Life with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Here I am.. back with another post after quite a long break.. I was taken off my meds for some 3 months or so because RA flares were under control and my liver had started getting affected.. the detox was necessary.. and it was good too.. the relief from the dread of methotrexate every Monday morning and night.. and the lingering side effects.. short-lived but a blessing nonetheless.. it starts again now.. and I can feel it affecting my mental health the same way all over again.. wish I had a positive message to share this morning.. but will get there.. we all will.. we are stronger than this.. as we've proved time and time again.. prayers for us all.. 💜

Saw this on another Rheumatoid Arthritis support group, and it really tugged at my heart strings. Bring diagnosed is just the beginning of a long journey ahead filled with countless queries, doubts, and moments where one loses hope. No matter how strong we may be for the people around us, we are in a constant battle within. My heart and prayers go out to all of you who are struggling, and hope that this group can make a difference. Don't push yourself too hard. Take breaks. Take care of yourself. Make your health your priority. 💜

With Rheumatoid Arthritis, as with many other illnesses, a large part of the journey is staying positive! Easier said than done, but I feel these little posts from TinyBuddha have a huge impact on me. My phone gallery, as well as my home, is filled with these beautiful little one-liners in their vibrant colours. ❤️

Rheumatoid Arthritis - the name is quite misleading. More so, because it begins with joint pains, swelling and inflammation. And a lot of the times, your physician may not guide you on the extent of damage it can do to the rest of your body.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune disease. It is your own immune system attacking your body. And yes, it begins in the joints. That is often where it is diagnosed too. But it does not limit itself there.

I have just been officially diagnosed with RA a little over 2 years ago, and within this short span of time I have learned so much about the disease. Yet, I continue to learn something new every few days too.

I found this great infographic that shows some of the major ways Rheumatoid Arthritis can affect your body. This list is definitely not complete, but it gives you a starting point.

And no, this isn't to scare you. This is rather to prepare you. To look out for the symptoms and connect the dots before the effects of RA get worse. Often times, we don't share everything with our physicians because we feel those symptoms aren't related to what they are currently treating you for. And you can be very wrong here. With Rheumatoid Arthritis, each and every little detail is connected and it matters.

Don't ignore what your body if trying to tell you. May we all heal soon. 🤗

I have been making repeated visits to opticians and eye specialists over the last two years especially, and have noticed my vision decline every couple of months. After having gotten 6-8 different numbers over this short period, my optician recommended getting a detailed eye examination done with a specialist. This was to ensure that Rheumatoid Arthritis or its treatment had not affected any of the internal eye structures.

I just heard back from the specialist last evening, and it has left me in yet another downward spiral mentally. Every thing on the inside is fine. The reason for all this worsening of vision is a severe case of dry eyes. It is not only responsible for rhe constant change in number, but has also resulted in cataract starting to develop in my eyes.

Dry eyes is another one of the complications of Rheumatoid Arthritis. It is caused due to decreased tear production which can make your eyes may feel extremely dry. They may also itch or burn, leading to excessive blinking. It may feel like grains of sand are lodged in your eyes. Or they may be red or watery, and you may have blurred vision or be sensitive to bright or fluorescent lights.

Remember to always keep your physician informed of any change or worsening in symptoms. It is quite possible that you may have also developed Sjogren’s syndrome, another autoimmune condition, that very often accompanies Rheumatoid Arthritis.

I have been using eye drops off and on for over a year already, because of the same, but that seems to not have been enough. I have now been told to keep my eyedrops with me at all times, and use them as frequently as once every hour, along with steroids to reduce inflammation in the eyes.

My RA is quite aggressive, it was only diagnosed recently, definitely a little late, but it seems to be wreaking havoc throughout my body. 😔

The name can often be misleading...