Hello Everyone, I have just joined your group so as a polite gesture I would like to introduce myself.
My name is David. I have had Rheumatoid Arthritis for over 4 years. At first I was in denial about it, thinking that my symptoms were just attributed to me getting older. However, I have recently realised that I cannot ignore it any longer and that I have to come to terms with the medical evidence. Fortunately my body is still able to function properly, albeit much slower and with varying degrees of pain, but I am prepared for worse things to come . . .
I live by myself and don’t have anyone with which to share or talk about these things. So by joining this group I’m hoping that I won’t feel so isolated and that I can play a small part by contributing some of my experiences and listen to what others have to say. Hopefully I'll be able to give as much as I take in terms of knowledge and feedback.
Thank you and Best Wishes to you all.
Kind Regards,
David
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DavidManchester
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Welcome David. Sorry that you have had to join this group but I'm sure that like me you will find it very supportive and friendly. There is always someone to give advice from their own experiences and opportunities for you to share yours.
Welcome to the site - you'll find it interesting, helpful and sometimes surprising. Feel free to unload on here if you have problems and be supportive when others do.
I'd encourage you to use the NRAS site too for information that's straightforward and unbiased (as much as anything can be!).
Thank you for your warm welcome Oldtimer. Your suggestion regarding the use of the NRAS site is much appreciated and to which I shall certainly follow through.
How are you doing Jacki? Am I right in thinking you've started biologics? I've been meaning to pm you but with one thing & another not got round to it. Sold our house & not found anywhere to live yet eek! Exhausted round here & now looking at round your way. Speak soon. x
Hi-- P---- yep, been on Humira since April-- and just added 7.5 mthx as well. Stomach still causing problems--- Hiatus hernia not behaving lol. Hope you coped with Doris yesterday-- we seem to get all 4 seasons in 1 week atm don't we? Hope you and Si ok and good luck with the house move. If I can help at all re areas just shout xx
I hope it's helping & you're ok on 7.5 subcut. You can do without your HH having a go can't you. We were fortunate, no damage though it blew me into a wall coming out from seeing the Podiatrist. I take it you weren't affected? He's off to Spain on Sun til Fri sorting out his dad's affairs & putting the house on the market so just me & the dogs next week. Ok for some, I'll be left house hunting! Still every cloud, he's got a list of stuff that I miss or can't buy here, I've got out the big suitcase for him lol! I'll be sure to contact you if I need any info on areas, thanks for offering. x
Hi Jacki. Thank you for your welcome message. Yes, this RD malarky is rather daunting and I am already beginning to see that the population of this site is both understanding and objective in their views and attitudes. I feel lucky to be a part of such an online community.
Hiya David & welcome. Sorry you've joined the creaky joints club but pleased you've found us because it can be isolating, even if you don't live alone to be honest but more so if you do. So please join in, share the negatives & the positives, I'm sure your experiences will help others & hopefully you'll learn from others too. There's always someone who'll get just how things are.
Hope to see you around now you've introduced yourself! 🙂
Thank you for welcoming me and for your wise words. Your description of this site being "A Creaky Joints Club" certainly puts a new slant on the matter! It's left me with a big smile on my face and for that I must thank you again.
Hello Lady from Medway and thank you for your welcoming and positive message. Living with RA as opposed to suffering with it is a very profound statement and one which I'm sure I will remind myself about in the future.
Its true it might take a while but modern medications work very well for the vast majority. Its true not all but its like all medications there is no one size fits all. I suspect that its luck in a lot of cases. I'm in remission although caught a vile bug early December which meant several trips to the GP and the RA consultant. A steroid jab and it was quite nasty but its settled back down now and to be honest if I did not know I was taking LEF I'd not know I had RA. I lead a normal life, do what I want and its no problem but without the meds I suspect I'd be in agony and probably be very limited physically. My best advice to you is don't read the PIL and if you do remember if 10% of people get that side effect then 90% don't. So statically your likely to be in the 90%. I once said to my son I'd eat broken glass if tomorrow the pain was gone ! its great it did not come to that because LEF works so well for me.
Hi David great to hear from you, I was diagnosed in 2013 at first i thought the same as you the only difference i have a lot of support from family and friends even work have been really understanding which really does make things much more bareable, I am at the stage now when i wake in the morning i have a pretty good idea what kind of day is in store and just have to adjust to cope since joining the forum i have learned so much regarding this condition and that its not just a case of relying on medical advice because i believe only other sufferers fully understand the fundamentals of how this affects day to day living so hopefully you will get as much from this site as i have.
You certainly seem to have a good command of your condition Phil and I do appreciate your wise words. I hope that I do get as much from this site as you have and I thank you for such a warm welcome.
Welcome you are among amazing people they understand I was diagnosed in 2013 and still can't believe this disease
Welcome David I've had RA for 3 years and like you I was in Denial for the fist year, but now after 3 years off struggling I'm now in a better place thanks to a Bisomar called Benepali which I take with mtx 2 injections weekly and although I have my off days I'm in a better place and go to fitness classes most days and am determined this disease will not put me down, so you see when they get you on the right medication you will get there but it will take time and patience and if you need someone to talk to we are here to help each other
Pop, you have an inspiring positive approach towards not allowing your condition to drive you down and I admire your inner strength. Thank you for such a sincere welcome.
Hi Sylvi, many thanks for your message. Your ability to maintain a good sense of humour is so refreshing to hear. I also have similar views towards keeping cheerful. Humour helps keep us young, alive and smiling - and for that we must be grateful. You are indeed a person who makes up a large group of lovely people and thank you again for taking the time to welcome me to this site.
DAvid when you have hair like mine you need a sense of humour,it is multi colured and my nails as well. Mind you i love my hair and nails and if i am having a bad day and someone comments on them it means i need to interact with them which in turn helps me as wel.xxxxx
Hello David. I'm sure you will find this group helpful and supportive like I have. There is always someone who understands. I was diagnosed about this time last year. I still have days I think it's all in my head or they must have made a mistake and I don't have it. I am reminded daily that I do and have to say without being able to ask things on here I am pretty sure I would have crumbled. I have family but if I struggle to understand how can I expect them to. Anyway welcome ☺️
Thank you, your welcome message is much appreciated. If I get similar support to what you have on this site then I will consider myself very fortunate.
Amhoarten, your username always cracks me up! It always makes me want to say it out loud in a dodgy Irish accent (I was never very good at accents!). Describes someone with inflammatory arthritis perfectly!!
David, welcome to the group. I found this site about a year ago when I found myself unexpectedly on this roller coaster of pain and emotion, and have found it to be of great support. Hopefully you will too.
It looks as though I'm going down a similar road to yourself Mhairi as I'm already experiencing a modecum of support from the sincere replies received so far. Your Welcome message is appreciated, thank you.
Welcome to the club mate!! I also think diagnosis and getting your head around things is the hardest part, it certainly was for me. It takes time and trial and error but with correct medication this thing can be slowed right down and hopefully things might not get much worse for you.
We are genuinely a friendly bunch on here and you'll always have a place to ask, moan and get some help and useful advice.
Thanks Woodstar. I understand what you mean when you refer to trial and error in trying to establish the right medication. I am going through that phase at the moment. Your words are much appreciated.
Welcome to the forum, and thank you for the polite introduction. I hope you will get a lot of support on here and have the opportunity to support others as well. There are a lot of regular users on this forum, most based in the UK, but many worldwide, so you will often get quick responses on here.
I work for the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, the charity who moderates this forum and often responds to posts. If you are ever looking for information or have any questions, you may find our website helpful or may wish to contact our helpline. Here are the details:
Warm welcome David. As you will see from the replies this is a very caring forum. I have had RA for 32 years and live alongside it. I only joined last year and have found the site so helpful in joining up the dots, always someone to give their advice and support. It's always good to be able to offer advice to others as well, We look forward to hearing from you. X
Hello Jacqui. Thank you for welcoming me to this community. Having only joined this group today I can see already that everyone is so supportive and friendly. I am lucky to have found you all!
Welcome David! I too am fairly new to this fantastic group of people. Everyone on here are so caring & they are so helpful. I've never been on such a wonderful blog. U will soon discover that this was one of the best thing u did for yourself. Plus U will also be able to help others with your own experiences that u go through. I've been helped so much. Good luck to u on this journey. Feel free to drop me a line or 2 anytime. Sunrise🌻
Hello Sunrise, thank you for such a lovely message. Your endorsements to this site are consistent with what others say and I am pleased to hear that you have benefited from the support of all the good people on here. Take care, David
Welcome David, im sorry that reality has bitten, we should all be able to pass through life without ever encountering this disease. It is entirely possible that although you have met RA it doesnt become more intrusive than dropping in occassionaly when not wanted and the odd christmas card that you hoped never to get. Being on your own can have its advantages, i have been endlessly grateful that i dont have responsibility to anyone or have to justify or explain myself when i just need to rest. Determination is good but dont make the mistake of trying to bash this thing head on, i tried and lost, i then realised why, because it is an auto immune disease you are taking on yourself so however hard you fight yourself will fight back, respecting a flare and being kind to yourself when you have a flare is the only solution, you strike me to be a member that will become a good contributor.
Thank you for your Welcome message Don. From what I have seen so far on this site I am quite sure that Help and Support will be in abundance, not just for me, but for many others who are yet to join us in the future.
Hi david I just joined not long ago. ita a great site please excuse any typing errors I have had ra for sometime but due to some issues with side effects to some medications I could not tolerate I am presently wheelchair bound I will be mobile again after I have. My other knee replacement I have recently done a lot of research on low dose naltrexone no side effects and has had tremendous results do your research pleasure to meet you
I am sorry to hear that you have experienced low tolerance levels to some meds Rocky but it sounds as though you have now found a solution. I hope things continue to improve for you and Thank you for welcoming me to this site.
Im also new to this forum after very recently being diagnosed, haven't posted much but have a quick look every day for inspiration and positivity, had my first methotrexate injection last week and so far so good. Early days I know, one day at a time
Hello Vicky. From one new member to another, I must say it’s very kind of you to send me a welcome message, Thank you. “One day at a time” is my motto too. Making the effort like you do, to seek inspiration on a daily basis is most commendable. I admire your resolve and hope that all your future injections will continue to be as agreeable to you as the first.
Hello David, I think everything has been said in the many responses you had. Certainly LIVING with RA is the only way forward. The question whether a glass is half full or half empty is not the point. It's refillable, and with a positive attitude we can keep it topped up all the time. I wish you all the very best and keep in touch.
I agree, keeping the glass topped up is infinitely more preferable than it being half-full or half-empty - I shall certainly remember that! Thank you for your message and I hope I’ll be able to maintain a positive attitude similar to that of your own.
Hello and Welcome David! Like you I am by myself and having recently found this friendly group to be very helpful, and I hope I have be able to make some useful comments to help people. I was diagnosed in 2000 so have been through several very painful flare ups and almost every med available, but doing well now on Rituximab. Don't ignore your aches and pains just fight them with everything available! 🙂
Hi Kay. Thank you for your friendly welcome. I shall take your advice not to ignore my aches and pains and will do my best to fight against them. Medication can be so complex, it’s very difficult to know what is best for our individual bodies. However, I am pleased to hear that you have eventually found a med which is good for you and I hope it continues to work in the long term.
Thanks Minka. Good answers and moral support is so precious to us all and I feel fortunate to have found a place where I can access this. Best wishes, David
I glad you joined this group as it has been a tremendous source of information and wisdom ,provided by real people with real experiences and insight to this disease.
Hang in there and as I was told by my doctor ,RA is no longer considered a horrible life sentence;we can still do it all with proper treatment and pacing ourselves.
Hello Izabella. Your welcome message and your realistic views of this group are much appreciated. It is a pleasure to discover so much positivity within the population here, and reading about your doctor’s comments is refreshing.
Welcome David. This is the place to learn, share your positive and negative experiences & rant when necessary. As the replies you received shows, we're a supportive bunch.
Thanks Suzanne. I am pleased to say that I feel less isolated since joining the group. That is quite remarkable considering I have only been here since the beginning of the weekend.
We're here to help you in any way we can. Should you wish to speak to another man your sort of age with RA, please ring our helpline who will be pleased to put you in touch with one of our trained volunteers who can speak on the phone. I recommend that you use NRAS to learn as much about your disease as possible and the importance of self-management, it can make a big positive difference. The folk on here will be a great support to you too.
Hello Ailsa. Your kind words have been well received, thank you. Be assured that I will absorb myself in the NRAS website which will be of great benefit towards managing and understanding my condition. I would like to add that the members of your group have demonstrated a desired effect to overcome and project the brighter side of adversity.
You need never feel alone on this wonderful site. People are so kind and have been so willing to share their experiences. I tune in on behalf of my mum who was diagnosed at 83 years of age some 18 months ago now. For me, as a carer, I've got so much support from this site and NRAS site too. I'm pretty sure I'm following in my mums footsteps as I have odd things going on with my joints and limbs which I've put down to getting older too (I'm 53 now but this has really been going on for the last 8 - 10 year I'd say). One thing I've learned though is that RA is so individual, so try not to worry about some of the things you read or hear as your own experience will be different again. Best of luck and health to you. Paula.
Hello Paula. What a lovely welcome message, thank you. I have taken on board what you have written to me and would like to wish you and your mum the very best.
Hi David, sorry we have another member, but this is definitely the place to feel less isolated and to share the trials and tribulations of dealing with RA and other issues around it. It is refreshing to enable to talk to people who really can empathise with events that most people wouldn't understand or even come into their radar. As we have a debilitating condition that for the most part can be hard to see (at a glance), we know the depth of the discomfort and being on this site allows one to talk and walk people through emotions, various suggestions (through trial and error) or just be there for a rant and vent! Been there, done that, a most valuable place to garner support - so welcome!
Hello Cyprus Mum. Having been with this group for only a few days I must say thay I feel much less isolated than I had been before. I can relate to everything you have written, thank you.
Regards, David
Hi David
You're in very good company here on HU and I hope you'll find it supportive and helpful to interact with fellow HU users. One other way to keep informed and up to date with all the latest developments in treating RA is to keep an eye on the NRAS website nras.org.uk and also you may want to consider joining the society as the many thousands of members find the benefits of membership really helpful. We are currently working on the Spring Member's Magazine which is jam packed with useful articles. It will be coming out in March.
To join you can give us a call on 0845 458 3969 or join online at nras.org.uk/join
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I have RA and developed a rash
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