Newly diagnosed with RA

MichelleW

Hello - I have been newly diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis and completely overwhelmed by the speed of progression and how little I know and how out of my control the whole thing is 😔

I am 58, always considered myself extremely fit and healthy, and suddenly after an “unknown” infection, find myself in this completely alien situation.

2 months ago I didn’t have anything wrong (as far as I was aware) working and running a family home with husband and 2 athletic sons, and now I have RA affecting most of my joints.- shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, spine and knees

i have just started a course of steroids (day 4) and will be going onto Sulfasalazine soon.

I am a person who doesn’t even take a paracetamol for a headache :( so finding all this hard to deal with too.

Suddenly yesterday, an egg shaped fluid lump appeared on my left knee and I have no idea what it is and how to deal with it.

I think I will need this forum to help me learn more

Michelle x

Sharon_K

Hello @MichelleW

welcome to the community and I am sure the community will support you. Getting diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis is very daunting indeed, rest assured you are not alone. What I would say is be gentle with yourself and remember nothing stays the same. I would suggest you speak to your rheumatologist about your fluid lump on your knee. They are quite common but they do need to know.

As regards learning we have lots of information on the website and I am sure our members will share their experiences with you.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis/

You might also like to chat with @SherillVC who has just been diagnosed as well. Her discussion is here

We also have a section on being newly diagnosed which may prove useful

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

Let us know how you get on

Best Wishes

Sharon

Woofy

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/59355/newly-diagnosed-with-ra

Hi Michelle.

Welcome to my world. More or less have had the same journey.

it stinks for want of a better word. I have never known pain like it, and it is totally alien. Can’t tell you how many tears I have shed, and the utter despair I’ve felt. Coming to terms with this has been hard for me too.

i take each day as it comes now, and I am a little less frightened than I was a year ago, when all this started. This site has helped me feel less alone, and I’ve learnt so much about this condition. Trying to keep a journal.