Wait... what?! (noob to RA)

movingslowly

Good Evening 😁

I hope to goodness I'm saying "Hello" in the correct place... I is technology bewildered as am I also lost and bewildered in the area of arthritis, ya know, being a noobie and all.

I've grown up watching the women in my family attribute all manner of the weird and wonderful; such as the strange method of rising from kneeling, picking up a boiled kettle to pour, trying to fold sheets/laundry,

I've watched them attribute all of their difficulties to age. Saying things like "Oh it's just my age love"

When I started experiencing puffy, creaky knees and it taking me longer and longer of a morning to limber up I thought, "I must be getting old" and muddled on (as you do) A few aches here, tender wrists and thumbs there.

Fast forward several years and I start noticing an increasing frequency of power loss whereby I'm carrying out work tasks the same way I do each and every day but now I have disobedient limbs. Refusing to buff that stainless steel to a mirror shine without extra effort, concentration and sheer bloody mindedness to overcome the sharp jolting type feeling in my shoulders.

This triggered (silent) alarm bells for me and it wasn't until I almost dropped a just boiled kettle when trying to lift and pour I thought "Age my ****, something is wrong here"

Fast forward to yesterday and I walked out of my assessment with a (fantastic) Rheumatologist with an RA diagnosis, lots of leaflets and a backside cheek full of injection.

If I'm not leaping tall buildings and lifting the vacuum cleaner up at work with one finger later on then the injection isn't working (I'm joking 😉😁)

I haven't really much of an idea where my journey leads me from this point. I don't know what my future holds or entails with regard to this condition hence my landing here. In this community. I'm hoping I can find answers, tips and tricks, life hacks and be able to chat about the days that aren't so great and in particular, the days that are.

Thanks for reading and hello again🙂

best wishes,

movie (short for movingslowly)

Brynmor

Hi @movingslowly

I see you have already been welcomed to the Online Community. There are lots of tips you can find on this site regarding aids and support for living with arthritis: we invested in a kettle tipper and an electric can-opener many years ago and they have proved to be a couple of the best buys we ever made!

With a new diagnosis, it may be that you will find this page on the web site as a good starting point for information:

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/newly-diagnosed/

Do continue posting across the Online Community, ask questions and do give advice and support.

All best wishes

Brynmor

stickywicket

Hello and welcome from me, too. No need to be bewildered in the weird and very rarely wonderful world of arthritis. There are quite a few of us longstanding - sometimes longsitting - inhabitants who can guide you through the maze. Though it seems to me you're doing pretty well.

Your shall-we-say occasionally determined stubbornness has got you through a lot of problems and will come in very handy for the future. But the meds will help even more.

As for odd ways of your family members - oh we are an inventive bunch! My elder son was about 6 before he twigged that the normal way of mopping up a spillage wasn't to throw an old cloth over it and stamp on it. I once puzzled some work colleagues after I'd boiled the kettle by saying "Could someone pour it, please 'cos I've not got a sweater on?" (I had to rest the kettle on my arm to be able to pour but they didn't know that) But, hey, we get there.

You never know what those steroids might achieve. For many of us they are very seductive monsters because they work and we want more but, long term, they can do damage so the answer is DMARDS (Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs). They take longer to work but are much safer long term. You'll get there.

Meanwhile, and beyond, I hope you can find all the things you're looking for on here. If not, just ask. The Living With Arthritis forum is where you'll get most answers. Good luck!

movingslowly

Thanks for the kind responses.

From what I've seen so far there's some great information on site. Just the sorts of things I'm looking for.

@stickywicket

"...can someone pour it please because I haven't got a sweater on..."

I love that. The kind of thing that would get you 'the puzzled side eye' from those not in the know.

Also great life hack. I could use an oven glove waiter-stylee over forearm to rest just boiled kettle while pouring. Oven glove suitable to protect forearm from any heat.

I'm so waiting for the opportunity to ask someone " Would you mind pouring the kettle please? I don't have my oven glove" :)