Hello everyone, I was diagnoses with RA a year ago, and diagnosed with ME 2 years before. I was wondering how many others also have ME.

[andrea-GN]

One or the other I could cope with but, with both I feel I dont stand a chance. If one is not getting me the other one is.

[Jan66]

Hi, I had M.E in 1994, no-one then could put a name to it though. Hubby and I had to work it out for ourselves. I rested a lot and existed on soup and aspirin!

Improved enough by 1996 for me to go to art classes, then art college and then University to get my degree in 2000 when I was 52! So there is hope.

Now have R.A since 2009. Put it down to the fact that I have a crap immune system. Please bug your medical team A LOT, keep a pain diary.

All the best, Jan

[Hidden]

Hi Andrea and Jan, What is ME? Is it known by another name or am I being very forgetful tonight? Thanks, Loret

[LavendarLady]

Hi, my cousin has ME and has done for many years. At one time, she was so bad she was in a wheelchair but she doesn't have RA fortunately.

Loret : ME is a disease of the immune system but no one knows what causes it and why some people get it and others don't. It often comes on after a period of illness and stress and for a long time, was not recognised by the medical profession and indeed, some doctors still don't recognise it as a disease.

It's proper name is myalgic encephalothopy and is characterised by extreme fatigue. For a long time, sufferers were called "lazy" as no one realised what it was and sufferers were referred to as "too lazy to get out of bed" syndrome.

This was very unfair on the people who suffered from it. My cousin certainly wasn't lazy having put herself through Uni when she had 4 children to look after and a very busy doctor husband as well as run a large house, go to college to get her craft certificates and a host of other things she was involved in.

Don't know if it is connected with RA but wouldn't have thought so. Best wishes,. LavendardLady x