Comments on: World Arthritis Day

By: Amy

Amy — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:45:38 +0000

Dealing with people’s perceptions is almost as difficult as the pain and fatigue of RA. I am 34 years old and constantly get sneers & dirty looks when I park in a handicapped space, hang my placard, and get out of my car. I often hear “but you don’t look like you’re disabled”, or “but you’re so young”. I can’t count how many times older, well-meaning folks have told me that they understand because they have arthritis in a knee or a hip. I am always polite, but inside I’m thinking “try having that pain in just about every joint in your body!”. Even my rheumatologist makes me angry! I have seronegative RA. Due to an immune issue that runs in my family (I was blessed with very unfortunate genes), I am unable to make the Rheumatoid factor antibody. My very first Rheumy explained that, just because I can’t make the antibody, that doesn’t mean I don’t have RA. After extensive testing, it was the most obvious answer & when the meds worked so well, he officially diagnosed me with RA. I have since moved & my current Rheumy is not so wonderful. At my first visit, after about 5 minutes of the typical questions & a quick review of my chart, my current Rheumy asked me if I had any psychological issues & if I would be willing to come off ALL of my medications in order to “see what would happen”. He then told me that sometimes seronegative RA just “goes away”. I asked if he had received my x-rays from my previous doc, to which he replied, “I don’t think so, but I haven’t checked”. WOW! Then I asked if he would like to order x-rays so he could see the joint damage my previous doctor saw, and he replied, “neh”. WOW! The sad part is that I am a military dependent & my insurance keeps referring me BACK to the SAME DOC despite my protests. He finally gave up the constant nagging to go off all of my meds just to see what would happen after I came in for an appointment while in the midst of a fairly bad flare. He looked at me with a bewildered look and said, “I guess we shouldn’t take you off your medications. Just keep taking whatever you’re on”. I had to ask him for a course of prednisone, he didn’t suggest it.
Life with RA is difficult for so many reasons. The pain & fatigue alone is debilitating. When you add in the skepticism and attitudes that you experience from others, it makes what you’re dealing with even more difficult. My best advice is what keeps me going-DON’T GIVE UP HOPE! Research, do your homework, educate yourself about the disease & about YOUR disease! Make it a point to know what your lab results are, what your medications do, and what other options you have! And go easy on yourself, even if others don’t.

By: Misty

Misty — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 19:43:55 +0000

I am 39 years old and have been dealing with the pain of degenerative spinal disease with severe arthritis. I cannot afford to go to all these doctors and have these tests done. We are just now getting the bills from my diagnosis along with the bills from my husbands stroke and heart failure paid. I wondered if others experience the doubt of society in the pain and difficulty in performing daily tasks. I even received an annomynous letter right after I received my handicap parking card stating, “there is nothing wrong with you except laziness.” Even my family did not understand until I lived with them allowing them to see what I hide and hearing what the doctors stated about my condition. Why can’t people understand what they see is me trying to live a semi-normal life and that I pay the price for it with pain and extreme exhaustion? I have no choice but to work because SSD says that I was short a credit. Yet about a year ago they informed me they could go back and use the credits from my youth if I could find one document showing the problems starting when I was 21. They followed it with a letter informing me that although I work part-time and that my job accomidates me the skills required to perform my job disqualify me. I love my job and dread the idea of not seeing those kids every day, but I am trying to fulfill my dream of opening a practice for child/family therapy which is taking its toll on me. Sorry to babble. I just wanted to know if others face the accusations that it is in your head or that you are over dramatizing it?

By: Internal Medicine

Internal Medicine — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 15:51:52 +0000

Hi Dr Phil!
This is an interesting post. My mother is experiencing a bad situation with her arthritis and we can’t give her the right aid. We’ve visited some doctors and still they advise us to provide milk for my mother. Anyway, this post is very helpful and i am thankful to read this.

By: Terri

Terri — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 10:38:07 +0000

I am 41 years old and live in Australia. I just joined this site and watch Dr Phil everyday. I was diagnosed with Spondyloarthritis 2 months ago but have been living with the symptoms since 21. No one could tell me what was wrong. My doctors are still trying to find the right medication. At this point, I’m taking anti inflammatory drugs, my vitamin D levels are extremely low so I’m on double dose of Vitamin tablets, I’m also taking Salazopyrin EN. I can’t sleep well at nights due to pain and spine feeling stiff so I’m also on Endep. I’m not use to taking so many meds but I feel I have no choice. The amount of pain this causes is unbearable and frustrating. I trust my Doctors as they are very upfront and helpful. I just need to power on and wish for the best. I will also start Physio soon (once I start feeling a little better and meds kick in). My heart goes out to anyone suffering from Arthritis. Love your show Dr Phil, keep up the great work, and thanks for giving people a chance to express their feelings.

By: Anna

Anna — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 20:08:24 +0000

I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis 2 years, what a shock, but that explained the pain, I’m going for hip replacement surgery next week, it’s the 1st of 2, bi-lateral, I’m 47yrs old. This disease is scary, I’m not the person I once was, but hope I can find someone inside me that I like again after these surgeries.
Good Luck to everyone out there suffering with arthritis.

By: Sue Kindred

Sue Kindred — Mon, 21 May 2012 21:42:06 +0000

In some of your shows you send people to a medical center in Dallas TX. I can’t understand the name. I have looked on internet for Dallas TX Medical Centers and can’t find anything that sounds like what I’m understanding. Thanks, I love your show.

By: Debra Compas

Debra Compas — Sat, 19 May 2012 01:22:38 +0000

I have Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis diagnosed at age 19 in 1975!! My first year of college!! I have had both shoulders, both elbows, both hips, both knees, both wrists fused, and 10 knuckle joints totally replaced! I’ve had pericarditis, pancreatitis, diverticulitis, fluid around the lungs, colostomy and reversed colostomy because of the systemic part of the disease!! I was put on prednisone and NEVER taken off of it so now I suffer from side effects of that med, ( hundreds of fractured ribs, osteoporosis, teeth crack apart, exsessive weight gain, easily bruse, etc.)!! I was a high school and college athlete! I was NEVER over weight!! I had plans to become a head accountant (CPA) of a fortune 500 business! I had BIG dreams but my body had its own!! This disease JRA has truly changed my life!! I am now in a wheelchair and need a personal care attendant to help me!! I used to be very independent!! I don’t think people realize how arthritis changes you! It’s actually laughed about as the old age disease-but it’s neither laughable or an only older people disease! It’s crippling not only to your body but to your mind, your heart and your soul!! I still am grateful for what I can do for myself and I enjoy every day!! It’s a choice you make!

By: Joan Palmer

Joan Palmer — Fri, 18 May 2012 22:03:04 +0000

I too have RA, am 48 yrs old and not overweight. I can manage the joint pain but it went into a Rheumatoid Lung disease called bronchiolitis obliterans. This basically is making it harder and harder to breathe for me. I was hospitalized 5x last year for a total of approx 10weeks.
Stress does seem to affect it as I was doing ok until my husband, who was terminally ill, passed away on 1/15/12. Now it’s wheezing attacks every day again.
Not a fun disease! Autoimmune diseases run in my family as my 25 yr old son was diagnosed with MS at age 19 and my 24 yr old daughter has Celiac.
Thank you for posting this info on arthritis. Some don’t realize how bad it can get.

By: Nancy Salisbury

Nancy Salisbury — Mon, 07 May 2012 21:46:20 +0000

I have had RA for probably 30 years and I am now 63. I have had both knees replaced and my hand are severly deforms from the disease. I didn’t have RA in my background. For years I tried to figured out what exactly did I do to bring this on myself. I think I discovered some of it. I married a farmer/rancher and have lived in rural Oklahoma for 35 years. Living in a rural area anyplace has it’s ups and downs. I have always worked hard, running tractors in the field, taking meals to the field, at the same time raising my two children. Living with my husband is another set of issues, as he requires everything to be done right the first time, take little if any time off, and don’t spend any money! I think the stress of trying to keep one very demanding husband happy and raising two children, one with special needs due to a premature birth, and losing twins at birth due to prematurity has taken it’s toll on me and my health. Now that I have obvious problems from the RA, I get little if any understanding. I’m expected to carry on as usual doing things I did when I was 20 or 30! I do the best I can and do as much as I can without asking for help, but I know there will come a time when I probably won’t be able to do simple things. I get depressed for sure, but I know I have to push on because I know I can’t shut down either. I know there are others who are suffering even more then myself and all I can do is hope and pray there will be some relief for us sometime before we become a burden to our families. There is still alot of living ahead for me I hope. Medical researchers know alot about RA, just not how to prevent it or cure it. I do know I would have managed my stress better. Thanks Dr. Phil.

By: Kathy Borders

Kathy Borders — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 03:42:10 +0000

I am 52, I have developed arthritis in both knees, both hips, ankles and feet. I am very overweight at 240 pounds. I visit doctors and they say “lose weight”….my response dahhhh.

I am a compulsive over-eater, I have 12 years of sobriety from alcohol, I’m in treatment for gambling addiction. I am an addict. When a doctor says lose weight, I hear just flip a switch you stupid woman. It’s so not that easy.

I understand that my joints may hurt less if I weight less. But how does someone so deeply addicted to food lose weight?