The Newbie!

Hi all.

I'm right on the starting line here. Finally, after all these years of "playing the hero" does it become too much in one particular problem to ignore it and wait for it to go away, then end up with two problems off the same blood test! R.A. and Gout.

Still, move forwards, albeit a little slower than I used to be and hopefully be able to support and get support from others in the same boat, or indeed the boat in front of mine.

I am a keen internet fiend and can sift through the good, the bad and the downright bizarre so hopefully information won't be an issue. It's how I manage that information in relation to my problems that matters.

[Kathyk]

Hello and welcome! I am a relative newcomer myself, and have been overwhelmed by the support and practical advice I have had since I joined. I feel I don't have much to offer compared with some of the wise souls on here, but occasionally I have been able to share what works for me.

I am sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but sometimes having a name to put to the strange and varied things our bodies do can be a help. At least we know what to google for, which is often less scary than typing in a few symptoms and coming up with anything from the mildly bizarre to the frankly terrifying!

I hope you have a good day, and things get on an even keel for you soon.

[Hidden]

Yep, knowledge is power to a certain extent. Time was I'd go to see a doctor with routine things and felt they resented any mention of the knowledge I might have about the problem. But when we're living with a chronic disease we can gradually get very well informed & I think doctors recognise this and often welcome our input as long as we don't fool ourselves that we know it all. At best, it's a partnership between clinician and patient.

The emotional adjustment may be helped by knowledge but it's an ongoing challenge. Sometimes I almost relish the challenge - that would be on good days!

I very much hope the RA and gout can be brought under control quickly and that you turn out to be one of the lucky ones (who for obvious reasons are not well-represented on the internet) whose disease calms down to such an extent that it really takes a back seat.

[nomoreheels]

Welcome from me too SalixG. You'll find yourself researching more & more, when new meds are added, when another thing you'd put down to doing too much starts becoming less manageable, why this med doesn't appear to be working..... but it sounds as though you have a good filtering capacity, you have more awareness & recognise the iffy sites & information, no bad thing.

Anything you want personal experience of just ask, I'm sure you'll receive responses however bizarre whatever you're questioning appears!

[Bob11235]

I am sorry that you have RA. I haven't had RA very long and I too have been using the Internet as well as reading Pub Med which is published by h US NIH.

[nomoreheels in reply to Bob11235]

Excellent resource Bob, I use them a lot as they're reliable.

[summer32]

This site is great and supportive though beware the old google could scare you!

[Hidden]

Welcome to the site SalixG. Hopefully you will be able to find all the information that you need. We have a very informative website and I have put a link to it below for you:

nras.org.uk/

If you do need any help or additional information then please feel free to call the helpline on:

0800 298 7650 Monday - Friday 9.30am - 4.30pm

Regards

Beverley (NRAS Helpline)