Oh hell....

[Chippel]

Well, i just found out i might have rumitoid arthritis, wonderful... and im way too young for this... and i just wanted to rant out, cause well, i remembered the toll it took on my grandma, and i looked at the computer and at my sketch pad with my drawings in it.... and i felt like crying... i saw all my dreams go out the window...

[FoxyJama]

I'm 27 and I have pretty severe arthritis in my hands, and I'm an artist as well. My problems started about 6 years ago and the pain can be quite intense when I wake up or when I've been working with stained glass too long. Aleve (or the generic naproxin) works wonders for it, and my mother (who had much more severe problems) stopped eating citrus and she has had very little pain in the past 3 years. It's not the end of the world!

[Anastu]

When I started skating 5 years ago, I began to get arthritis in my knees and I cant ollie as high as I used to. ><

[Tarryk]

I'm sorry, Chipp. Horrible thing to find out.

But yes, as Foxy says, it's not the end of anything. It can be treated!

[Chippel]

sorry.. when i posted it i just kinda felt depressed i guess.. never thought i'd get arthritis at this age, i'm 12, *goes to look up stuff*

[Darth Bootay]

Hey, Chip, sorry for the bad prognosis. However, rheumatoid arthritis does happen in some young people. Perhaps more often than you'd think. Two people who were in grade school with me had it. That was in the mid 70s. Back then, those kids did okay, even with the lack of truely good drugs and treatments we currently enjoy.

Make sure your doctor explains everything to you very thoroughly and do not be too intimidated to ask questions. Find out which dietary, pharmaceutical and theraputic treatments are available, what each one entails, and ask very carefully about pharmaceutical side effects. Being knowledgeable about your condition and its treatments is very helpful to maintaining a comfortable and functional state of health.

Aside from that, good old fashioned mule stubborn refusal to let it get in your way will take you a long, long way.

[Boinky]

Aside from that, good old fashioned mule stubborn refusal to let it get in your way will take you a long, long way.

Amen sister! Polio my ass!