Does anyone know of any research into links between acute stress / RA?
This is my RA story.... please be warned its sad, i do apologise but these events in my life happened some time ago now...

In 1997, my mum went missing - she had suffered from very severe depression all her life and had attempted to take her own life several times during our childhood. Mum had been so so well in her later years, my twin sister and I saw her all the time but just before she died she had been worried about growing older and about some minor health issues.... but after several years of good health and happy times her disappearance came completely out of the blue and was traumatic beyond words.....
We always felt responsible for mums health and well being - she was a lovely lovely person with a very vulnerable soul. She left her house one October evening, got the bus to Gloucester.... then no sign...until her body was found over a week later in Gloucester docks.
Mum was missing for about 9 days. We searched for her day and night - i even went to the docks and searched there with my brother in law....as when she was really poorly years previously she had said taht was where she would go..........
During those 9 days my first symptoms appeared..... i used to read to my girls every night and they would always wear my jeweleery during the story. I realised ALL my fingers were swollen when i couldnt get any one of my rings off... I didnt make a big thing wanting to keep things as normal as possible for the girls and with mumn missing.. too many other things to think about....sophie missing her so much, jess not understanding much at all - they were so young... and me not able to explain - they were so used to seeing her all the time.......
...then after the funeral i couldnt get out of bed and i realised something was physically wrong, so so tired and in so much pain but masked by grief..... It took about a year to be diagnosed but i had alrerady diagnosed myself that first month using my sisters nursing books....
I just wonder if any research has been done into - say for example, mass production of cortisol or stress hormones? I ALWAYS urge my friends and family to look after themselves - stress is a terrible thing... in my expereince i DEFINITELY believe it triggered RA.
I cope by being positive - worse things happen physically, worse diseases, and i count my blessings, i have my lovely family, my twin sister, lots of friends and our lovely dogs...and more... and now The forum!:)
i can talk about my mum much more now and have photos up at home & try remember the good times - there were LOTS of them. My sister coped better than me, i'm sure for several years i blamed my mum sub consciously for my RA symptoms... a family suicide is so scary... so many different emotions - unbeliebvable to cope with...
I absolutely threw myself into work after mum died... gaining promotion not long after diagnosis... previously i had worked just one night a week.... i know i am stubborn by nature and have a "that wont stop me" attitude but under the circumstances, i think this helped me... but then we're all very different and i am a taurean!
im lucky with work i was able to work around paul and his shifts so one of us was almost always there with the girls...
i feel such empathy with people who are newly diagnosed it brings those feelings back i have never felt so alone than that first year before diagnosis...
i have found this forum AMAZING - i wish i had found it years before - thank u to ALL of you - you are all so helpful especially when u make me laugh out loud xxx

so, just to finish - if anyone knows of any research please let me know or maybe if there isnt any.... perhaps some research should be considered....?
Thanks for reading, take care all of you and as soon as you recognise any stress symptoms - do something asap to de-stress xxx love Liz xx

Hi lizzie
Thankyou for sharing your life,it is sad and i can see why at that point RA decided to arrive.
Yes all my illnesses have arrived after major stress in my life/family life or work situation of great stress.
not always straight away.
Ra wise yes after starting work and finding my self caring for dying elderley clients along with own family troubles.
i dont know of any research but am aware that consultants are more aware as ive found them asking how i feel emntally not had this asked before good i feel.
my recent lupus/came about after my brother went missing for 7 days this summer and 4 days last summer.
spending much time with his wife trying to find hi being there for my parents.
caring for my huby through major surgery dealing with family disagreements oh the list rathe endless.


like u im fighting back with postive thoughts find it really helps and rest not push push push.
take care hun lv melly

Hi Lizzie,

thankyou for sharing your RA story. It is very sad about your mum..I can only begin to imagine how dreadful that must have been for you.
I totally agree about the relevance of stress.
Are you and your twin sister identical?....I am interested in the genetics of RA.

Diane x

Dear Lizzie,

I am SO sorry and sad to hear of this great suffering. Only as a Mother myself can I even contemplate what an effect this must have had on you, and must still have.

You have been immensely courageous and brave. I do believe very strongly that RA can be triggered by a traumatic experience.

When I was very first dx at the age of nearly 9, I had a traumatic fall and two days later both knees swelled. But I have also had (in later years) two very large experiences of extreme stress and anguish, both physcial and emotional, and both those times my RA flared severely, taking me on the a next stage of the illness. (I may e/mail you privately regarding this, one of the times is very difficult to talk about.)

For yourself your experience follows a clear pattern which in itself shows the development of rheumatoid.

Thank God for our families , children and dear friends!

Much love and prayers,
Amanda

Hi Lizzie,

You might find these two threads interesting.

http://www.nras.org.uk/m...ght=cesspit&start=0

http://www.nras.org.uk/m...79&highlight=cesspit

That's interesting Lizzie, my mums sister has Crohn's her son has spondylosis of the spine, my mums brothers son had juvenile arthritis but has since grown out of it, my mum has osteoarthritis and is allergic to pain killers and lots of other things and i just found out in September that my son whose 4 has severe multi nut and seed allergies i think there's definitely some thing in our family were we are prone to these illnesses x

I bet you're good on the dance floor Doreen!

Hi Chrisie
sorry see stresses that led to you having ra appear or wonky immunity as we call it.

Blue star,my cousin has anksloysing spondlityitis ,my aunt had ra, and lupus.
dad has lupus dle type.
mum osteoarthritis.
gran had ra and suspected lupus died kidney failure.
great gran one side lupus all on my dads side family the immune problems.
apreantly my aunt,grana dn other aunt all had suspected endometrois problem to.
my other cousins all fine.
just me and 1 cousin who affected out 7 cousins.

rheumy pays most attention to me how i am butf amily history a they call it is strong part in what they testing me for.
genetic wise thats my hubby side things.
cmt his dad has it brother has it,mum has bone deformity but not cmt.gran had it also.

so genetic wise we have 1 in2 chance child we have to be born with cmt or not.

we had genetic counselling this summer .
but only cmt was taken into account.
deosnt matter i dont have it.
but saying that child may be fine.
stress was big link to all my fmaily members illnesses starting.
my cousin was very premeature weighed 1 lb inw eight age 11 as started show its self afetr truamatic childhood.

melly

Well look at life .I would go for a baby maybe if these things where easy to live with .??It has a 50 % chance .Maybe i would go for it depending on how the illness afects .I would be praying before hand and putting faith in god .Anything can happin to anyone .Could you appopt ?????

christine