life expectancy

[QueenBee1989]

does RA really shorten you're life expectancy?

[medway-lady]

A better question would be who is over 80 or 70 etc. I’m 71 and RA is a blip but in remission so not a major issue. Other things are but the RA is well treated by effective medication. I’ll eventually die with it but not of it as it’s not yet curable although yesterdays news may mean in a few years it will be.

[AgedCrone in reply to medway-lady]

I’m over 80 & I have never let RA control my life, & I never will. There are so many worse diseases to have! Head up high..best foot forward & just get on with life…that’s the way to go

,m

[MistyDay in reply to AgedCrone]

Well said. I have the same attitude to you. All the best.

[HeadInASpin]

How can anyone truly say? Lots of things can reduce life expectancy such as genetics, environmental factors, diet, exercise, smoking, drinking, other medical conditions...the list goes on and on. How can anyone predict how long they would live anyway? I personally believe that how you live your life is more important than how long your life is. A life filled with love and kindness is all that counts to me, so I don't worry about whether my life will be long or short. Live your life to the max QueenBee and I wish you the very best that life can offer.

[AgedCrone in reply to HeadInASpin]

As nobody has personal control of their personal life span why use energy worrying about it?

Just get on with enjoying today….& let tomorrow take care of itself.

[HeadInASpin in reply to AgedCrone]

Absolutely!

[HeadInASpin in reply to HeadInASpin]

I’ve just read this quote in the newspaper from Pamela Anderson and thought it very apt for this thread… 'I call it Life-ing, not aging. Chasing youth is futile. All we can do is embrace who we are at the moment we are in, and be okay with where our feet stand right now.'

[AgedCrone in reply to HeadInASpin]

Whatever you call it…you still won’t catch me in a Bright Red Skimpy Swimsuit!🧘‍♂️🧘‍♂️🧘‍♂️

[HeadInASpin in reply to AgedCrone]

😂

[medway-lady in reply to AgedCrone]

That is so disappointing but Pamela does look great without make up and Botox. I like the comment by Julia Roberts who saw a photo of of herself and didn’t know it who it was as been youth touch in, and said no to it being published as she just didn’t look like that anymore. I hate the goldfish lips.

[AgedCrone in reply to medway-lady]

Yes those lips are gross sren’t they, but from the number of celebs who have them….they must affect vision mustn’t they? Because nobody looking in a mirror & seeing that pout can surely think they look attractive?

[skinclinics]

Hi QueenBee1989. Try not to dwell on this .

I’m guessing that you may have read on Google etc that RA patients life expectancy can be reduced significantly.

Please don’t take this too seriously.

There are many of us in the 70 -80 age bracket and we are living longer than a lot of others who have what is considered - life threatening illnesses

My advice would be to follow the advice of your rheumatology team and enjoy your life

Embrace and follow a healthy lifestyle

Best foot forward and keep smiling even though some days or weeks we feel exhausted and down in the dumps

Keep posting with the group if you ever feel low or worried .We are all in this together and nobody understands members concerns as much as we all do

[Brushwork]

I believe the statistics often mentioned are based on historical figures when the treatments for RA were very different and people were often ravaged by the disease.

We have medication that is relatively new, much more effective and therefore it is impossible to know how the long term impact of the new medication and treatment plans have impacted the data.

I’m with the “get on with life and take each day as a gift to be enjoyed” brigade. I hope the new medications control the disease and allow us a long and relatively normal life.

[helixhelix in reply to Brushwork]

Entirely agree! I worried myself stupid when first diagnosed reading the prognosis but so much has changed in such a short time and generally for the better in terms of our long term health.

Having RA is still an additional risk for heart health, so even with better drugs it does remain important for us to look after our hearts.

[Tottie10 in reply to Brushwork]

Again, I totally agree. Exactly as described, my father was ravaged by RA and died at 72. I say that he died from the side effects of the drugs of the day rather than the actual RA. Flip forward and I have been so lucky. My RA came on very aggressively and very quickly following the birth of my son. Luckily due to our family's personal experience I was diagnosed quickly and was put on medication in a timely manner.

As it was early days for biologics I did have to go through hoops to get the most effective drugs for me and have had quite a lot of surgery. It is now so much easier to get these amazing drugs so the damage and long term effects for many can be limited. With the support of the NHS I have an active life and live for the day and thank my lucky stars that I can enjoy my life. Probably not the one that I would have chosen but one that I live to the full.

[Tillie20]

Hi I am almost 74 and keep very fit I exercise for 1 hr 4 days per week RA is controlled and get a bit stiff in the mornings as most people of this age do you cannot tell look some people on here are over 80 so I think that answers your question

[Jackie1947]

I'm 78 and still here!

[Haz58]

I look at life like I could get run over by a bus tomorrow. Who knows what will get us in the end. Live, love and have compassion and get through this rollercoaster called life as best as you can.

[medway-lady in reply to Haz58]

With clean underwear every day as my mum used to say! I thank the lord every day as the AKI cost me so much but still alive and thankful to the NHS and modern medicine.

[pammi2]

apparenly yes

[Cat-E]

Life shortens your life expectancy! I feel quite lucky that my bloods are monitored every quarter so hopefully things that would go un noticed for much longer might be picked up early 😀

[greynot in reply to Cat-E]

Absolutely agree with Cat-E. Quarterly blood monitoring has picked up a couple of non-RA things for me which are easily sorted early, and which I'd not have known about otherwise

[Fra22-57]

I don’t know about shortening your life expectancy but it sure has aged me,with all the other auto immune diseases I have.I used to look young for my age but now

[Stills]

had Stills Disease which manifests as rheumatoid arthritis since aged 17, 63 in a few weeks. Just bought 21 pairs of knickers in MnS so got to live long enough to wear them all plus they’re all pretty pastel frilly ones 😀. Like you, I also have Lichen Sclerous but it’s well controlled. Live life to the full, wear pretty knickers is my motto.

[Haz58 in reply to Stills]

Love this 🤩

[QueenBee1989 in reply to Stills]

i love this too x

[medway-lady in reply to Stills]

Good post. X

[stbernhard]

I have no answer to that but with today's medication I can live an active full life. How long it's going to be is probably more down to me rather than RA. Good diet, exercise and enjoying the myriad of wonderful brief moments nature gives us.

[Evie3]

From my point of view, I think its the strong but effective meds I have had over the years will finish me off! Lol. I wouldnt do anything different now as they have given me a good quality of life. … I am 73🥳

[Hopeful1]

I am 73 with RA for 15 years. I think our regular blood tests etc probably make sure we are medically MOT'd to spot any emerging nasties at an eary stage better than most

[janmary]

a lot of worrying about life expectancy might affect you more than RA. (79 year old speaking, more healthy in other ways than most of my contemporaries)

[Numptybrain]

I am just hoping they can help me and my lungs as everything is experimental, even RTX infusions I’m about to start on. They can’t yet answer what damage has been done by the fluid and inflammation even though I was told there will be a lot of damage. I still believe though, life expectancy is just that. Even with terminal cancer they never truly know.

Take care

Wendy xx

[Flinda]

Many responses to your question seem to be answering the slightly different question of "Should I be worried about RA reducing my life expectancy?" - which is a far more subject answer.

When I was informed I had RA 10 years ago, I was informed that it could reduce my life expectancy. The disease brings with it co-morbidity and I'm sure statistics are collated and analysed which indicate an overall reduction, and is not just based on individuals declaring that they are alive today, at whatever age.

I believe it is important to bear this in mind for financial and life planning - unless of course you're so well off that this isn't of any concern either way. It would be extremely useful information to have this kind of knowledge, rather than to be in total ignorance and hope for the best.

If anyone does know of any studies or reports on this, I think I'd be very interest.

And no, I'm not "worried" - that's a totally different discussion.

[OSTEOARTHRITISRA]

I waa told if your at advanced stage if and treatment does not help then reduces ,the number around are all the same 1 to 10 or 12 years

[oldtimer2]

When I started with this disease I was aged 37 years. In a clinical meeting (my joints were being demonstrated to students) a question about life-expectancy was answered by saying that I was likely to live to my mid-fifties. Medications and management have improved.

I'm now almost 84, my sister who also has RA will be 89 this year. We are both, gratefully, on biological treatment.

[Green230461]

Not as much as stepping out in front of a bus!🤷🏻‍♀️

[PCStrawberry]

My wife was having a terrible flare and I didn't do as told, plus tea was late. It was a close call for sure. I'd opine, based on personal experience, it's more than possible to die from RA.

[greynot in reply to PCStrawberry]

🤣🤣🤣

[medway-lady in reply to PCStrawberry]

LOL I’m sure my husband would agree.

[Beviej]

I am 82! I've had RA and PAl for 32 years.I stay active exercise 4-5 days a wk.take my meds as directed.I've had 10 RA related surgeries.I refuse to let RA own me!!

[bpeal1]

I have two quotes that may help you. Firstly I was told by a doctor that people die with RA not from it. Secondly soon after I was diagnosed (about 17 years ago) we were remortgaging and had to get appropriate life insurance as part of the process). My premium increased very slightly after declaring my diagnosis. I mentioned this to our financial advisor and he said he had not seen a medical condition which had such a minor effect on a policy and clearly the insurance company didn’t see RA as an increased risk of death.

[bienassis]

When I was diagnosed in 1967 aged 32 I was told by a very enthusiastic and frank young doctor that I would probably not make 70. Sorry about that, he said, but with this disease the heart is the weak point, and almost all rheumatoid patients die of heart disease of some kind!

Well, fast forward to a BBC 4 health programme during which a doctor said more or less the same thing. But disease control has improved enormously in recent years and with emphasis on the inflammation which causes the damage and also causes heart and lung problems, this is now considered to be less so. I now have Heart Failure, but it is being treated. The Rheumy told me I could thank the disease for that; so far my lungs are fine, but it's the heart that is still more vulnerable in the long term.

[Deeb1764]

as my Gp said recently 70% due of heart or stroke issues rather than any other illness they might have. Just go with the flow is my rule! I don’t worry at all about it as anything in life can happen, that is not illness related too. 🥰🥰