I was in the midst of a three year depression when I started having RA symptoms. They say that depression can trigger RA, and since there was already a family history, I guess my goose was cooked. When I started doing RA research, I discovered that RA can cause depression. So, perhaps it's a bit of which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Check out net on RA/A infections and there is a list staf as well food/p/ uti/ clyam/chest inf/ pnu /so on it goes I take doryx for chest infect.had tick though had one years ago.. Also have hyper thyroid now hypo now ...

Quite possibly! I was exposed to secondhand smoke everyday on the school bus for two hours a day and had the Epstein virus pretty bad at 31yrs and sceptaceamia followed by sceptic shock at 32yr. I wonder if those things combined caused RA then?!

I grew up in the 50's with one parent smoking and just about ALL uncles and aunts and maternal grandfather smoking. I was always sick with sore throats, ear infections. chest congestions, stomach viruses, etc. until I had my tonsils removed when I was 19. THEN I got mononucleosis at age 21. I feel like I have never fully recovered. Now I am 65 with full blown RD and Osteoarthritis amongst other many other health issues. Of all my siblings and many cousins, only myself and my older sister by 7 years has RD. Hers is under control for she was diagnosed with RD 25 years ago. I was diagnosed 3 years ago. My Rheumatologist believes, based on my progressive state, I have had RD for MANY years! She believes that in my case, it derives from a virus that I never fully recovered from like Epstein Barr. In my case, I don't see the correlation with 2nd had smoke.

I guess some things were meant to be 😢. My maternal grandmother had RA. Although I’ve never smoked, my mom smoked (in spite of concerted actions on the part of my sister and me to get her to stop), when I was a teen bars & pubs were always filled with smoke. I had mono (Epstein Barr virus) in my late 30’s. I was just doinf some reafing on thyroid issues; my mom also had an inactive thyroid...not sure of the cause. I come from a family addicted to “secrets”.