Hello My Lovelies,
LIVING WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
The Old Lady Living In My Bones
How It All Started
When I was 36 years old I became very unwell, it started with flu like symptoms which rapidly turned into a chest infection, then swiftly upped its game and turned into pneumonia.
My hospital stay was fairly lengthy because every antibiotic prescribed to me failed to work, as it turned out I had in fact been infected with Bird Flu. Once I was treated by the correct named antibiotics the pneumonia cleared quite quickly, but unfortunately I was left with extremely painful joints.
The following six months were taken up with regular hospital visits to see the Respiratory Consultant undergoing various tests and monitoring my joint pains. After the six months of tooing and froing my Consultant explained that although the type of pneumonia I had can leave you with joint pains, but if they continue for any length of time its more than likely to be something other than side effects of Bird flu. Consequently, I was transferred to the Rheumatology Department, so whether the joint pains were a coincidence or a side effect of the bacterial infection still remains a mystery.
So What Exactly Is Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune disease where by the immune system attacks your joints but can unfortunately move onto other tissues and major organs through out your body, causing inflammation, pain, swelling and an unbelievable all over fatigue. Every tissue in your body is at risk, including the lungs, heart, blood vessels and it doesn't end there. I have been at the "in my lungs" stage now for approximately six years. In so many cases, including my own, this disease is not always visible, this disease can dictate your day hour by hour with chronic pain one minute to being able to go about your normal life the next, but the emotional affects of this disease can be immense with many of us having to take antidepressants. Not only do we have to manage our emotions with the realisation that we may not be able to go about our lives as we once did, the fatigue you will experience feels like you have been hit by a truck, not understood unless you are suffering from this disease.
Then there are the side effects from the drugs, most of which are used to fight cancer, yes cancer, I personally underwent six months of chemotherapy administered in hospital every two weeks to help treat my lungs because of the damage caused by rheumatoid arthritis. I know it probably sounds odd but a number of chemotherapy drugs are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
Here's why:-
Because rheumatoid arthritis is an immune condition whereby an abnormal immune reaction causes inflamed joints, (stick with me) when chemotherapy is given to treat cancer, it is given to kill off tumour cells, but in cases of rheumatoid arthritis the drugs are given to slow cell reproduction and decrease the metabolic processes that lead to the inflammation.
When my arthritis flares up the symptoms increase without warning, even after all these years I'm still totally unprepared for the pain and the experience of a flare up, i can only describe it as pain spreading from the top of my body right down to my toes. The feeling of deep cold to your bones, even blanket after blanket doesn't keep you warm, with throbbing burning joints the pain is overwhelming, reducing me to tears, why is my body attacking me like this? Although flare ups are common for people with rheumatoid arthritis, fortunately, they do not happen often. A flare can also be triggered by stress, certain foods just to mention a couple.
So Where Am I Now
I still see my Rheumatologist regularly, in fact i have an appointment with him this week, I also see my Respiratory Consultant just as often, both Consultants work together to plan and manage my condition with guidance from The Royal Brompton Hospital in London, so as to prescribe the correct medication that works best for my rheumatoid arthritis, whilst looking after my lungs. Currently I take thirty two tablets per day, some are to counteract the side effects of other drugs and steroids. I also inject a Biologic every week into my tummy, but I'm good with is as it's keeping my arthritis under control right now. Having been through so so many hospital admissions, infusions, lung procedures, every test imaginable, drugs galore, unable to eat certain foods ie., pate, soft cheeses etc., wearing factor 50 skin protection because a side effect of biologics can be skin cancer, and now about to go into the worse time of the year for me, colds and lots of germs about, am I grateful, yes I most certainly am, without the care and attention of my Consultants and medication everything could be a whole lot bleaker.
So when someone says " but you look really well" take it from me that on the inside my body feels like its at war with itself.
I hope you have enjoyed just a small insight into my life living with Rheumatoid Arthritis, even found it informative.
Until next time my lovelies,
stay safe and stay fabulous,
Love Lesleyanne xx
For any questions or please email me... Lesleyannecade@gmail.com
Follow me on:-
Facebook... https://www.facebook.com/Lesleyanne
Instagram... https://www.instagram.com/Lesleyannecade
Twitter...https://www.twitter.com@cadelesleyanne
So What Exactly Is Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune disease where by the immune system attacks your joints but can unfortunately move onto other tissues and major organs through out your body, causing inflammation, pain, swelling and an unbelievable all over fatigue. Every tissue in your body is at risk, including the lungs, heart, blood vessels and it doesn't end there. I have been at the "in my lungs" stage now for approximately six years. In so many cases, including my own, this disease is not always visible, this disease can dictate your day hour by hour with chronic pain one minute to being able to go about your normal life the next, but the emotional affects of this disease can be immense with many of us having to take antidepressants. Not only do we have to manage our emotions with the realisation that we may not be able to go about our lives as we once did, the fatigue you will experience feels like you have been hit by a truck, not understood unless you are suffering from this disease.
Then there are the side effects from the drugs, most of which are used to fight cancer, yes cancer, I personally underwent six months of chemotherapy administered in hospital every two weeks to help treat my lungs because of the damage caused by rheumatoid arthritis. I know it probably sounds odd but a number of chemotherapy drugs are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
Here's why:-
Because rheumatoid arthritis is an immune condition whereby an abnormal immune reaction causes inflamed joints, (stick with me) when chemotherapy is given to treat cancer, it is given to kill off tumour cells, but in cases of rheumatoid arthritis the drugs are given to slow cell reproduction and decrease the metabolic processes that lead to the inflammation.
When my arthritis flares up the symptoms increase without warning, even after all these years I'm still totally unprepared for the pain and the experience of a flare up, i can only describe it as pain spreading from the top of my body right down to my toes. The feeling of deep cold to your bones, even blanket after blanket doesn't keep you warm, with throbbing burning joints the pain is overwhelming, reducing me to tears, why is my body attacking me like this? Although flare ups are common for people with rheumatoid arthritis, fortunately, they do not happen often. A flare can also be triggered by stress, certain foods just to mention a couple.
So Where Am I Now
I still see my Rheumatologist regularly, in fact i have an appointment with him this week, I also see my Respiratory Consultant just as often, both Consultants work together to plan and manage my condition with guidance from The Royal Brompton Hospital in London, so as to prescribe the correct medication that works best for my rheumatoid arthritis, whilst looking after my lungs. Currently I take thirty two tablets per day, some are to counteract the side effects of other drugs and steroids. I also inject a Biologic every week into my tummy, but I'm good with is as it's keeping my arthritis under control right now. Having been through so so many hospital admissions, infusions, lung procedures, every test imaginable, drugs galore, unable to eat certain foods ie., pate, soft cheeses etc., wearing factor 50 skin protection because a side effect of biologics can be skin cancer, and now about to go into the worse time of the year for me, colds and lots of germs about, am I grateful, yes I most certainly am, without the care and attention of my Consultants and medication everything could be a whole lot bleaker.
So when someone says " but you look really well" take it from me that on the inside my body feels like its at war with itself.
I hope you have enjoyed just a small insight into my life living with Rheumatoid Arthritis, even found it informative.
Until next time my lovelies,
stay safe and stay fabulous,
Love Lesleyanne xx
For any questions or please email me... Lesleyannecade@gmail.com
Follow me on:-
Facebook... https://www.facebook.com/Lesleyanne
Instagram... https://www.instagram.com/Lesleyannecade
Twitter...https://www.twitter.com@cadelesleyanne
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