Hello Geraldine, and a very warm welcome to the forum. All of us here will empathise with how you are feeling - RA certainly turns your life upside down. People - even family - sometimes have no idea how we really feel, or struggle on a day-to-day basis, not realising how complicated RA and its attendant drugs are.

On here, we`ve all been there, done that, and are still wearing the T-shirt! I hope your meds will bring some improvement over time, but do keep posting, so we can help you out if you need it.

I`m Kathleen, diagnosed over six years ago, and currently taking humira, plus various other delightful bits and bobs! I`m married to Nick, we have two grown-up sons, and two lovely little grandsons.

Take care,

Kathleen C x

Hi Geraldine
A very warm welcome to the forum but sorry that you have RA and that you are still suffering so much. You will find lots of support and encouragement here and it is a good place to come and rant and let off steam where people really understand where you are coming from. It is great that your family are so supportive as well.
I am 57 married with 3 grown up children and 5 grandchildren and have been diagnosed 5 years and am currently doing very well on Enbrel and Methotrexate.

Looking forward to hearing more from you.

Best Wishes

Sue

Hello Geraldine,

A welcome from myself. You will find this forum excellent for advice, friends , moans . . It is great to know
that others do understand what you are going through or went through.

Yes, I certainly know where you are coming from with regards energy etc. Try and pace yourself. I know
if difficult I am advising you this, but I don't always carry out the same for myself Ha ha

I am 57 married to grown children and diagnosed 2008, having trouble getting me sorted but am hopeful
that I will be soon

Keep posting

Rose

hello Kathleen

thank u so much for your warm welcome , my hospital doctor advised me to join the RA society so pleased that i took my doctors advice , the medication i mentioned in my first post , i have been takin them for bout 18 months now so my doctor has said time to try new things , my doctor has said bout puttin me on humira and keepin me on methotrexate but i am bit worried bout goin on the humira cause i have heard so many bad things bout it. how long have u been on humira and does it work for u ? as bad as this sounds so pleased to chat to other people with RA cause u start to think your the only person with it .

i am married to cliff , we have 3 daughters and 3 grandsons .


take care,


geraldineF

Hello sue

thanks for such a warm welcome to the forum , RA is not a very nice thing to have to live with we never know how we goin to be from one day to the next do we , so nice to chat to other people that understand RA i am 45 married with 3 daughters and 3 grandson , wat is Enbrel ? is it a injection ? my doctor has said bout puttin me on humira and methotrexate and takin me of the medication that i mentioned in my first post .


take care


geraldineF XX

Hi Geraldine,

I have been on humira for about 3 years now. It is not the cure I was looking for (if only!!) but it has definitely given me a better quality of life.
It is scarey reading about these drugs, and I have had my fair share of bad side effects from other drugs, but so far have been fine on humira, no side effects apart from a rash around the injection site which fades after a couple of days.

Love Doreen xx

hi Gerladine,

welcome aboard.

this forum has enlightened me so much .. as i always say where would you find so many people in one room with RA at all different stages etc. so we can share our experiences here and learn so much.

i am also on Methotrexate and Hydroxy but neither worked after a year plus .. so Humira was added to the mix last August and i was terrified about taking it, as i have been with all the meds. i have seen a slow but good improvement, my DAS Score isn't down as much as i'd like it to be mainly because of CRP but it has come down considerably ... but my joints and general feeling of well being have improved greatly. i go for 6 month follow up at the end of February, but hope to keep on the Humira as it's the one drug that has definately made an improvement.

have to say i did feel more confident after reading posts on here re the Humira but no one can take away the fear when you start any new drug i think.

anyway i'm 58 married with a grown up daughter long flown,

keep posting and reading the forum,

Suzanne x

Hello Suzanne

Thanks for the welcome to the forum , yeah we dont realise how many people have RA wen we are the one s with it we think know one else has it this is a big eye opener ,

how long have u had RA for ? how often do u inject the humira ? i have heard horror stories bout humira but sure i will be fine once i get over the worried stage , lets hope u carry on seein improvement s with the humira , hope your follow up app goes well please keep me up dated how u get on .

take care.

geraldineF xx

Hi Sheila,

Thanks for the welcome , this is such a friendly place i am sure i will learn a lot bout RA , readin the posts so far have noticed a lot of medication s name s i have not even heard of , yeah so good to lift the weight of our shoulders and have a moan even better if we can have a laugh while we have a moan .


take care.

geraldineF xx

Hey Geraldine its so good that you've joined
I'm jenni
36yrs old now
Married with 3 children and severe ra

Trying to hang on in there on cyclophosphamide
But struggling to get through it in all honesty

I have a lot of support at home
Direct payments have helped a lot

Reading your post sounds like you need a drug review

Have you got access to a rheumatology nurse? Also you might find the spoon theory handy
It's on www.butyoudontlooksick.com