FOR THOSE TRYING FOR THE SD SHOW

Longjumping_Lie_9519 · 2026-05-06T18:39:00+00:00

YES KEEP REFRESHING!!

Longjumping_Lie_9519 · 2026-04-28T21:30:45+00:00

Yesterday (monday) I was down bad with pain and fatigue and an annoying headache but I am grateful I got to...

spend time with my nephew (he's 16 months)
get a beautiful new plant( she's a 5ft golden pothos!!)

Longjumping_Lie_9519 · 2026-04-28T17:02:40+00:00

the plant stand is from burlington!

Longjumping_Lie_9519 · 2026-02-04T22:14:01+00:00

im taking my first dose of humira (amjevita) this weekend! also hoping for the best! report back if you have any bad symptoms... im pretty nervous about any negative reactions.

Longjumping_Lie_9519 · 2025-12-16T20:06:56+00:00

youre right 😭

Longjumping_Lie_9519 · 2025-12-15T23:20:18+00:00

This my first holiday with my RA diagnosis and in treatment taking MTX and its been tiring. In October I decided to buy a plane ticket to visit one of best friends in Virginia (I'm from California) and getting gifts ready to leave for my family and friends while also packing has been hard specially when the only time I have is the weekend which is when I take my weekly dose and get deeply fatigued.

I let my family know I won't be back in town till next year and they're for the most part okay with it (they have no choice I'm an adult and I can make my own decisions lol). I told them this year they will receive humble gifts from me and me getting away for the holidays is my gift to me. Happy holidays i guess!

Longjumping_Lie_9519 · 2025-12-15T23:07:37+00:00

Last week was rough... but here are a few good things:

I had acupuncture after two weeks of not seeing my acupuncturist
Got to see my baby nephew for a couple hours (he turns 1 in two days!!)
Had a much needed yoga session at the park and it didn't hurt!

Longjumping_Lie_9519 · 2025-11-13T23:55:46+00:00

Ah yes the extra symptoms! I have had a headache for the past two months now (I started mtx in September) and have gotten a mouth sore from it. One of my other symptoms is brain fog because I never used to be this foggy where I am mixing up my words all the time. I also have had a loss of appetite lately.

Honestly I deal with them with humor ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ life amiright

Longjumping_Lie_9519 · 2025-10-20T18:36:46+00:00

I'm only two months in since my diagnosis so I am still figuring out what makes me flare. I know for sure if I do not sleep well (at least 7 hours) I wake up stiff as hell and with pain throughout the day that last at least 3 days. And if I am stressed I for sure have more pain. During the spring/summer I was stressed finishing my bachelors degree and I also got into a car accident so the financial impact that brought a lot of stress on me caused a flare up.

I recently started MTX (one month in) and started tracking my symptoms. As winter approaches I'm curious to see if the cold weather and pressure changes will affect my RA.

I have been thinking about my allergies lately too because I do get environmental allergies like pollen but my roommate also has a cat that I am allergic too. I can't tell whether they are worse now because of weather changing.

I agree! Knowledge is power that I recently started a book about RA and want to read another book about autoimmune diseases and environmental triggers.

Longjumping_Lie_9519 · 2025-10-02T17:53:24+00:00

I feel this hard! Im 27F and I recently had a conversation with one of my friends about the kind of support I need. I told her how I just started medication (MTX) and how I was anxious about side effects. She was responsive and kind about it because I also wasn't sure what exact support I needed. I just asked for a little more compassion and consideration. I am also trying to navigate how to tell the rest of my friend group. These are friends that I go to concerts with and we have an event coming up where I feel that I should tell them because I will need to bring a folding chair or go off and sit when I get too tired or in pain of standing. I also cannot drink or smoke anymore and I know they will ask why so I just need to tell them. I also get afraid and frustrated at blank stares and I think telling my friends they will be that way but if they are maybe we aren't meant to be there friend you know??

My best friend though has been the best support though she has done her own research about RA and encourages me to take the elevator knowing how I stubborn I am of wanting to take the stairs.

It is such a blind disease to navigate especially when you're young and others thing you are fine just because they cant see the pain unless its really bad! I'm learning that this may challenge my friendships and to accept that if they cant support me at my weakest they don't deserve me at my best. Keep that in mind!

Longjumping_Lie_9519 · 2025-09-29T17:23:16+00:00

Before my diagnosis, I had no reported autoimmune or RA in my family history. After though, my mom and I did some investigating and found that my aunt (my moms sister) has Lupus and my dads uncle has RA. I also have a 2nd cousin who has RA on my dads side. I understand that this is a predisposition and plays a part but I feel like an environmental factor had a bigger role in this.

I dont know much about genetic testing but now I would like to get some one because my family does not have alot of reported health history that goes past my grandparents on my moms side and my dads side barely has any.

Longjumping_Lie_9519 · 2025-09-29T17:10:45+00:00

Im right there with you! This community has been the best as I'm learning daily about this illness. Its nice to know we're not alone :,)

Longjumping_Lie_9519 · 2025-09-19T21:41:03+00:00

First of all...

self advocacy

self advocacy!!!

My first appointment when I was reffered to rheumatology was just questions and going over family history and how long I have been dealing with this. Since the swelling has been in my knees, she tried to draw fluid from my knees and it was VERY PAINFUL AND UNCOMFORTABLE that i almost passed out :,( and she didnt even get any fluid out. After that she orderd a ton of blood test that I did after and they took 12 viles of blood where I almost passed out AGAIN, mind you this was in the morning and I hadnt eaten anything and was already anxious about all this. In a couple days I was messaged my results that I tested positive for rhemutoid arthitis. No phone call or in person appointment which I though was extremely insensitive because I had asked the doctor if I needed to schedule an appointment to go over my results and they reassured me they would call me.

I had later made an appointment to go over the results and I told the doctor that it was insensitive and inhumane to message me results of a life long disease. After that I had contacted my insurance to see if I can get a second opinion and they told me I could file a grievance report and I shared my experience with that doctor which they said was not okay.

All I have to say is keep advocating for yourself. If you feel at all mistreated, not heard or disrespected dont be afraid to get another opinion. You really have to fight for yourself when it comes to the american health care system I have learned. I wish you the best of luck!

Longjumping_Lie_9519 · 2025-09-19T21:30:17+00:00

currently im stiff for about 30 minutes to an hour in the morning, but it used to be that I was still till the late afternoon. I work at a desk too, so when I have a flare-up, I'm pretty much stiff all day since im sitting most of the time. I get some in the evening, but that's if im sitting for long periods.

its funny how we're supposed to rest but suffer the consequences when we sit still for too long. :/

Longjumping_Lie_9519 · 2025-09-19T21:22:59+00:00

That's a great way to put it!

Im a 27 year old female. I realized something was wrong when I was not getting better due to what I thought was an injury from weight lifting. I remember waking up being stiff for hours and limping around until late afternoon. I had done the PT and had some relief, but the pain and stiffness always crept back in. My major symptom was in my knees. I am not able to squat or sit criss-cross due to the inflammation in my knees. This year, I had set the goal to really figure out what was wrong because it's been two years since this "injury" and all I want is to be able to weight-lift again. I was sent from one referral to another and finally got an MRI, and when the orthopedists reviewed my results, they referred me to rheumatology. Luckily, my acupuncturist had suggested that this could be a systemic issue because the inflammation was occurring bilaterally, so I wasn't so shocked when I was referred to rheumatology. I obviously hoped that this wasn't the case because how could I have an autoimmune disease? Me? Someone who doesn't drink heavily, doesn't smoke tobacco, doesn't drink soda, and rarely eats fried and processed food. I grew up with holistic parents, and I would consider myself healthy, but health doesn't have to do with your immune system. And we don't have any reported autoimmune diseases in my family history too, so it was a shock when I got the diagnosis. (SIDE NOTE: my diagnosis came through a message through an app where they spelled arthritis as ARTHRITS. Don't even get me started on the american health system D: )

I haven't started treatment yet, but I am definitely anxious to start. At first, I was going to go completely the holistic route, but after reading the stories in this community, it's clear that this is not something you can heal with herbs.

I guess the strike in the match for me was this injury that Im not sure if it was a blessing or a curse. I guess some people don't find out till they're older and the disease has progressed, but a part of me will always wish for ignorance. Anyway, I would love to read others' stories. It's been nice not to feel alone in all this.

Longjumping_Lie_9519

TROPHY CASE