This site is a breathe of fresh air to me,after being diagnosed only 6weeks ago I selfishly thought I was the only person on the planet who felt the way I do.......how wrong was I??!!!!
I realise now it's ok to feel angry and a little bitter (why me?? etc),It's ok to have days where I dont get out of my pj's and hopefully once the meds kick in it will all get better!
I think I'm going to really enjoy using this blog!!!
Dear Clair,
Welcome! Lots of new members at the moment, which is wonderful to see. It took me nearly five years to come onto the NRAS website ( the forum is a newer addition anyway) and then that was only as I got to a point that I was actually ready to give up good and proper! It made me realise that I was not alone, which is how I felt, just like you. The site is wonderful for support and generally if you just want a good old moan about how your are feeling then normally whatever time of day or night it is someone will be here to give you a shoulder to cry on.
RA is very up and down and one really has to learn to live with it and adapt life around it. Good luck on your journey.
Regards Mel
Hi Clair, welcome to the site. It is so useful to have a forum to exchange moans and groans, get support from other sufferers and also get information.
I was diagnosed nearly 4 years ago and only found the site about a year ago, if that long. I have personally found it very useful and I am sure you will too.
RA is such an unpredictable disease with its flare ups and sometimes you never know how you will feel from day to day. It can also take sometime to get the right meds for you and to get the RA settled down. Don't despair if it does take a while - it has happened to all of us.
Try to remember in a flare up to get plenty of rest. Don't try to carry on as normal as it will make you feel worse and cause more damage to your joints which is the last thing you want.
Pain killers can help as well - a combination of Nurofen and Paracetemol is very good, others are on such things as Tramadol or Cuprofen +. But whatever your GP prescribes for pain relief is good so long as it suits you.
Don't forget the NRAS main website where you can order helpful booklets or talk to a volunteer when you feel really low.
Good luck and I hope all goes well. Let us know how you get on from time to time and we are all here for support and a shoulder to cry on if needed.
Love LavendarLady x
Hi Clair
Welcome
Nice to see lots of other newbies on here. I am also a newbie and left a blog just yesterday. I was only diagnosed in March and still have days were i feel so angry and still ask why me? It has turned my whole world upside down, but you just have to push on......im still hoping and waiting for the day it will get better, but sharing on here will help you on your journey, you are certainly not alone. I am still waiting to get on the right meds, it is all just trial and error lets hope you are feeling better soon.
keep us posted.
Lisa x
Hi and Welcome ,this sight has been so helpfull to me.I am not a great wrighter but hope to contribute more.The good thing about new memebers is the knowledge you all bring .So thank you and look forward to sharing with you .
Welcome clair, we will be here for you, we've all been where you are and we can still be there at times. I've had ra for 7yrs and got diagnosed with fibromyalgia this year. I get a lot of pain and exhaustion, and i get very angry at how i can't do what i want when i want to do. I have to learn acceptence and get a new mind set, which is taking time. I am under hospital for depression,i am getting help,but like everything else i want it yesterday.
Anyway good having you on here with another view of life with ra.
Take care, sylvia, xx
Hi
Nice to meet you.I think we've all been there thinking we're the only person with RA -it is really good to talk.Hope your doc's are sorting your meds out quickly although it can take a while for some of them to work.For me the first 6 mths after diagnosis were the hardest but it does get better and you will adjust
just give yourself time
Take care and good luck
Julie
Well you come across a positive person and thats half the battle.
As you probably know by now what set of meds works for one person may not work for the next so its a trial and error period that you are going through at the moment.
Keep that mischevious smile you have combined with your meds eventually working, you will soon be wondering what all the fuss is about 
hahahahahah thank you!! I can assure you that I'm far from positive all the time, I still have moments where I want someone to "shoot me now" and I feel really quite pitiful but then there is always,always someone worse off than yourself so remembering that is a great leveller.
welcome.. yes there is always some one worse, and I thankfully am in a reasonably good phase.. in the end reluctant acceptance comes..this site has been a real life line.. so many great people.. x
Hi & a warm welcome
I am a newbie myself (got diagnosed on 22/08/11).
The site is invaluable, as there are lots of peps willing to share and help with advice. Best thing is that I don't feel so alone now that I have found this site.
Glad I found the site early - keep up the good work fellow ra-ers
X
Hiya!
I hope you find the right med combination - it's taken me a year, and I'm still not right, I'm just about to start TNF - I have worked constantly through the pain, as I was adviced to keep active - I do feel a bit of a martyr, as now I am exausted!!
Take care and hope to hear from you again!
Pen
Hi Clair
Good to see you on the site sorry to hear you have the dreaded ra. I have benefitted loads from the experienced and knowledgable people on here.
newbie
Just another pain
Newbie and forthcoming appointment!
Another Fine Mess
A question (and a rant) from a newbie
