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Date: 01.09.2014
From: Hannah

Subject: Possible RA

Hi everyone,

I'm possibly about to join the RA club, I'm 23.

About 4 months ago my knee started swelling up and became painful and warm to the touch, I tried ice and rest to no avail and it has pretty much just got worse.

About 2 months ago (conveniently the day after I had completed my Masters degree) I woke up and could barely move. I have pain and slight swelling in my first finger knuckles, wrists, and my big toe joints and achey ankles. I also have pain in the right side of my jaw making it really difficult to eat. The knee is still bad too.

Generally my whole body just aches, all my joints are achey but the ones above have specific pain. I am stiff in the morning and after having sat down for a while, I'm stiff most of the time really! I thought it'd go away but it's just got worse. I feel like I've ran 8 marathons, yet I can barely walk up the stairs! I'm beginning to be unable to open bottles and jars on my own.

I have a doctors appointment for next Tuesday, but I've spoken to a GP friend who says it sounds a lot like RA. So I don't know if I have it yet, but I fit so many of the symptoms, how could it not be? I'm absolutely terrified if I'm honest, and angry. I wouldn't be so angry if I was like 70 and was losing my mobility, but I'm bloody 23, I'm a dancer, yet I'm currently less mobile than my 80 year old nan.

This is mainly just a rant thread, because I really don't have any idea how I'm going to cope with this, I thought that if I found other people experiencing the same things, maybe that would help. I've just read through a thread of "you know when you have RA when..." laughing and in tears, because I can relate to many things, but also considering the possibility that I may get that bad at some point. *sigh* just going to have to wait to see what happens at the doctors. Take it a step at a time.

Hannah
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Date: 01.09.2014
From: Julie

Subject: Re: Possible RA

Sadly Hannah people don't have to wait until they are 70 to get this horrific disease it has no age boundaries, children also are unfortunate to suffer aswell. Just cos your 70 doesn't mean you lose your mobility!!

You will come to terms with it eventually, most of us do (or pretend we do!!) its a long process, firstly trying all the cheap medications which are very frightening when you first read about them, after maybe a year if your symptoms are still bad, or 2 years in a lot of cases, they will consider you for the better drugs.

Just read through as many posts as you can and you will see there are a hell of a lot of people on here who are suffering all the time but they do manage to live as normal a life as they can. None of us asked for this but there isn't a cure for it so we have to trust in the medical people, I hope you get a rheumatology appointment soon because it isn't fun waiting, don't give up thinking you wont dance again it might not come to that. Your angry at the moment and this is a brilliant place to vent your anger, just hang in there and remember you are not the only one:)

Take care
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Date: 01.09.2014
From: Hannah

Subject: Re: Possible RA

Thank you so much for your reply. And yeah, I meant that I probably wouldn't be as upset if I'd had a long time with a fully functioning body, but I've only had 20 years.

But yes, as I've been seeing, I'm not the only one, it's crazy how many of us there are. And there's so much lack of awareness, about the age thing mostly. I'm imagining that if I tell people, there's going to a lot of "don't elderly people get that?" and "oh you're so young, it can't be that bad in your young body".

I told my mom and she's on the case of getting me an even earlier appointment than next week, so hopefully I will find out soon what on earth is wrong with me!
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Date: 01.09.2014
From: marlene

Subject: Re: Possible RA

Hi Hannah, It is a shock but don't worry there is a lot of help out there.
OA is supposed to be for the elderly but I have had it since my thirties. It runs in the family from my Dad's side. I know the "I thought that was an old persons thing" Well they are wrong.

Hang in there and it is great you have a supportive Mum to help you.

Take care and keep in touch and lets us know how you get on XX
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Date: 02.09.2014
From: Julie

Subject: Re: Possible RA

Hold on in there Hannah in the meantime you could maybe try ibuprofen it might help a bit.

I was just thinking after you said it came on after your masters degree, my nephew gained his masters degree and went onto do a doctorate and when he finished he developed epilepsy, they said it was the stress, he still has fits and its nearly five years on, but yours might also have been through the constant work you needed to put in so you might find if you have it (fingers crossed you don't) but it might calm down and only flare up again if you get stressed. Whatever happens there are plenty of meds out there and I am glad your mum is trying to get you in sooner. I actually went private for my first appointment then continued NHS, if I hadn't done I wouldn't have been able to pay for the drugs as they are so expensive.
Keep us up to date how you get on xx
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