Being diagnosed with any incurable disease is shocking, and rheumatoid arthritis is no different. If you have just received your diagnosis then you need to take time to process the situation and work out what happens next.
There is a vast amount of information on rheumatoid arthritis out there, but here are three simple tips to help you understand your situation.
1. No two patients are ever the same. It is important to remember that you are an individual - you were before you had rheumatoid arthritis and you still are. Your reaction to treatments will be different from other peoples and as hard as it is you must try not to compare your self and your progress with others.
2. The Importance of understanding pain management. There are a lot of side affects to living with pain. There are physical side affects such as stiffness and cramps as you try to compensate for the pain. However, there are also emotional side affects, you may become more easily upset, or more aggressive or even simply appear irrational at times. Although these are not life threatening side affects, they ill certainly affect your quality of life. Pain management is about finding the correct balance for you.
3. The physical changes your body will go through. There is an understanding of the progress of a disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, but this does not mean that you will travel through these in a certain order and time scale. Every change is important, but no ones knows how long each stage will take, so don’t start writing your self off!
Basically you need to work towards the best possible quality of life. Rheumatoid arthritis does not need to be an end to your active life.
You are not an island and you cannot stand alone. Take on board what other people say, but don’t think that you have to follow their advice. You should always feel comfortable with decisions about your treatments. Doubt and scepticism do not often lead to success.
Remember, there is no better way to stay positive than you make sure that you spend as much time as possible with positive people.
