Totally off topic

[nanny_bee71]

I don't know if any of you out there watch Strictly Come Dancing but this is a shout out for Adam Thomas, actor, who is one of the celeb competitors this year. Diagnosed very recently with the cursed RA which we struggle at the age of 35. Don't quite now how he has taken on this challenge but he is doing good and I'm voting for him every week. 💯😎👏👏

[AgedCrone]

Well done him! This young man has obviously overcome a lot to appear on SCD…..let’s hope at least some of the newly diagnosed see him & realise that although progress will quite likely be slow, that by listening to their doctors …. & biting the bullet a few times when the meds don’t suit…it need not destroy their life.

(I know a lot will think “he is an actor” ..but tbh I had never heard of him…so he could have made his progress on the NHS)

I’m sure it was a great shock to all of us when we heard the words “You’ve got rheumatoid arthritis “ & when that happens a lot have no idea what to expect & turn to Dr Google & frighten themselves to death …or they listen to the horror stories “friends” are only too quick to offer.

I really think there should be a lot more hopeful education provided for the newly diagnosed. After all….not everyone diagnosed is immediately an invalid, and should not become a ‘victim’ overnight, It obviously can’t be done by rheumatology departments as they sre struggling already to help all of those already on the Rocky RA Road.

So if anyone has any tips to get through the first scary times…do tell all….especially for those aspiring to be on SCD!

[FredaN in reply to AgedCrone]

I'm not sure how slow progress is with Rheumatoid Arthritis treatment, but I read he only started having symptoms of it in January, which seems incredibly short compared to most people's stories on here. I was surprised he would be doing something so physically hard after such a short timeframe, but I would hope the BBC would make sure everyone has the appropriate health approval before taking part. Good luck to him, though!

[AgedCrone in reply to FredaN]

From your Bio I presume you don’t have RA? Welcome to the NRAS Site. ..but Imhope you don’t ever need RA advice.

I do believe anybody who appears in a television show like SCD….Has to undertake a medical examination to cover the BBC to ensure their insurance covers any eventuality ……should he trip over his dancing shoes!

Until diagnosed with it I’m sure most of us had no idea of what we were in for…. The point I am trying to make is you need to understand the disease modifying drugs that are prescribed do not work overnight for the majority of people, but then there the lucky ones - where a few months of drug treatment ….and although they are, of course not cured as there is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis., they can continue leading their life almost as normal. Although they will remain under a Rheumatologist until they attain what is call remission, but not many of us get that far!

For the majority, it is a long road until you are prescribed a medication regime that means you can lead a 99% normal life….it seems this young man is ahead of the curve.

Lucky him….let’s hope we hear of more like him!

[FredaN in reply to AgedCrone]

I hope it didn't look like I was being critical or suspicious of him, more just that I thought his situation was likely to be very unusual.

My bio doesn't include my diagnosed conditions. I don't know if I have RA or not, as I'm still working with the NHS to get to the bottom of the problems. It's more likely I've got PsA, IBD, SLE or SSc, but I hang around the NRAS as lots of people's advice & tips have been very helpful and supportive while I'm figuring things out.

[AgedCrone in reply to FredaN]

Oh no…I didn’t I think you were being critical just to explain that no Two People’s rheumatoid arthritis is the same. I have been diagnosed over 20 years…..have just gone with the flow , listened to my doctors …gulped down the different meds, and thank goodness I am one of the lucky ones who have hit on a drug that suits me and enables me to lead a good life. But it took me 16 years to get there.I know people will think I’m wicked in saying this…. but I had breast cancer (and was cured) & I’ve got rheumatoid arthritis. I’d willingly have the first again to never have the second. It really is the Cinderella disease that nobody deserves.

[Green230461 in reply to FredaN]

Best of luck to you🌈

[FredaN in reply to Green230461]

Thank you ❤️

[helixhelix in reply to AgedCrone]

Claire King, an actress I had never heard of, came 6th in Strictly in 2006 despite having RA. She said it made her feet hurt a lot!

[AgedCrone in reply to helixhelix]

Ah! Poor Dahling!

I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t even stand up in some of the shoes they wear……let alone dance!

[HeadInASpin in reply to AgedCrone]

Me too! That’s another new thing I’ve come to realise. Virtually all my shoes that I wore last year (when RA was but something I’d heard of but knew little about) are no longer suitable! The charity shop has done well from it but my bank balance hasn’t!

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to FredaN]

A lot of people with various forms of arthritis do all sorts of hard physical work because they have no choice.

I suppose there are also people like me who have to keep moving or our bodies will fall to pieces. Ive got inflammatory arthritis and osteoporosis and I walk for an hour every day and do Pilates three times a week. If I didn’t keep moving my body would just give up.

We were just talking about that in Pilates this morning. One lady has all sorts of things wrong and whose condition causes her lots of pain was just saying that people (her hospital physio) tell you that you look great even though your body is a painful mess. I fit into that category - don’t know whether never looking as bad as I often feel is a good thing or a bad thing. Probably a good thing - it’s bad enough your body feeling awful without looking it as well.

I expect the poor guy knows will know his body has taken a pounding but just keeps going. Good luck to him.

[Amnesiac3637 in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

I’m with you on all of your post (apart from Pilates -garden has to come first or jungle appears……) and when people say to me ‘you look great’ I don’t these days bother reeling off the list of the not so great I happen to be feeling! Waste of breath, no comprehension whatsoever. My family members are the worst of all. 😧😀

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Amnesiac3637]

Gardening is the outdoor gym.

It really is strange how your body can feel awful and yet you look great. I’ve even said the same to other people. Must admit unless I can’t actually get up off the bed I always put on some make up to brighten myself up.

[Amnesiac3637 in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Hear hear, one has to keep some standards up!

[HappykindaGal in reply to FredaN]

He may be having steroids and steroid injections to support him through this

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to HappykindaGal]

Gosh, I hadn’t thought of that - would using steroids to let you do that sort of thing not leave your body trashed when the effect of the steroids wears off?

[HappykindaGal in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

I fly on steroids. Can rule the world and think I'm invincible 🤣🤣

[sylvi]

Probably being so early on in his diagnosis he is not as bad at this stage. I wish him well. I don't watch it much these days as i don't know hardly any of the people in the show.xxx

[HappykindaGal in reply to sylvi]

I’m not sure if that’s true. I went to Portugal on holiday 7 years ago and returned off the plane in a wheelchair it was that fast and severe. Everyone’s different 😊

Hope you’re ok Sylvi. I see you’re going through the wars 🌻🌻xx

[sylvi in reply to HappykindaGal]

Your right there darling. Last night my hubby was taken into A&E as he had an episode of coughing up phlegm he is home now thank goodness. So not much sleep last night for either of us. xxx

[HappykindaGal in reply to sylvi]

Oh no! Not good but glad he’s back home again now x

[AgedCrone in reply to HappykindaGal]

Me too…. The first six months, I spent most of them in my pyjamas, because it hurt too much to get dressed!

[HappykindaGal in reply to AgedCrone]

Me too. Felt awful and just stared at the 4 walls. I had builders here knocking down walls and extending my house. They were making tea for me as I couldn't do much at all

[Fruitandnutcase]

Did you hear that Amanda has left the show? I heard it somewhere yesterday but it was confirmed today.

[Sheila_G]

I love Strictly and of course immediately warmed to Adam once I knew he was 'one of us.' I hope he does well. Not only is he championing our cause but gritting his teeth and getting on with life. Well done Adam.

[HappykindaGal]

It’s great to see him on Strictly. I’m blogging and stuff about him on my socials as I have a considerable following. It’s great to be able to get the word out particularly as some people on the strictly socials have confused it with osteoarthritis.

It’s a great opportunity to raise awareness of RA. All power to Adam 💪🏽💪🏽🔥🔥🔥

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to HappykindaGal]

So annoying that some people don’t know the difference - or even that you can have both types at once 😱

[HappykindaGal in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

It is. But then I ask myself if before having RA, would I have known. And I admit, I probably wouldn't have .

[thelmar in reply to HappykindaGal]

The confusion with osteo is the reason that a number of us refer to RD (Rheumatoid Disease) rather than RA. My previous rheumatologist (Professor Dasgupta at Southend University Hospital) always referred to RD.

[Gjbrose]

He’s a good example of doing something while you can and will look back on this with good positive memories, I’m sure when he embarked on this challenge he didn’t realise the road ahead.

Well done Adam we’re all proud of you and wish you well 😊🤗

[Green230461]

Thanks for letting us know! I will vote too 😁

[Fruitandnutcase]

Hard to tell, I got the impression her new husband who ended up wheelchair bound a couple of months after they were married might be part of the problem and I don’t think she and her dance partner hit it off ti begin with. Bit of a shame though whatever the reasons.

[J1707-]

he’s one of the lucky ones . Sounds like he was diagnosed early and has good care possibly because he had the money to go private . It took me 15-20 years for diagnosis. My rheumatologist just left no notice so no care . Good luck to him seems like a nice guy .