my one year anniversary

[allanah]

On 11th March last year i woke up with RA. What a year. Its taken a long time to adjust for me as its taken the doctors a long time to get a drug that suits me and not there yet.

I've seen podiatrists, occupational therapists, rheumatologists, specialist nurses, councilors, occupational health, general practitioners, NRAS helpline, all of you on this blog, personnel department, disability blue badge examiner board, blood nurses, xray staff, receptionists, seeing physiotherapist next week, helpful shop assistants, hospital "crash " team, ultrasound technicians, access to work team, pharmacists, and I am truly grateful to each and every one of them and all of you for helping me get this far.

Axx

[Hidden]

Oh, Allanah, What a year it has been. Surely to goodness, this year won't be nearly as full of appts and specialists! But, the important thing is, they are all accomplishing what they can, to help make life bearable. I wish you all the best, so you can settle into a new, revised, you. Take good care, and hang right in here! Love, Loretxx

[tiger]

Apart from all the people that have helped you in the year that you have had RA, the main thing that strikes me about your blog is that you can remember the exact date that you woke up with this dreadful disease. It just shows what an impact RA makes on our lives. One of those life changing moments, unfortunately not for the better. I hope that you find a drug which sorts you out soon. Wendy x

[Hidden]

Hello Allanah - Lets hope the coming year will get you on to a drug that works and the ra can become manageable. I am about 3 months in front of you and it is taking a much lesser role in my life these days. Have a good sunday

[sylvi]

Your a strong woman,any lesser person couldn't cope as well as you have. I have had ra for 9yrs now,mine came about becausse i had to give up drinking the year before due to heath problems. I think if i had been drinking when ra struck i would be dead by now. I would have drunk myself to death i really believe that. Everything is sent to use for a reason. It goes to show how strong we ladies and gents are who have ra. It will be get easier in the future for you alannah.

love sylvi.xx

[Judi]

Hi Allanah, what a year you've had.

RA's strange - for some people it comes on suddenly like yours, (my late Mum was the same) but in other cases it comes on gradually like mine has.

For all of us it's definitely a strangeness we could all do without.

With that number of people on your case hopefully they will soon find something to help you.

Judi

[Hidden]

Hi Allanah. Mine came on almost the same time as yours - I can time it by my son's 14th birthday on the 14th of this month last year when I remember making a trifle and everything ached. It wasn't a sudden thing like yours though - it was gradual like Judi's. I really feel for you because it's much more common to get it gradually I'm told and yours has obviously been a very aggressive type that has made it really hard to get on top of. That's why you remember the date so clearly I guess - it's a landmark. Let's hope that by this time next year the whole thing is history and you have a treatment regime that works or that it's gone into complete spontaneous remission. At least now you are an expert in what all these people in the health and care services actually do and how important they are (always looking for positives me - sorry!) TTxx

[Hidden]

Hope this is a better year for you xx

[cherry2]

Hi Allanah, i've just had my 2nd anniversary and like you it seemed that i 'just woke up with it'.

This second year has still been full of challenges and i can see more around the corner but on reflection a lot better than the 1st so hope that yours will be too. I know the frustrations of that new script , which you cling onto with hope and accept the information that it will take at least 6-8 weeks to kick in and then each review with 'lets give it a little longer' before all agree its not working and another is added or replaced.

As Sylvi says we are all strong, we have to be and whilst we will never have our old lives back with 'team' help things can improve, good luck, x

[helixhelix]

Yes I'm just over 2 years too, and the second year was miles better than the first. So here's hoping that this time next year you'll be all smiles again, and it keeps getting better & better. Pollyx

[Gina_K]

Hi Alannah,

Reading your blog I see my first year was similar, such a shock! I am in year 4 now and not so hectic, still a learning curve, I hope you continue to improve, and come to terms with Ra.

Xx Gina.

[nancy66]

I am like alot of you, i woke up one day and there it was and has never left, and that was 20 yrs ago. I have yet to find a drug to put it into remission and slow it down, it is very discouraging. I hope you have better luck as the drugs today are so much more effective. I do not have the terrible debilitating pain but i have the left over deformities and the problems they bring and the EXHAUSTION !!! Good luck to you , Nancy

[rheumatoidymummy]

Poor you - sounds like quite a year, hope the next one is better! Would be better not to have a next year altogether obviously though!

:o)

[jhead]

sounds like me but i thought it was an injury from work....pulling a heavy cage thought id pulled the tendons in my shoulder pain was unbelivable kept going to the docs for more pain relief...but then what happens it goes in the other shoulder and suddenly im diagnoised with r/a......i think i read about everything you can on the web until i found this site and realise that im not alone and its great to hear from other people who are suffering but coping.......meds not right yet...flare ups every day different joints.....but i feel positive have to other wise .........................