Adam Thomas ex strictly

[welsh12]

I see the actor has discussed his arthritis on Instagram and got a whole lot of theories detox advice bad advice and general horror stories. He is in his 30s told him to come over here for a bit of sense.

[Pooch22]

I was rather upset when I saw someone reply saying he did strictly and so don’t make out it’s a crippling condition, I bit my tongue and moved on 👹

[welsh12 in reply to Pooch22]

I agree some horrible comments

[Gnarli]

Good for you! I'll never understand why some people relish sharing horror stories and weird theories with the newly diagnosed.

[Mmrr]

I tried to look at his Instagram account, couldn't get access but the daily mail came up....the first thing I noticed was a photo of him sitting crossed legged. I know we are all different, different in many ways from each other, but a wee shout out for many of us who could barely walk to early RA appointments and couldn't / still can't sit cross legged. I wish him well on his DMARD journey.

[welsh12 in reply to Mmrr]

Maybe it's elsewhere he had steroid injections

[Boxerlady in reply to Mmrr]

I know that I've been relatively lucky but I've never had a problem sitting cross legged ( well, no more that before diagnosis!) but I couldn't grasp things before the DMARDS kicked in. As you say, we are all so different.

[Mmrr in reply to Boxerlady]

Absolutely, but being able to take part in a dancing competition, move and sit the way he can isn't the experience many of us have had of RA. But as I say I wish him well.

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Mmrr]

Think it was pre/early diagnosis when he started Strictly.

[medway-lady]

And yet another very minor celebrity, seeking publicity finds a reason to go public. I mean do I care? lol

[Jackie1947 in reply to medway-lady]

I care whoever it is no matter who they are! Other people in the media have spoken out over many years and not for sympathy but awareness and it's not surprising how it helps others to talk about those conditions. I care!

[medway-lady in reply to Jackie1947]

No surely the point is not that he has RA but he feels we as the public need to know. I don’t need to know especially if he’s promoting himself through an illness. He even talks about his long and hard battle. Pictured in his hospital chair having his blood taken just how is that newsworthy? This isn’t like Lady Gaga or the tennis player but seeking publicity.

[Jackie1947 in reply to medway-lady]

Oh well we will have to agree to differ

[medway-lady in reply to Jackie1947]

I’m not unsympathetic just feel the dignity of The King and Princess of Wales far more moving and inspiring. If Adam had just said he’d got RA then I’m sorry for him but not with all his contrived hype with photos with him in a hospital chair. Just a different point of view. X

[AgedCrone in reply to medway-lady]

Well I have no idea who he is……..so he can publicise RA,,,,,but all the people I mentioned his name to said Adam WHO.

One guy asked if he was a racing driver?

[Mmrr in reply to AgedCrone]

😊 I hadn't heard of him until he participated in strictly last year.

[Mmrr in reply to Jackie1947]

I agree to a point Jackie, raising awareness is good. But a bit of me recoiled a little in that he could take part in a major dancing competition so early after diagnosis and without treatment. It can give the impression that RA isn't a debilitating condition as many on the forum have experienced. A difficult one.

[Paula-C in reply to Mmrr]

I've read something earlier today and from what his brother said it was steroids that got him through it.

[Mmrr in reply to Paula-C]

Many of us take steroids on a daily basis and have been doing so for years, along side DMARDs or advanced meds and still can barely walk yet alone dance. Whilst it isn't a competition he is very lucky to have a good response to meds and /or not be so bad with RA that he was able to function. He isn't typical of a new diagnosed person with RA, that is my concern, the public tend to think RA isn't so bad anyway.

[J1707- in reply to Mmrr]

I would love to be able to dance some days barely walk . A night time wee is a type of dance with me unable to balance or walk in a straight line sometimes too late for the toilet. At the moment hurts to wear shoes.

[Mmrr in reply to J1707-]

Oh, I absolutely get it💃. I go bed, read for 20 - 30 as it helps me relax, then get up to go to the loo and need my trolley to lean on as I weave it in and out to the 'dance' of loo time. The mornings are a nightmare living on your own trying to get up and make a cup of tea. Dancing ....you gotta be joking

[Jackie1947 in reply to Mmrr]

I don't begrudge him anything. It's harder on them being young and scared. We deal with it in different ways . Good on him giving it a go and he didn't sign up for the tour. I personally don't care what public think anyway I don't tell them .

[Mmrr in reply to Jackie1947]

I don't begrudge him anything either and have written several times I wish him well. I just get a bit concerned when an atypical story may be seen as the norm, just the same as when we hear of miracle cures for other debilitating conditions that aren't. Or the results of initial research is written as if it is available, when interesting as it is, will take a decade or more to be further researched, assuming it makes it to clinical trials. Most don't.

It raises hopes in people who are then gravely disappointed or made to feel a failure. I've read many times on the forum writing 'I failed with xxxx drug'.

[HappykindaGal in reply to Jackie1947]

I agree with you. It’s far more useful for anyone newly diagnosed to see that they still may be able to continue life as they did and to have hope. His dances in Strictly were adapted to his situation. No one wants to see the negative side as that’s just exacerbating someone’s anxiety. He’s a relatively young man with RA which is unusual in itself. He has a large Insta following and talking about his particular journey may help others in his situation. I’m afraid a group of middle aged and elderly women will be totally unrelatable to a 35 year old newly diagnosed man. Well done Adam. Well done.

[Paula-C in reply to Mmrr]

It's early days for him at the moment. Has you know RA is progressive, it varies so much and how it affects them and his they respond to drugs. When I was having a bad time many years ago I was given steroids and I was amazed at the difference they made at the time. Next time I was prescribed them they hardly made any difference, I remember when the actress Claire King (Kim Tate in Emmerdale) appeared on Strictly a similar conversation to this was on Nras members only forum questioning her diagnosis of RA and the fact she was wearing shoes with heels. I at the time (sadly not now) could still wear heels.

I'm pleased he's had the bravery to talk about his RA and made it public, any press coverage about RA is educating people that it's not just an old persons illness and there's more to it than just a few painful joints. I sincerely hope it doesn't affect his acting career. I wish him well with his future treatment and I hope he finds the right combination like I have to live a pretty normal life.

[Mmrr in reply to Paula-C]

Yes but the information spoken to the public does need to be accurate. Unfortunately Adam's hasn't been.

[Paula-C in reply to Mmrr]

I'm curious now, what did he say? I thought the same about Bob Mortimer when asked what he took he said steroids and things. I thought it was a missed opportunity to educate people.

[Mmrr in reply to Paula-C]

A general lack of understanding of RA, calls it 'Arthritis' which hardly raises awareness of RA and how it differs from OA, which most people think of when the term arthritis is used.He does mention that his diagnosis has been changed to psoriatic arthritis, then continues to speak of 'arthritis'. No comment on what psoriatic arthritis is.

His page is full of people commenting on detoxing, diet ...he offers no comment at all about the need for medicines or taking advice of his rheumatologist for example. This could be done gently, rather it is all left there in a big mush of poor advice which others may read and perhaps try to take on board.

[Paula-C in reply to Mmrr]

I'm assuming that's Instagram or something similar. I don't look on anything like that but I see what you mean now.

[Mmrr in reply to Paula-C]

I don't really know him, heard his name for the first time when on strictly (my guilty pleasure). I only became aware of his Instagram by reading this post. He has so much opportunity to raise awareness accurately, not lots of details, just a few sentences of how RA / psoriasis is different to OA.

[rmros in reply to Paula-C]

In the early days I used to have days where I felt I could run a 10k and other days where I could barely walk. Now even at my best I couldn't run for a bus. I can't speak to Adam's performance as I gave up on the series after Amanda was bullied off the show.

[Jackie1947 in reply to Mmrr]

He didn't do the rehearsal hours others did plus recording Waterloo Road not that I've seen it. His way of dealing with it was to laugh but I don't think he was finding it funny. It's certainly caused a debate here😀 . I do that too as I'm not going to let my guard drop.

[Neonkittie17 in reply to medway-lady]

Could have been the media, mischief making. As they do. I don’t know him as I don’t watch soaps. I hope he comes to terms with it and finds improvement and a good level of life. x

[medway-lady in reply to Neonkittie17]

Thats a good thought and I've seen him either except on Strictly and really admire Chris the comedian on this series.

[Neonkittie17 in reply to medway-lady]

Chris is an amazing, intelligent guy and Dianne is superb for teaching him how to get the best out of his dances and he’s certainly done that. 🩷🩷

[GinnyE]

Feel for the young when they get it. Hard to navigate and I can see he thinks talking openly will help him. Hope he finds his way here.

[RAat13]

I've just read some of the comments.. botox, parasite cleanse, natural path.. these people haven't the foggiest idea! These medicines we take aren't because we want to it's because we have to, the way this disease spreads if untreated is relentless yet you get these individuals that are clearly brainwashed with conspiracy, it's negligent. The fears these people will instill in newly diagnosed or parents of children diagnosed is unwarranted and unnecessary!

[Mmrr in reply to RAat13]

My concerns exactly, it's not raising public awareness, it is negligent. I do wish Adam well, but he strikes me of not having much understanding of the disease he now unfortunately has.

[RAat13 in reply to Mmrr]

And public awareness is what we need, he may not be a huge celebrity but he's still on TV and could use his platform to educate people and raise awareness. He must be in early diagnosis to not have much understanding. He'll soon get a shock to the system, looking at his Instagram, he put a few pics up one was a Methotrexate and Sulfasalazine pic and in the caption it said he was waiting for his medication to arrive so I wonder if he's starting a biologic.. time will tell how he uses his platform to raise awareness.

[Mmrr in reply to RAat13]

🤞

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Mmrr]

He’s too early in his diagnosis to understand enough. Given time he will.