Not just a few aches and pains...

I haven't worked on my blog for a couple of months now and with Rheumatoid Arthritis awareness week last week I just wanted to write an entry on the condition and my experiences of it.

I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in the summer of 2012 at the age of 22. Most people will see 'arthritis' and associate it with 'osteoarthritis' which is a common misconception of the condition. Unlike osteoarthritis which is caused by the general wear and tear of the joints, rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease whereby the immune system attacks the cells that line the joints resulting in swollen, stiff and painful joints. Any joint can be affected but is most commonly the hands and feet but as a systemic disease RA can affect the whole body including the internal organs. What most people don't realise is that with the condition some people experience fatigue and a general feeling of being unwell which I can only liken to flu-like symptoms. 

The prospect for RA sufferers is much improved nowadays with the medications available.  The medication I currently take is classified as a DMARD or 'disease modifying anti rheumatic drug' The action of this drug is still not fully understood but it is used to slow down the disease process and reduce the inflammation and pain in the joints.

Some of the biggest challenges I face with the condition is fatigue, knowing my limitations and the frustration of people not really understanding the condition. As a young person being diagnosed with RA was like a kick in the teeth and I couldn't help thinking 'why me?' Nearly a year on from diagnosis I still don't feel like I have come to terms with the condition and I don't expect to for a little while yet. In some ways I do consider myself lucky as there are children and young adults who are diagnosed with juvenile arthritis and I couldn't imagine being so young and being in pain.  

The main reason for writing this entry I guess is to make people more aware of the condition and that it is not just merely 'a few aches and pains'  - which to any RA sufferer is so frustrating. My biggest hopes for the future are for awareness of the condition to improve but better still for some sort of cure to be developed.

This October myself and a group of friends are running the Birmingham half marathon to raise money for three charities which are: the MS society, Acorns and the NRAS. I selected the NRAS or 'National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society' as it is a charity close to my heart. If you would be interested in helping our team to raise money for these three worthy charities or if you would like to find out more about our fundraising venture then follow this link: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=teamprincess&isTeam=true

Thanks for reading

Tilly x