

and will start on Plaquenil after my eye exam.

I've been dealing with the pain for the last couple years, so I'm learning what

I need to do to be able to handle that; however, I really am struggling with the

fatigue. I have not been on time to work in probably a year and a half. I just

cannot make myself get out of bed. I work a 40-hour week and am also in school

full time to be an elementary school teacher. Luckily, if I'm late to work now,

I can just work late, so it's not really a big deal; however, when I start

teaching in August, I will have to be at school and ready to go by 7:30 a.m. at

the latest, and who knows how far I'll have to drive to get there. I'm really

nervous about this.

I know there are many people on here who juggle jobs and kids (I honestly don't

know how you do it) and many other matters, so if anyone has advice on ways to

manage their fatigue or combat their fatigue or even just deal with their

fatigue, I would appreciate it very much! Thanks!

-

[Guest guest]

Hi , I'm new here too, and all of the information here so far has been

super helpful for me. I also work, and know just how you are feeling...you

wonder how you will make it through the day, and then you hate to start thinking

about managing the next morning. I wake up feeling like I haven't slept in

days, and have been beaten and run over by trucks all night. Every part of my

body hurts, but the fatigue is the hardest part of this to manage. You're not

feeling tired, you're feeling like your sole is leaving you behind. To me, you

are fortunate that you have found out what you have...it's taken me 12 years to

hear the words Rheumatoid Arthritis come out of a doctor's mouth. If I could do

it all again, I would have taken better care of myself....ignore the fact that

you know that most people cannot understand how you feel, but know that more

damage will be done and your health will be compromised for trying to do it all.

So far, no one has given me any type of an award or the winnings to a lottery

for pushing so hard....but at 50, I feel like I'm 80 and pushing 90. (-:

Rest, rest....rest and avoid stress.

Zeyda

Tampa, FL

>

> Hi everyone. I've been reading all of your posts and learning so much great

information, thank you!

>

> I was just diagnosed with RA (seronegative) but have been having symptoms

since I was 23, it's just gradually gotten worse. I'm on prednisone (and

Tylenol) now and will start on Plaquenil after my eye exam.

>

> I've been dealing with the pain for the last couple years, so I'm learning

what I need to do to be able to handle that; however, I really am struggling

with the fatigue. I have not been on time to work in probably a year and a

half. I just cannot make myself get out of bed. I work a 40-hour week and am

also in school full time to be an elementary school teacher. Luckily, if I'm

late to work now, I can just work late, so it's not really a big deal; however,

when I start teaching in August, I will have to be at school and ready to go by

7:30 a.m. at the latest, and who knows how far I'll have to drive to get there.

I'm really nervous about this.

>

> I know there are many people on here who juggle jobs and kids (I honestly

don't know how you do it) and many other matters, so if anyone has advice on

ways to manage their fatigue or combat their fatigue or even just deal with

their fatigue, I would appreciate it very much! Thanks!

> -

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I'm Jane, seronegative like you, and just diagnosed this month. Unlike

you, I'm 52. It's very hard to receive a diagnosis of RA when all the tests

say you don't. The fatigue is a problem, but learniing to pace yourself is

key. Admit to yourself you need rest and be willing to go to bed earlier

than your peers. Bummer, I know, but necessary. Are you seeing a

rheumatologist? It's key and you must have someone who is familiar with

seronegative RA. We are a bit of a different breed of RA.

Jane in Michigan

In a message dated 4/16/2009 10:23:47 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,

sarahmlind@... writes:

Hi everyone. I've been reading all of your posts and learning so much great

information, thank you!

I was just diagnosed with RA (seronegative) but have been having symptoms

since I was 23, it's just gradually gotten worse. I'm on prednisone (and

Tylenol) now and will start on Plaquenil after my eye exam.

I've been dealing with the pain for the last couple years, so I'm learning

what I need to do to be able to handle that; however, I really am

struggling with the fatigue. I have not been on time to work in probably a year

and

a half. I just cannot make myself get out of bed. I work a 40-hour week

and am also in school full time to be an elementary school teacher. Luckily,

if I'm late to work now, I can just work late, so it's not really a big

deal; however, when I start teaching in August, I will have to be at school

and ready to go by 7:30 a.m. at the latest, and who knows how far I'll have

to drive to get there. I'm really nervous about this.

I know there are many people on here who juggle jobs and kids (I honestly

don't know how you do it) and many other matters, so if anyone has advice

on ways to manage their fatigue or combat their fatigue or even just deal

with their fatigue, I would appreciate it very much! Thanks!

-

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[Guest guest]

Jane and Zeyda, thank you both SO much for you advice! I really appreciate the

help and support!

-