Hi all, I'm Sara and I haven't been on for ages after briefly joining several months ago. I was diagnosed 10 years ago at 26 and have had good and bad patches since! I have got considerably worse over the last year or so - have a hospital appt in June where I am determined to really get on top of this disease! Am currently on Entodolac, Sulphasalazine and had a predisnole jab last week but that doesn't seem to have helped. I have been avoiding Mtx but think that is the next step. Does it really help with the pain? I have a 6 year old and a 3 year old and am fed up with feeling in too much pain to do all the things I'd like with them. I feel I haven't been in control of the RA and didn't get well informed enough but that is all going to change! I have found reading the posts on here moving, helpful and inspiring and I look forward to getting to know you all better!

Hi Sara,

Welcome to the forum!

I was diagnosed seven years ago when my little boy was born and I also have a daughter, now aged ten. I know how awful it is having little ones who so badly want you to kick the ball with them and run about and be active and I also know the guilt you feel because you can't. I try to give them as much as I can on the good days and accept that I can only do my best on the bad days. I keep thinking to myself that it's the love we share as a family that they will remember not the fact that I didn't make up the third member of the lawn / dandylion cricket team

Methotrexate is a very widely used drug for RA and many many people have huge success with it so I'd definitely give it a try. But don't despair because there are a lot of other drugs available as options.

I'm looking forward to getting to know you more on the forum!

Joanna

Hi Sara,

Welcome back!
Hope you can find a treatment that works for you.

Love, Doreen xx

Hi Sara

Welcome back! Sorry to hear of your ongoing problems and fully understand your difficulties with children, been there, done that, got the T-shirt too!!

I'm Lyn, married with four children all at various stages of education. My RA (sero neg) started 22 years ago after the birth of my first child so it was an uphill struggle with all four, two of whom are twins. However despite serious illness at the outset I was determined RA would not ruin family life for me. At times though such determination can be rather foolhardy!! Like you, I struggled to do the things I wanted with the children and even now difficulties present. The twins have university open days coming up next month and the thought of visiting 8 or 9 places is quite overwhelming and I'll be shattered at the end of each visit! But I will do it regardless, I have to for my kids!

Lack of information and misinformation seems to be quite a problem but things do seem to be improving albeit slowly. Hopefully on your next visit you will be able to go armed with the questions you would like answers to and more suitable treatment will result. It's certainly worth starting now to jot down thoughts ready for the appointment; it's all too easy to forget something!

Over the years I've run the gamut of medications and had a few surgical procedures too. Methotrexate is the gold standard drug used in the treatment of RA. I have been on it for many years and currently taking it in combination with Enbrel, Naproxen, Prednisolone and a few other bits thrown in. The result makes for reasonably controlled disease. I do hope that you are offered treatment that will give you better control and allow you to do the things you would like to be able to do.

Do keep posting. Look forward to getting to know you better,

Lyn x

Hello welcome
Im melly 38 RA since 17,lupus fibro etc,been on Mtx for 2 years can now say it helped with mobility,inflammation, currently of it for family plans.
all best.
melly