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Where I live, we have a state agency called Vocational Rehabilitation. They provide assistance to people who are disabled and need to find new means of employment. If a person is eligible for assistance, Voc Rehab can help determine a suitable position depending on the persons condition and they may pay for vocational training. Having RA & OA is considered a disability.
It might be worthwhile to see if your state offers any assistance.
I hope that helps!View Thread

Yes, I experienced that, severe depression and anxiety while taking methotrexate. I was amazed at how it effected me and my mood/behavior.
I believe my doctor decreased the dosage and had me take folic acid to help with all of the side effects I was experiencing. Eventually, I had to stop taking it because it gave me a lung infection. I have heard it works great for most people, unfortunately I was not one of them!
Hope you get the information you need.
Take care,
LCView Thread

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis and that you haven't been feeling well. I hope that you get to feeling better soon.
I have RA and had a similar issue with Methotrexate. I experienced severe depression, hair loss and eventually it gave me a lung infection so I had to stop taking it.
The most challenging thing for me was finding the right medication to treat the RA. I kept reading the discussions and found others had the same experiences. There were so many people who said to hang in there until you find the right med and they were right. Now I am on Simponi which has helped a lot. I also noticed it took about 6 months before the medication really kicked in to where I noticed a difference in my joints.
I recommend keeping in touch with your Rheumatologist and the nurse about how you are feeling and what you need. It may take some time but I believe you will find some relief soon!
Hang in there!View Thread

I just think it's interesting that the osteo has been more of an issue since I was diagnosed. I seem to be noticing subtle changes since the diagnosis two years ago.
Can RA cause more issues with osteo?View Thread

I was diagnosed with RA two years ago and have been taking Simponi for a year and a half. In this time I feel like issues with osteoarthritis have worsened.
Last year, the basal thumb joint area started burning and xrays showed bone spurs and there is a visible change in my thumb. Now I'm having stiffness in my knee and recent xrays show a change plus bone spurs.
I'm looking for any information on RA & osteoarthritis and I'm curious if anyone has experienced anything similar.
Thanks in advance for any feedback.View Thread

Sorry to hear you were having the same kind of problems. Enbrel was not a pleasant experience for me.
I've been on Simponi for the last year and that has been working great.
Hope you are able to find what works for you soon.
Take care,
LCoverView Thread

That was a very interesting article. Do you have any recommendations on obtaining more information on RA and heart complications?
I have also read some articles about TNF blockers and whether or not they can increase the risk of heart failure in RA. Unfortunately for me, the information was somewhat hard to decipher.View Thread

I can definitely relate to your frustration. Dealing with a RA diagnosis is bad enough and then you have to find the right medication. The medication side effects themselves can be frightening enough. I went through methotrexate then Enbrel and neither worked well for me. It took me over six months to find one that worked and it was extremely trying and frustrating in the meanwhile.
Hang in there....it will get better once you find the right med to give you some relief from the pain. You just have to keep trying and unfortunately be patient.
I hope the medication starts working for you soon!
Take care, LCoverView Thread

I'm looking for suggestions on how I might find information on Dilated Cardiomyopathy that is caused by Rheumatoid Arthritis.
My father had Idiopathic (unknown cause) Dilated Cardiomyopathy (IDC) and had a heart transplant at age 45. I recently found some information that says IDC can be caused by autoimmune diseases including RA. I have also seen some information saying IDC can be hereditary as well.
I see my RA doctor the end of May but I would like find some valid information in the meanwhile.
Any suggestions are welcome.
Thanks, LCView Thread

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