Yes, ginnier, this a lifelong battle. I too cannot give you first hand info. But I have watched my 45 year old daughter struggle with this nasty disease for 25 years. First you need to know that treatment has advanced greatly since her grandmother's struggle with RA in the 70's. DD was hospitalized more times than we can remember in the early years. Then came methotrexate, which helped the RA greatly, but she was in the hospital twice with infections caused by her weakened immune system from it. She took it for a time by mouth and it eroded her esophagus, so she was put on injections for 8 or 9 years. She did quite well during that time, but by the age of 40, she had both knees replaced and a wrist fusion. When enbrel came out she was put on it in addition to the methotrexate. Since then she has been doing well, but I am aware of a slow but steady decline in her stamina. She has worked for 20 years as a physical therapist assistant. She knows what to do to keep herself at her physical best. She rides a bike when she can, and does water therapy regularly, but has just applied for SS Disability because she cannot be a reliable support for the patients she works with in her job. What she wants is retraining for perhaps Occupational Therapy through the BVR, but she must be declared unfit for her present occupation first. Stress does play a role in RA. When you are stressed you are more likely to have flareups. And the disease does ebb and flow. DD had months of symptom free time and with the addition of the newer drugs her flareups were further and further apart. The support of family and friends will be a big help to keep you less stressed. A positive outlook (I know it will be almost impossible at times) will be your greatest ally, along with a close relationship with your doctor.

Jenn---I have RA and your symptoms are more like OA than RA. Mine started at age 8, went into remission until age 27 and has been from moderately to very active ever since. It moves from joint to joint. OA on the other hand usually comes with age and usage and the joints effected would most often be those that get the most use. Knees, hips, etc. Excercise is important for both varieties but not done properly can cause more damage than good. It's possible to have both types at the same time. Google recommended exercises for arthritics. I think you'll find the exercises will be of a more gentle nature stressing a lot of stretching with modified versions of those you are probably use to doing. No jumping jacks and hard joint jarring but do use 3 to 5 pound weights and stretcher bands in a slow and controlled manner. You need a doctor to recommend medication. All the drugs used to treat arthritis have side effects that have to be monitored. If you have a history of stomach problems then the nsaids could be a problem if not closley monitored. The same can be said for the OTC drugs advertised for arthritis. Unfortunately, when we are suffering from pain that can be pretty severe, we tend to over medicate. Always know what the medication your taking can do if not taken as directed. Just be as informed as you can.

Unfortunately, I am very lax on exercising... I used to go to the pool and exercise when I lived in former town, but it got to the place the chemicals made me itch and break out so badly that my skin bled... I walked 3-4 miles a day...then came 3 joint replacements and arthritis in every joint in my body and I have constant pain. The surgeon who relpaced one of my hips, cut the nerves and I walk with a terrible wabble and it feels like it is caving in with each step, and no fixing it...the nerves are dead....so makes my back hurt and have terrible balance when I do try to walk. I have gained a lot of weight and it know it makes all of my health problems worse..plus I am blessed with tremors in my hands..so I think I have just given up on extending my years. I am able to keep up with my house and take care of my personal needs, but life has lost its "fun" for me any more.

I have hesitated to join this discussion, as I have shovel pruned so many. I shamefacedly realise just how many, when I come across (often) photos of roses in other's gardens that I used to have. Last year I cut back an enormous Mme Isaac Pereire to a stump, and poisoned it. The blooms were way more sparse than they were, she has every disease known to man and she takes up a lot of real estate. And I get cut to pieces trying to get at other plants. I must be a bad poisoner, as nearly all I have poisoned regrow. Come Spring, so did MIP. But as there were buds, I thought I'd just enjoy them before I had a second go. She started to grow like topsy, and I thought I'll enjoy a few more blooms before I have another go at her. Big mistake. She never had another bloom, but has, in one year, reached her former monstrous size, and I now face the whole prospect again. I'm still thinking I'll wait and see if there's a Spring flush!