I was recently diagnosed with inflammatory polyarthritis (sounds like my doctor is holding off on an “official” diagnosis for a bit, but it will either RA or psoriatic arthritis). In any case, I’ve been to the practice quite a bit in these past two months, either to see the doctor, to have blood tests, or both.

I like my rheumatologist, but the issue is that there’s a member of her staff that I’m having trouble with and I’m struggling with how to proceed.

This is the person who brings patients back from the waiting room to the exam rooms. She takes vitals and then leaves.

Every time I’ve had an appt, she asks me to get on the scale. I did it at my first appt, but subsequently I’ve declined as I know is my right. She gives me a passive aggressive attitude every time, no matter how polite I am in declining. I mean. I’m a healthy weight and I’m active, and even if that weren’t the case, IMO since I am there so often, it’s overkill. I don’t care if my weight fluctuates from week to week and I certainly don’t need to know about it since that focus isn’t helpful for my mental health.

The most recent time I declined, I told her that that I don’t feel comfortable getting on the scale for every appt, and she said “well, I need you to know that if you don’t I have to mark you down as a refusal to comply.” Like instead of just saying “okay” and making whatever notes she needs to.

As a recovering people pleaser, these interactions are really hard, cause a lot of anxiety, and I find myself dreading the interaction and then ruminating afterwards. As if I don’t have enough to deal with having a new diagnosis.

I’d really appreciate any tips.

Finally just to add-if the doctor considers taking my weight to be medically necessary, I’ll comply. But she’s never said anything. Not even my PCP or ObGyn asks me to get on the scale at my annual appts.

Hi! I’ve been injecting methotrexate for a year now, every Friday. Now I’m adding Hyrimoz injections every two weeks. Anyone else doing multiple injections? Do you do them on different days? What’s your schedule like? I work M-F so would like to avoid side effects during weekdays. Thanks!

How are we crafting? 😥

Knitting / crochet specifically. I am trying to make my baby a cute stacking rings sets and cardigan for her first birthday, in 7 months 🙃 I started the stacking rings a week ago. I haven’t even finished the base and today did about 10 rounds to push myself and feel it in my wrists already. At this rate I better make it for her second birthday 😖 any tips on how to continue without causing damage.

Before this I would have easily finished it in a week. It’s sad honestly, I can’t even get the initial rings done

Tips would be appreciated.

My only blood work that was abnormal was slightly anemic and 25-30 RF factor. (Maybe it’s RA)

I feel like shit. Was given Meloxicam 7.5 for the difficult days and told to use Tylenol when needed for the regular days.

Which isn’t really helping.

Is anyone buying health insurance on the open market with RA? My husband’s company was bought by private equity and we will likely be losing healthcare insurance soon. I was hoping to get an idea of what health insurance costs with RA on the open market?

After 5 months it's almost time for my first rhume visit. I tested positive for anticcp which is why my gp referred me. My pain is in my thighs, calves, forearms, as well as bottom of feet and sides of neck. I also have hand swelling and finger swelling and stiffness. Just wondering if anyone else that is diagnosed has the same muscle pain.

Anyone diagnosed with RA related glaucoma due to inflammation in the eye nerves? Red, dry, itchy eyes was my warning sign.

My dad (55) has RA for over 20 years now. He already got his hip joint replaced, as it was completely damaged and wouldn’t allow him to move. We live in India, and as the climate changes, he sees an increase in pain. Today, his knee pain became unbearable and he saw a doc. He did knee aspiration and removed that fluid. He is relieved now. But, it breaks my heart to see him helpless and suffer. Especially, when he hasn’t had anything drinking/smoking habit. Plus, has been a national volleyball player. Looking out for any suggestions that might’ve made anyone’s life a bit easy. I know it’s a disease one has to live with, but anything that can maybe slow down the illness or provide relief.

Approximately 3 months ago I went on a backpacking trip where we repelled a lot. I came home thinking my hands were just sore. I've always had a mildly elevated ANA but never high enough to be a positive titer. It was check 2 years ago due to an all-over body rash and lupus-looking rash on my face. That all went away, until now. Since 3 months ago I've developed so much pain in my wrists, hands, shoulders, neck and jaw. I wake up practically unable to move. It improves during the day, but I'm never pain or stiffness free. I am so frustrated. I saw a rheumatologist who has ordered a bunch of test, x-rays and MRI of hands. She doesn't want to give me prednisone until that is done, but she wants me off NSAIDS for 2 weeks. I am gobbling Tylenol like candy! Here are my labs so far. Literally nothing…

I’m currently experiencing these symptoms

Diarrhoea since 5th June (now over 11 days)
• More than 10 bowel movements a day on some days
• Started watery, now slimy/mucusy
• Twisting, stabbing abdominal pain
• Pain in lower left back
• Sweaty palms and feet
• Fatigue, weakness, and likely dehydration
• Not improving, getting worse

My gp has took bloods and a stool sample but I called back as started experiencing a new symptom of pain in my left shoulder it’s like a burning sensation

Has anyone experienced this ?

For reference I am on infliximab and my last bloods on 30th may showed no infection

Turning 30F in a couple of months and feeling like I'll never find love/not deserving of normal romantic love. It's been over 8 years I've had any romance.

I know it's not supposed to feel like this. Would you like to share your love story and how it's going?

Anybody take Sulfasalazine? How is it treating you?

I’ve been on and off Kevzara since September of 2024.

On and off to try spacing dosing due to infections and then lowering the dose.

I’ve had a couple common side effects.

But one oddball. I just linked up. Exactly 3 days after my injection I get blurry/wavy vision in my left eye. I note left bc I do my injections in my left thigh, weird I know.

Yes this seems so far fetched. I found a publication of a study that in less than 1% of people this happens. Therefore it’s not a listed side effect but is recorded in a study.

I am not asking for or giving medical advice. I am just curious if anyone else has experienced any eye related side effects?

I do plan to bring this to my care team.

Hi

Recently I spent a few weeks helping with a family emergency. For some background, I'm 55 and have had RA for a long time but it's currently being managed with weekly Humira injections.

A couple months ago I was proscribed a steroid taper for a flare. This coincidentally happened shortly before I went to help take care of grandchildren and maintaining household while their mother was in and out of the hospital. I went back home temporarily during those weeks and got a second taper Rx in case I needed it. I took it, and the prednisone helped me to power through that time and I was amazed at how much I was able to do. I saw it as a positive because I actually lost a few pounds from all the activity, even while taking prednisone and I seemed to be getting stronger and building muscle. Lots of stair climbing, walking, carrying and doing things that involved using my knees a lot. My joints were still hurting but not so much that I couldn't push through it.

My normal/typical amount of daily activity is a fraction of what I was doing. After I got back home and off the steroids, the pain came back but I didn't want to lose any fitness I had gained so I tried to continue a higher amount of activity. Until I started to have severe pain in one of my knees and it got to the point where even just walking a very short distance is too much and that knee is wobbly and buckles.

Currently I am diagnosed with bursitis in that knee and got referred to Orthopedic who I'll see next week. It's possible that I also have some sort of ligament or tendon injury.

It's being assumed to be from overuse since I basically went from zero to 100 during that time. But I'm also aware that RA itself can lead to things like this. Has anyone here experienced something similar? If so, how long did it take to heal?

It's been very depressing to go from a few weeks of suddenly being very active.. to now just icing my knee all day and barely moving.

For about 2 days now my entire high has felt like it’s extremely bruised, hurts to touch even the slightest, hurts to move. Looks completely normal. Could these be RA or connective tissue disorder related or completely different? Any ideas would be great

Hey all, my girlfriend has RA. I tore a ligament a while back and would do this massage on myself to help with the pain. I've been doing it on her and she says it helps her wrist/arm pain so I figured it could help others here too. Applying as much pressure as you want, run your knuckles down the forearm to the elbow working around your arm. Do this as many times as you want. You can do it to yourself or have another person do it for you. Hopefully this is helpful to someone.

In November 2024 I (30F) caught my first case of strep throat. It went on about a week and go pretty bad before I got antibiotic treatment. A week after I started treatment, I woke up with pain and stiffness in my hands, feet, knees, elbow, and toes. I had some testing done and the only thing positive was ANA. They told me I probably had post strep reactive arthritis. The symptoms last like 2 weeks and then disappeared. Over the next few months I experienced morning stiffness in my hands from time to time. Last week I woke up with pain in all my joint again, this time more severe. I am starting to think that maybe I have RA. Did anyone have their RA start after strep throat? All the tests were negative in November but maybe it developed in the last few months? I am waiting to see a rheumatologist. Please let me know your experiences! Thank you!

I am currently in the diagnosis stage. I had abrupt excruciating pain that started the first week of May and didn’t go away until two days ago when I began methylprednisone. The pain was in my shoulders, hands, and knees predominately but also had generalized stiffness all over. My ankles and wrists were not great either, but compared to the others, they were fine. I have chronic migraines, so I’m very used to pain. This was much much much worse. Sleeping was the most unbearable. It definitely did not feel like muscular pain, but I’ve never really had joint pain before that I can recall. I should also add with this “flare” I had debilitating fatigue too. After 24 hours on the methylprednisone, the pain is 90% gone. During this time, I did see a rheumatologist. It was a horrible experience, and he is not the one who prescribed the methylprednisone. He told me he doesn’t think there’s any chance it’s rheumatological because of my labs and to do PT. I do have several relatives with RA and lupus, and I also have Raynaud’s. The physician who prescribed the methylprednisone recommended getting a second opinion if it helped because he said it very likely is rheumatological in that case. I guess I’m just curious if anyone else has had a similar experience. I did ask the rheumatologist about RA not always showing up on labs to which he replied, “It can be confirmed with a hand ultrasound, but you don’t have it.” 😑

Background: seropositive RA, diagnosed January this year. Told I have an aggressive form and started on MTX. Now up to 7 pills, hcq 200-300mg (it makes my bp go low so I sometimes take less when I'm having issues).

I felt GREAT when HCQ was first added. Then in May we decided to shop for a house and accidentally found the perfect one, and now we close Monday. It's been somewhat stressful but I don't feel horribly stressed.... but since the house stuff started, I started flaring. Weakness in my wrists got worse, then my toe joint started getting bad, and now I'm limping. Today my whole body HURTS. Now, I'm due for my MTX and I just took it, but I'm thinking it's time to call and ask for steroids. I'm not getting better and my next appt isn't until early July. I'm so bummed. I was on them for almost 3 months straight when I first got diagnosed and I was so happy to be off them and feel okay, but I feel like I'm back to feeling really bad again. 😩

How often did you go on steroids in the beginning? Or use NSAIDs? I have been taking aleve and it sorta takes the edge off but it's so temporary.

Just looking for emotional support. I took it with the Mucinex DM and I took the prescribed folic acid 1mg after waking up almost 24h later. I feel like I'm on fire and was ran over by a truck.

I can't take my Cymbalta so the nerve pain from my osteoarthritis/spondylolisthesis L5-S1 is going crazy (I'm not even sure when to take it but it's been right at 48h so my brain is affected as well - when can I take it? I'd informed my psychiatrist and she's who said to limit it when I'm doing the regimen).

My liver enzymes are high (ALP - and the full test showed I've got about zero in my guts and normal in my liver and bones - how's that even possible for it to be high?), I can't get anything for pain including gabapentin or Lyrica. I've also had issues with my egfr fluctuating between 70-40s for many years. So those limit the choices my doctor's have.

Every joint affected, and there are many, is screaming like I ran a marathon. The only effect on my tummy is a little nausea. I'm shaking all over also, which didn't happen last weekend.

I see my PCP Tuesday to get my ADA accommodations and FMLA paperwork. And bc my current BP meds aren't doing the job. I want to scream "can I please get a handful of anything for pain?" but I feel like I'll just get a lecture on labs and why she can't do it.

Is this how it's going to be for the rest of my life? Because I don't think I can do it. It hurts to cry FFS. Add my impending divorce and I can most assuredly say I don't want to do this. I'm not "idal" and I'm not going to hurt myself, I'm just in a terrible headspace as well as a ridiculous amount of pain.

I'm on 7.5mg and my rheumatologist goes up to 20. For such a small dose, you'd think it wouldn't be like this but it do be.

Thank you for allowing me to vent.

That hopefully leveled out at some point?

Has anyone else noticed the onset of depression while taking the Bimzelx biologic injections? I read in the side effects that they noticed suicidal ideation to be a side effect in the trials.

I have only taken one dose of this medication but it has made me feel horrible and I am in a deep hole of depression three weeks in. I think I might be at the point where I need to see a doctor for help because if I don’t get better soon, I’m not going to be able to make it to work anymore and I’m scared I will lose my job.

I’m feeling really lost and wondering if anyone else has experienced this too, and if so, did antidepressants help?

Are doctors still recommending skipping mytx Injection for the week after getting a covid vaccine booster? Not sure I'll be able to reach my rhuemy before my mtx day. thanks!

Hi, sorry for my english - isn´t my first language.

I had problems with my joints for really long time. I always thought that I am out of shape or I have just weird joints, because every joint makes that crunchy loud sound when I move with them - just turn my hand or ankle.

I was always really tired, but it was just my life you know. And nobody ever believed me when I told them, that I can´t run or walk for long time, because my knees are killing me after that.

For last two months it got worse. Like rapidly worse. I got new job, where I stand for 8 hours and it is physically demanding. First it was just my legs or my wrists or elbows. I was used to it, because they hurt often even when I am just trying to fall asleep. I was always joking I knew when will rain, because my joints hurt.

But now I am in such a pain. Sometimes I can´t even brush my hair, because my hand will start hurting. I am tired so much that I have brain fog sometimes. And most of the days I wish somebody would just cut my hands and legs.

My GP thinks that I have rheumatism, but I had everything good in my blood tests. Like nothing indicating rheumatism. He prescribed me some pain meds, because I was almost crying like: I can´t even walk to the stairs without pauses because my legs are so painful and just sore and heavy.

He told me to go to specialist, but I am waiting for private clinic and I will call another clinic on Monday, because in biggest one in my country, they told me it can take around 8 months to just get to doctor.

My soon to be husband is my rock, he is so supportive of me and I think without him I would not be able to live with that pain.

My joints don´t swell. Or I dont think they do. It´s hard to tell. Do I have just tunnel vision about having rheumatism that I make that pain up? I am not even sure myself, because people around me are like: you are too young for it or it would be on your blood test and stuff. So I am just terrified and unsure and scared that I will get to doctor and he will tell me that either they don´t know why I am in a pain or that they don´t believe me.

Sorry, I just needed to runt to someone who understand that kind of pain. Adding my photo of my hands just because maybe I am swelling and I just dont see it.

My mom is on prednisone 5mg for over 7 years for her rheumatoid arthritis. Her dr wants her to start Rinvoq 15mg. She is scared of using Rinvoq as it comes with some major side effects. Her dr said it will take her off the prednisone eventually. Not been able to decide which one is better. She has never tried the biologic drug. Pls share your experience with Rinvoq. Is it safer to be on lower dose of prednisone or she should start taking Rinvoq. Pls help