Anxiety and insomnia

I have had insomnia for a few months and recently had shortness of breath with little exertion. I had a bad episode of aniexty last week and am now being treated for that along with my RA. Has anyone else suffered from these?

Good things to tell family & friends when you just can't....

Even after having this disease 17+ years I can't find words for people. Maybe I'm tired of saying the same things over and over like a broken record. Like most everyone on here, I'm in pain 24/7. It NEVER goes away or stops. The only thing that may change is the degree of pain, where it is at and movement. I tell people constantly I dont feel well and have to cancel. I know people are sick of hearing I NEVER feel well or I am not making it… read more

Does anyone have wheezing either as a RX side effect or along with RA symptoms.

I had asthma as a child and have had problems only when sick with bronchitis/pneumonia. But since my RA diagnosis (or starting Methotrexate) I wheeze frequently. I find I am extremely sensitive to allergens and will wheeze with very little stimuli. I go to the allergy/asthma specialist next week, but I feel like this is not Asthma. My instinct is that it related to the RA or a medication side effect.

Thanks in advance for your… read more

Does anyone find methotrexate to work really well?

I keep hearing people talk about how intolerable @methotrexate is. I am curious to hear from people who find it to be helping. I started it 3 weeks ago and I can't believe how amazing I feel. Its like someone oiled my joints and told my muscles to behave! I wonder if it's something specific to my condition. I'm sero negative poly inflammatory arthritis. Essentially that just means I have Ankylosing spondylitis symptoms and RA. Virtually every joint is involved… read more

Shaking hands

I am curious what fellow RA friends do when someone puts out there hand to shake it. I squirm when this happens as some people really squeeze and it hurts but I hate being rude.