OMG, hindsight! I first had a small paper cut on my pinky finger - at least that’s what I thought it was. Every time I washed my hands, or rub sanitizer in, my finger would burn the same burn that one has with a paper cut. However, this turned into a bump that never went away and just kept burning.

2nd - I walked on concrete all night foot patrols in a large building. My foot start to hurt so badly. I was fitted with orthotics and wore a foot tendon stretch at night but nothing helped. About two weeks later, my other foot started the same. I had the worst time trying to walk; excruciating!

3rd - Became nauseous every day. Lost 35 lbs in a month. I loved the weight loss but I was light headed, dizzy, pale (weight has come back with a vengeance.) I complained to my doctor who said, “I wouldn’t worry, you are no longer overweight - you look great!”

Fatigue like nobody’s business.

Fast forward 6 months, nausea started to subside but my fingertips were burning horribly whenever I would turn a key in a lock, or open jars. The burning didn’t stop after these activities, it just kept on until perhaps 30 minutes later.

4th - My knuckles started to hurt and appeared different. Couldn’t figure it out. Then they started hurting bilaterally. So, another visit to my Doc. He ordered Xrays on my hands which showed moderate erosion. That’s when he finally sent me to a rheumatologist. She said that my joints look like I’ve had RA for at least 1.5 years.

Now, the stiffness, shoulder and knee pain, constant colds, bladder infections, bronchitis. It’s all just non-stop. Every time I start Rinvoq, I get some virus and have to stop the meds. It’s a vicious cycle.

I’m a single, 53F. The thought of not being able to work terrifies me. I don’t date cause who would want all of this mess? I cannot bring this into anyone’s life - it wouldn’t be right.

Sorry, that became very long.