Rheumatoid Arthritis:
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Newly Diagnosed, Now What?
Meet Your Blog Hostess
Hi! My name is Tonya, and I am here to help you through your RA journey.
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When I was first diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, I was afraid and anxious, so, I researched medical websites and journals, read blogs, and even joined online discussion forums and support groups.
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The big, long Latin medical terms intimidated me, and I became consumed by the vast wealth of available knowledge, information, and resources. Confused and overwhelmed, I had wished that I had found a simplified resource to help me navigate my new rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis.
My Personal RA Journey
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In early 2011, my knees began aching every morning. They were stiff and inflamed for hours. I discussed my issue with my family doctor, and she referred me to an orthopedic surgeon. After poking, prodding, and photographing me (X-rays), the orthopedic surgeon told me that my problems were not a musculoskeletal issue but most likely a rheumatological one. So, he referred me to the rheumatologist whom I still see today nearly a decade later.
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After numerous office visits, blood tests, X-rays, and MRIs, my rheumatologist was no closer to a definitive diagnosis, and I was feeling quite defeated. More and more parts of my body were beginning to ache and throb, and my hands, elbows, and feet became inflamed for hours every morning, too, causing excruciating pain.
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My doctor reassured me by telling me that there are a lot of patients who, throughout their entire disease progression, never have a positive blood test. Ultimately, he diagnosed me with rheumatism disease/rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia and began treating me despite blood test confirmation.
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Fast forward to present day. My blood tests are now positive, and they are showing that I have an aggressive form of rheumatoid arthritis combined with lupus (SLE). My doctor’s insistence to begin treatment without a positive blood test most likely slowed my disease progression.
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I feel fortunate to have had an experienced doctor and supporting medical staff to help me through those terrifying initial years. Even so, I still struggled to navigate the exhaustive information on rheumatoid arthritis and to clearly comprehend all the confusing literature.
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That’s why I have created this blog:
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to provide newly diagnosed patients with an easy-to-use resource filled with straightforward, relevant RA information.
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I welcome you to the challenging world of rheumatology with open arms and gentle hugs.
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To get you started, I urge you to watch this WebMD presentation to get a basic understanding of what rheumatoid arthritis is and what happens inside the body to cause its symptoms, and let's start your RA journey together.
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