My neck has started to bother me when I lay down. I have started to put a travel pillow on top of my regular pillow to hold my head straight, or my neck really hurts and wakes me up. My mother had neck problems and had a contraption out of the middle ages to make her vertebrae looser??? Less compressing on her discs. Some times I wonder if she had undiagnosed RA.

I know how you feel about having insurance. With this disease I would be bankrupt without it. I can't believe how much just a months worth of one medicine costs, not to mention I am on 5 different ones plus the vitamin supplements.

Hoping your insurance company allows the test soon. And I am hoping after the MRI on your spine they can come up with something to ease your pain. 🤗🤗🤗

If you have a care manager or case manager number listed on your insurance card I'd call them. If there's just a plain number I'd call and ask for a patient advocate program or anyone that you can talk to. Then request information on exactly what you have to do. There's a lot of rheumatologists and insurance that don't really understand or accept RA of the spine. I know because I have it and have dealt with it for many years. 2 years ago I finally had surgery on my neck (cervical spine) that made a huge difference in my quality of life but it took a lot of work and alot of different doctors and surgeons until I found the right one. Keep fighting and don't stop fighting. If it gets really desperate find contact information for the commissioner of insurance in your area and write your insurance company and send a copy to the commissioner. If that still doesn't work open a case with the commissioner - there's no cost to you as tthey are there as an oversight group. Good luck to you.

I am from Michigan, never know how you will feel each day, i do know we should be weather people.

AtypicalDandelion - Rheumatologists don't want to hear about your back or neck is what I've found. My primary physician is the one that's been helping me - I've gone to him for 30 years so trust him completely. Because of multiple bone spurs and so many, tumors, ruptured discs no surgeon would touch me even with cord compressions because of all the other issues. I did find a surgeon and he put a steel plate in my neck and relieved the pressure on my spine and the big nerve bundle in the neck with a metal cage. I've suffered terribly. Even now I'm told it's degenerative disc disease caused by age. There have been many times I just thought I was nuts!