Rheumatoid Arthritis

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My DDIL had rapid onset RA 3 years ago with the birth of her third child. We were all devastated. She was not able to care for the baby, it even hurt her if the baby held on to her thumb. She could hardly walk and good not get in or out bed unaided. She was very quickly diagnosed and because she had such a young baby she was seen very quickly by all relevant practitioners.
I must point out at this stage that DS2 and DDIL2 live in Ireland so no NHS.
She was given injections into her abdomen weekly and had a whole host of medications including steroids. She studied the subject on the internet and adapted her diet to try to help her recovery.
To cut a long story short, she made rapid progress in the first 6 months and then continued to improve. After 2 years she only had occasional days where her hand and feet were a little stiff.
3 years on she is remarkable and coincidentally she and DS2 is visiting here at the moment and staying with DS1. I have just left them to come home and she was planning a 5 mile run for 7:30 tomorrow morning with DS1. She runs to keep her joints moving and flexible.
So FlicketyB my message to you is do not despair. A lot can be done these days. DDIL2 is 39 years old. She is doing really well. If it helps, please pass this information on to your DDIL.

Just realised that this is an old thread, but I pick it up in the Last day selection.
So FlicketyB I hope your DDIL is much better by now.

MY mother had RH and once she was diagnosed she sat in an armchair and became an invalid and made everyone's life a misery. She did have some horrible treatments including gold injections monthly which casued liver and kidney damage but she gave in. New drugs and teatments are so much better. My BIL is on some new expensive injection onthly and has gone fom being in a lot of pain and immobile to be as he says 'almost back to normal.

I was hit by rapid onset RA when I was about 42. It started with a dreadful pain in my index finger and within 6 weeks I was almost needing a wheelchair. I saw a rheumatologist who was experimenting with the theory that if it is caught quickly enough, the more extreme effects of the disease can be avoided. So he admitted me to hospital for two weeks complete bed rest and each day he came and injected a set of affected joints with steroid. He then prescribed a drug called sulphasalizine. This treatment eased the pain quite a bit but it didn't go away completely. Over the following year I consulted a naturopath called Dr Kitty Campion - I believe she still practices somewhere (check on Google). She changed my diet, eliminating dairy products and yeast based products. She put me on a herbal bowel cleansing regime followed by colonic irrigation. She also made a difference to the level of pain. Then a friend of mine persuaded me to go with her to tennis coaching. Despite my protestations (I was wearing wrist supports most of the time) I found that the more I hit a tennis ball, the more the pain lessened. Gradually over about 6 years it went away altogether. Theories abound - it was a miasma linked to a food intolerance; it was caused by stress which was alleviated by hitting a ball; etc etc. All I will say is I still avoid dairy and yeast products preferring soya milk and crispbreads. I would also avoid drug treatments if at all possible - therein be monsters! Once you are on that route, there is no going back. I saw so much of the effects of drug treatments during my frequent check ups with the rheumatologist. So sad.

Thank you for all your responses. In the months since I posted this subject my family now know both much more about RA and less about what DDIL really has. The specialist is now unsure again whether she has viral or rheumatoid arthritis, although she has had what she has for three months and is still has all the symptoms and she has to go and see him monthly. She is on medication, although she hasnt had it long enough to know whether it works.

The stories you have all given are really hopeful - and that is what I really needed as my own experiences of people with the disease was so traumatic.

This is what Gransnet does so well, offering help and information and reassurance when events like this hit a family and help, information and reassurance are what you desperately need.