Found this interesting especially as we were all talking about it a while ago

[Crazyjo]

contributors.healthline.com...

[Hidden]

Thanks for the link Crazyjo, although the pop up window asking me to subscribe made me jump...lol. But it was worth the read. xx

[nomoreheels]

Thanks for posting that Crazyjo. It's a good one for family & friends to read as it gives just enough information to give those you don't get what RD is & how it affect us without bamboozling them with medical terminology & risking them losing interest.

[net2012]

Yes I agree if they can't change it then even having rheumatoid AUTOIMMUNE arthritis would define the condition more.

[Ozzy]

I try not to let anyone know as I am fed up with people telling me they get a sore finger as well. I wish that was all I had instead of just about every joint now sore and swollen and eyes that feel like they have been sandpapered! Mind you arthritis is the only word that has stayed the same since I was diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis are some kind.

[dickfend]

Hi Jo I couldn't agree more. I think the name should be changed. I have had RA for 40 years and I can honestly say that I have given up trying to explain to people how RA affects people as they can only relate to the arthritis bit. Maybe the NRAS should put up a case with the government to push the BMA into changing the name and all members of NRAS etc who agree in principle should sign a petition.

[dcj14]

Hi Jo, thanks for this, it is interesting. I have followed the suggestion of a number of people on here and have started to say I have RD rather than RA when people question me. So far, it's paying off! I've had far fewer patronising comments and quite often people just say no more as they realise that they don't have a clue about it - result!

[Hidden]

I have noticed though, that in my profile I can't change Rheumatoid Arthritis to Rheumatoid Disease. The only other option is Rheumatoid Factor which I don't have - I'm Sero-negative.

[Crazyjo in reply to Hidden]

Yea unfortunately hardly anywhere calls it rheumatoid disease we stuck with the arthritis, maybe one day it will get changed to reflect the real disease

[nomoreheels in reply to Crazyjo]

If we keep using it the more it'll get used hopefully. I've not had a negative response yet & been using it for a while now. It seems more Rheumys are using the term RD nowadays so it's obviously not just us that think RA doesn't cover all inflammatory conditions.

[petalnumber2]

Hi Crazyjo,

I read the article with interest too and found it interesting, plus views shared here. I agree that RA should be changed Rheumatoid Disease or Autoimmune Arthritis. At least they are both more correctly descriptive and would save all the hassle of trying to explain the difference, although like some of you I gave up long ago. I'm going to try using RD for a while and see what happens.

Thanks crazyjo, for bringing this subject up. June x

[Hidden]

I find it hard to remember to say RD instead of RA - even having only had it for three years it's a habit that's hard to break - especially as it's built into the NRAS name and logo. Although I support a name change I think it might be hard to get it changed officially here because RA comes under the heading of Musculoskelital and that this is just where it's landed and it's politically expedient to keep it there I'm reliably informed. When I was wondering about this with a friend with RD she pointed out that it's probably because it comes at the top of Musculoskelital conditions as one of the most serious - whereas under autoimmune it might just get a bit lost as there are so many awful diseases under this heading. For me RD however is a much better way of describing my disease than RA because the arthropathy side of things is not as bad as the other systemic autoimmune features - although I recently had RD confirmed by a connective tissue specialist. I've now just got to retrain myself to describe it as Rheumatoid Disease instead of RA though!

[Emosh79]

Hi all, I was diagnosed last year with RD and having it for just a short time I have to agree with all of you explaining what it is was a challenge. Family and friends never took it seriously and put it as arthritis very upsetting when your emotionally trying to explain this illness but also fighting (verbally of course) for people to understand it's not arthritis u do hope some changes are made in the name, but I agree from now on I will call it RD.