Hi. I'm Charlene. Can't believe it's taken me so long to find this site. I've had RA for decades!
I'm interested in your stories and particularly the lifestyle hacks helping you to reduce overall inflammation as I've decided to get serious about combatting this awful disease and hopefully get off Humira and Arava.
Hi Charlene, I'm Philip, welcome to our house for the insane.
Welcome welcome welcome 
. We're friendly people here.
Howdie, and welcome
Hi, I'm glad you have found us. Welcome.
Hello Charmq and welcome. Like you I'm trying to find ways to get my body and immunesystem back on track through understanding the underlying dysfunctions and deficiencies and finding ways to correct these in other words supporting normal functions of the body instead of primarily shooting down symptoms and accepting the adverse effects on our bodies as the better choice.
There is an abundance of ongoing new research on AI. Constantly new understanding of the central role of the gut in autoimmunity. Gut health is essential for a healthy immunesystem. It seems that RA patients often benefit from adjusting their diet. It also seems that underlying dysfunctions and deficiencies that have lead to RA can be corrected and through this decrease inflammation, like undiagnosed hypothyroidism and estrogen-progesterone imbalance.
A very central support for normal immune reaction is also excersize, and a lifestyle where stress stays on a good level.
I wish you all the luck on your so very worthwhile quest and hope we can share experiences in the future 😊👍🏻Simba
Thank you. Gut health, increased exercise, and stress-reduction are some of the areas I'm focusing on.
Hi Charlene, I`ve had RA for decades too and constantly researching alternative ways to treat it (alongside the Nasties) Been taking turmeric capsules for a couple of years now and more recently probiotics - which seem to give me more energy. Maybe worth a try?
Welcome Charlene sorry it's taken so long for you to find us. We are a friendly crowd and I'm sure we could have a whip round to buy you some new jeans .The only suggestion I can make is Tumeric capsules taken with Piperine( well it seems to help me).
Again welcome, kind regards Mike.
Thanks Mike. I add Tumeric and some other spices to my omelets and rice. Hard to know if it helps...
Welcome Charlene, I hope you find good advice and help on here. I am one of those people who strongly believe in using the medicines available to us, because nothing else really works as well and efficient. I think years ahead. I don't want permanent severe joint damage. There are many things I can do to help myself living better with RA - Diet, exercise, being active etc-, but not taking medication is certainly not one of them. I wish you all the very best and keep in touch.
A word of wisdom x
Hiya Charlene & welcome now you've found us! I hope you find it's a help being here, we really are a tight community, like-minded people with a common bond. I prefer not to be classed as a sufferer, I live with RD & OA & I won't succumb to either as long as I'm able & the meds continue to do their good work.
We've lots of info to share so hope to see you around. Take care. 🙂
Hi Charlene
One great way to keep up to date on the latest developments and read full stories of others living with RA is to join NRAS as the Members' magazine is packed with really useful and inspiring stories. visit nras.org.uk to find out more about us.
Thank you! I will.
Welcome Charlene.
Glad you found this place. I've only been a member for what is a short period but have found the wonderful people here to be like a life line when I felt overwhelmed and as if I was sinking.
There is so much help and advice and mental support here.
I hope that you will find the same.
🌺🌺
Welcome to the club Charlene.
As others have mentioned, you'll find that we are a lovely bunch. Feel free to express how your feeling, as many others will know exactly what your going through.
It's not all serious all the time though, we do have a fun moments as well.
Once again Welcome.
Ruth 😊
Thank you Ruth!
Glad you've found the site. It is a useful resource for all sorts of reasons.
I've had RA and fibromyalgia for 20 years - not exactly an anniversary I wanted to celebrate this year lol. I couldnt image a life without meds. No naproxen, no getting out of bed, no being able to cope with the resulting pain. Simples!
Like everything, it's a case of tweaking things until you find what suits. Get support wherever you. As it happens I take more meds for the fibro than the RA which has been stable for years until recently. Not had much luck with antiinflammatory supplements over the years so no longer waste my money. My motto is: stick with what works and try to enjoy life as much as possible, within limits. And join in support forums like this 😊
Hi...sorry you needed to find this site.....but you will find honest answers here...especially from Me!
My two penny's worth for what it's worth is if Humira & Arava are giving you a good quality of life with no unbearable side effects ....stick with them!
Believe me some of of the wonder drugs you might read about can make life unbearable.
If you have RA you need Dmards to protect your joints...so far your hands & feet look great.....ten years down the line without RA drugs that might not be the case,
Believe me......you don't want to chance it!
Hi Charlene and welcome to the site.I wish you luck on combating this RA glad you have found us,
Hi Charlene, I'm new too. Haven't been fully diagnosed yet; see consultant next week but symptoms & bloods point to it. I have found the feedback most helpful.
Thanks!
Hi Charlene, I am new to the site as well. I have adapted quite a few lifestyle hacks to stop this disease from running my life for me. Some of the little hacks are - squishy pen grips to help me write without pain, rubber grips on knobs of doors, odd shaped water bottles (because the regular round ones slip out of my fingers), snap-open pill bottles, electric can openers... the list goes on! They are minor changes to day-to-day stuff, but they make quite a difference. Every little victory is a smack in the face of RA!
Hello
Hello
Hello
Hello
