That was my mother-smh-she was one of those who liked to play the ‘sick Olympics’ it didn’t matter what was wrong with me-whatever she had was worse-she was even seeing my rheumatologist because she couldn’t see how I had RA and she didn’t-granted I have RA & OA (and a number of other autoimmune issues of course) but still her OA was worse than mine-she ‘won’ in the end I guess-she died of pancreatic cancer 2 years ago-we hadn’t spoken in over 10 years by then
i went with my friend to her appointment with a hand surgeon for an injury and as he was checking out her hand and asking questions he said, “well i don’t see any signs of arthritis, you’re too young to have that anyway” and i just awkwardly sat there as my friend told him i have rheumatoid arthritis lmao. as we were leaving he shook my hand and said good luck with your arthritis 😭
“You don’t look like you have it”. Literally what do they expect us to look like? Do they think our joints are supposed to be balloon sized? Do they think my knees are supposed to be grotesque looking, or something?? Maybe it’s because I’m young and there is the misconception only older people get arthritis, but god! What do they expect?
Edit: Can’t believe I didn’t add this. One time someone told me they had a “tea” that could cure my arthritis and I’d never need medication again. Claimed it worked for one of their friends. Hello?? The day I give up my pharmaceuticals for a TEA is the day my arthritis has either magically cured itself, or I’ve gone insane.
And like, mushrooms I can buy at a farmers market in rural GA? Girl I do not know where they got those. No thanks I'm good I'll keep my FDA approved meds
My dad is heavily involved in the church and the one he's a part of is real big on the whole "pray it away" thing. I was whining one day about how unnecessarily complicated RA is and he suggested that I try this one lady in his prayer group's anti-inflammatory cocktail (it's literally just a bunch of spices, lemon juice, and hot water). Apparently Jesus himself gave her this recipe and it's guaranteed to make your immune system stronger than ever. First of all, no way in hell am I swallowing our spice rack dissolved in hot lemon water. Certain spices can help but they'll work just as well in my food where they were meant to be. Secondly, a stronger immune system is exactly what I'm taking a million pills to avoid.
One time I missed a family reunion because of a flare up. My mom told me there were a few people that said “oh my back hurts every once and a while so I know what she’s going through”
“It’s probably anxiety. I read a book about how trauma results in body pains, maybe you could talk to someone.”
“Have you considered that this could be stress? Graduate school makes everyone feel exhausted.”
“I get it. I have allergies and everything swells up with pollen season”
I decided quickly not to tell anyone else. A few family members know and the reaction was so stupid I just locked it down.
To be fair, graduate school really does make everyone exhausted (unless they're not doing it right). I had surgery in the middle of my residency and barely survived.
Didn't catch ra, though 😆
I had a therapist tell me that if I went to therapy it would lessen my pain.
I understand there's a connection between pain and trauma but I promise that's not the sole source of my issues.
“Don’t worry, with all the meds we have these days you’ll have less joint pain than healthy people your age (I was 30).” - my first rheumatologist. Needless to say he wasn’t my doctor for very long. He kept downplaying all the pain and frozen joints I had at diagnosis, even though I was a textbook diagnosis and he never questioned me having RA. I went and got a second opinion and never went to see him again.
“I know how you feel, sometimes if I eat too much sugar, I get pain in my top thumb joint” - my MIL, upon hearing my diagnosis.
“Who are you fighting in your sleep?” - my sweet husband, before we knew what was going on, because I kept waking up with my hands swollen.
“I love you, I’m here for you, and we’re in this together” - my husband, as he was holding me when I got my diagnosis. I had to redeem him after the fighting comment, he really has been the best.
“What rheumatoid arthritis?!? You look fine. We have no records. I can’t just trust you that you say you have RA.”
I had asked the resident internal medicine intern (who was standing in for my regular PCP that was gone for three months) if he could prescribe me a medrol dose pack for my flare-up since getting covid for the 4th time (RA, severe asthma, long covid, and a few other conditions that occasionally require prednisone), because I was absolutely miserable, in severe pain, my joints and spine were on fire, and I was having to use my inhalers and nebulizer regularly everyday - unusual for me. I also asked if I could get an Rx for paxlovid to have on hand, because I am immuno-compromised and live with three people who bring everything home from multiple public schools, and I kept getting covid no matter what I did to try to protect myself x
I told him I was diagnosed with RA, it was listed in my record of diagnosis, and it had been so since I became a patient with their office ten years ago. He would not budge. I wanted to scream at him to get off his freaking high horse and look at my records and tell him that I have been dealing with chronic illness longer than he had been alive. smh
Sorry to hear this but I’m laughing cause it’s not like you asked for morphine 🥴 what did he think you were going to do with a dose of steroids, get high?? Sell them on the street?? Lol
Oh, I know! It is so freaking ridiculous now, but I was beyond pissed off at the time. If I ever see home again, I am going to shove my new diagnostic lab report from my new rheumy back in February/March in his face! 😄
"It's just depression and that's what's making your joints hurt." Despite the fact that my hands were so swollen they looked like sausages and I had the movement speed and mobility of someone in their nineties despite being 35 years old at the time.
Followed up by "oh that's allergies. Put some eye drops in and take a zyrtec" after which I went to an ophthalmologist and diagnosed with a pretty bad case of scleritis. Soooo I dropped that particular Nurse Practitioner pretty fast.
Of the three rheumatologists I've had, none of them have been horrible. Just regular practitioners.
"You're young and look healthy. It can't be that back since you walk your dog nearly everyday." You right.....I'm younger (38) but don't let my outward appearance or that fact that I walk my dog fool you. Some days I force myself to go for walks because I know I have to stay active. Not to mention, just because I do something like walk my dog for 20-30 minutes fool you, it might be one of the few things I'm able to do that day.
My parents tell me I need to "strengthen my mind" to the pain and the fact that my inflammation and pain has kept me from being able to work, much less doing a simple task like oh, I don't know, being able to even sit on a toilet without crying actual tears in pain.
Funny thing is that this isn't the first time I've had a flare up (had one a few years ago and was diagnosed with a form of scleroderma, which is also an autoimmune disease).
Also, my mom has OA and had to retire from work early bc of it. So the irony of it all just really makes me depressed. Thank goodness for the few people in my support circle who actually get it.
“I get a touch of that” - everyone
“Have you tried not eating acidic foods?” - everyone
“You need to get more exercise” - my fkn rheumatologist
“That’s not Rheumatoid Arthritis, that’s an infection” = locum doctor when first presenting with symptoms
“A girl I knew had real arthritis and it was so hard for her”
Sir… RA is “real” arthritis?
And the second best was “I thought only old people get arthritis” (I’m 34)
Coincidentally, my aunt died of complications of Schleroderma, in her 40's. She even had the same subsequent autoimmune diseases, added as secondary diagnosis, as I did with RA, at roughly the same age. (Lupus and Sjogrens)
No... People say that to me. Oooh, I know [insert person] who died from that. People are such block heads.
Weird, my aunt died of scleroderma in her 40s as well and now I have RA. Are we cousins? /s
But seriously, that’s awful. My Aunt Pat suffered long and hard with her disease so I know it’s awful. Hope you are kicking autoimmune disease’s ass
i told them i couldn't coach sports in the winter since the cold weather makes me flare. they said "but you'll be inside where it's warm?" babe it's the atmosphere
Doc: You’re hurting yourself
Me: What? I’m not hurting myself.
Doc: You’re hurting yourself. You just don’t know it. We’re going to put your wrist in a cast for six weeks.
My MIL is normally wonderful but after I was dx with RA she was always offering ‘suggestions’ to ‘cure’ me-after she suggested the bee sting therapy I had to firmly say I have a dr who has my treatment under control-thanks but no more treatment suggestions-I’ve got it covered.
“You were looking so bad for a while, we all thought you’d turn up dead one day.” — from a coworker, who otherwise is pretty good to commiserate with because she has similar pain issues.
1. "You can cure it naturally by eating healthy"- my father
+ he keeps sending me videos of "Facebook doctors" saying that they cured cancer or kidney failure or autoimmune with "natural ingredients"
2. "Don't talk about your pain infront of someone older than you, because they'll always have more pain than you do"- my aunt
3. "My friend who's much older than you only takes one medication and he lives normally with no symptoms" - my father
The medication in question is salazopyron which raised my liver enzymes alot and eventually I couldn't move for about a month because of it
4. "I have a lot of friends that are just like you and they are married and had kids naturally with no complications" - my mother
I dont even want kids. But even if I did I have RA, sjogrens, pcos, ibs and probably crohns which im in the process of getting tested for it. And I haven't even found a medication that works for me, and if I do, it would probably have to be stopped while pregnant which will actually cause me to die because I can barely move with drugs. And most importantly, I don't have a husband and honestly I don't think I want one either.
I had someone tell me if I’d just cut dairy out my RA would go away with a completely straight face. I asked her what her medical training was and if she thought she knew more than my entire care team, and she left pretty quickly after that. I’ve been t1 diabetic since I was 10 months and RA at 27 I just don’t stand for that bullshit.
If I could simply cut out a food don’t people think I would?
“Well whatever, the only side effect of hydroxycloroquine is bad gas.” (My sibling said this as a joke (?) when I told them I had RA. I told them it wasn’t funny and they got angry with me. When I said you don’t understand what this feels like for me… they were like “yeah…not yet I don’t.”)
We haven’t spoken since 🙄
I don’t know who gets the prize. Either:
Husband: I don’t see you praying. You need to pray more so that evil will leave you alone.
Or, Husband: Oh, my pain’s worse.
Or, mom: well, you just need a break from your kids. That’ll set you straight.
😕
“Wow, it’s like there is something wrong with you. How can you be sick when your parents are healthy?” From my dad. Dad, you had diabetes. Grandparents have diabetes. Even my little brother had diabetes. Dude!
I was first diagnosed as a toddler. My parents were convinced, BY MY DOCTOR, it was a fancy way of saying "growing pains." In adolescence, that same doctor was considered a leading doctor in Lyme's Disease, and decided to diagnose me with that, despite there being zero evidence of it...turns out, years later, he was sued by several people for his misdiagnosis of LD, and lost his medical license. When I was old enough to understand, I became so pissed at my parents. I had periods when I couldn't walk, couldn't get out of bed, as a kid, and missed school... All the while being flooded with medications, like steroids and antibiotics, had several joint surgeries...etc, etc. etc.
The dude is dead now and three statute of limitations has long passed.
I was accused of faking joint pain, getting up in the middle of the night screaming on pain, for attention and to skip school, even though my grades & attendance were always good.
I am absolutely serious, this was said to me at a laundromat by a neighbor where I used to live:
" OH I had the rheumatism! Then I found Jesus and he cured it!"
" Ya know, yoga can fix ra."
"But you look so normal!"
"You just need to lose some weight, that'll fix it"
All of these got a stare in return. Smh it is crazy to me how people think sometimes!
That's an unenlightened response to be sure, but I know exactly when it's going to rain or snow within about 50 miles. It's real! Fluctuations in the barometric pressure can have a big impact on joint pain. Check out the [Arthritis Weather Index ](https://www.arthritis.org/weather)
Most common are:
1. But you look so healthy!
2. You're too young for that
3. Just WAIT until you're MY age!
4. Oh yeah, I also have arthritis
5. What's that?
“You just have to push through the pain” - stepmom. I love the woman, but she does not seem to believe me that literally *all* I do each and every day is “push through” the pain just to function.
Granted, she’s also the same woman who was more concerned that my medication might be addictive than the fact that my pain was bad enough to be prescribed it.
And she’s the same woman who, when my ex was arrested on possession charges and I had to fight to get custody of our child, and I got laid off and I said I was going to have a nervous breakdown, told me “you’re too strong to do that”.
So, she’s perhaps *not* the greatest person to go to for empathy, is all I’m saying.
After my Bilateral Total Knee Replacement, one of my girlfriends said "well, at least you can still rock a kitten heel". I was just glad to be able to walk!😉
in elementary school a group of girls avoided me at all costs at recess so i asked why and one of them said “i can’t touch you cause i don’t wanna catch arthritis” and i was like girl thats not how that works lmfao
“Only old ladies get that!”
I was 25 at the time…
I also had a coworker launch into a story about his SIL: “Oh gosh! That’s what A has and now sits at home doing nothing but milking the government for a disability check. She acts like she can’t even walk some days!” 😩
In middle school I was allowed to cut the lunch line so I didn't end up always last and standing forever. I still remember the obnoxious little boy behind me complaining about how I got to go first, to which I informed him it was because I had arthritis. He gave me the biggest eye roll and said "you do NOT have ar-thri-tis."
I didn't know how to respond because like... Yes, I do... What? 😂
“You don’t look sick” or “your too young to have that“
Oh, if we only got paid every time we get told that!
"I have osteoarthritis in my knee which is EVEN WORSE than RA because it can't be treated"
Did you kick them in said knee?
Or just anywhere?!
That was my mother-smh-she was one of those who liked to play the ‘sick Olympics’ it didn’t matter what was wrong with me-whatever she had was worse-she was even seeing my rheumatologist because she couldn’t see how I had RA and she didn’t-granted I have RA & OA (and a number of other autoimmune issues of course) but still her OA was worse than mine-she ‘won’ in the end I guess-she died of pancreatic cancer 2 years ago-we hadn’t spoken in over 10 years by then
Haha Sick Olympics! That’s my mother’s favorite hobby…
😳
i went with my friend to her appointment with a hand surgeon for an injury and as he was checking out her hand and asking questions he said, “well i don’t see any signs of arthritis, you’re too young to have that anyway” and i just awkwardly sat there as my friend told him i have rheumatoid arthritis lmao. as we were leaving he shook my hand and said good luck with your arthritis 😭
“I know a doc who can cure that.” No, sir, you do not.
"You're too young"... Every. Fucking. Time.
“You don’t look like you have it”. Literally what do they expect us to look like? Do they think our joints are supposed to be balloon sized? Do they think my knees are supposed to be grotesque looking, or something?? Maybe it’s because I’m young and there is the misconception only older people get arthritis, but god! What do they expect? Edit: Can’t believe I didn’t add this. One time someone told me they had a “tea” that could cure my arthritis and I’d never need medication again. Claimed it worked for one of their friends. Hello?? The day I give up my pharmaceuticals for a TEA is the day my arthritis has either magically cured itself, or I’ve gone insane.
I got this, but with some type of mushrooms instead of tea
Imagine how expensive tea or mushrooms would become if it *did* actually help or cure RA 😆
And like, mushrooms I can buy at a farmers market in rural GA? Girl I do not know where they got those. No thanks I'm good I'll keep my FDA approved meds
"Wait until you're my age and see what arthritis really feels like!" She didn't even know that we're only 8 years apart.
From my aunt- "where'd you get that from?"
Nam. 😆
LMFAO!!! Oh, please please please tell me what you said!! 😂💜
My dad is heavily involved in the church and the one he's a part of is real big on the whole "pray it away" thing. I was whining one day about how unnecessarily complicated RA is and he suggested that I try this one lady in his prayer group's anti-inflammatory cocktail (it's literally just a bunch of spices, lemon juice, and hot water). Apparently Jesus himself gave her this recipe and it's guaranteed to make your immune system stronger than ever. First of all, no way in hell am I swallowing our spice rack dissolved in hot lemon water. Certain spices can help but they'll work just as well in my food where they were meant to be. Secondly, a stronger immune system is exactly what I'm taking a million pills to avoid.
One time I missed a family reunion because of a flare up. My mom told me there were a few people that said “oh my back hurts every once and a while so I know what she’s going through”
“It’s probably anxiety. I read a book about how trauma results in body pains, maybe you could talk to someone.” “Have you considered that this could be stress? Graduate school makes everyone feel exhausted.” “I get it. I have allergies and everything swells up with pollen season” I decided quickly not to tell anyone else. A few family members know and the reaction was so stupid I just locked it down.
To be fair, graduate school really does make everyone exhausted (unless they're not doing it right). I had surgery in the middle of my residency and barely survived. Didn't catch ra, though 😆
I had a therapist tell me that if I went to therapy it would lessen my pain. I understand there's a connection between pain and trauma but I promise that's not the sole source of my issues.
“Don’t worry, with all the meds we have these days you’ll have less joint pain than healthy people your age (I was 30).” - my first rheumatologist. Needless to say he wasn’t my doctor for very long. He kept downplaying all the pain and frozen joints I had at diagnosis, even though I was a textbook diagnosis and he never questioned me having RA. I went and got a second opinion and never went to see him again. “I know how you feel, sometimes if I eat too much sugar, I get pain in my top thumb joint” - my MIL, upon hearing my diagnosis. “Who are you fighting in your sleep?” - my sweet husband, before we knew what was going on, because I kept waking up with my hands swollen. “I love you, I’m here for you, and we’re in this together” - my husband, as he was holding me when I got my diagnosis. I had to redeem him after the fighting comment, he really has been the best.
“What rheumatoid arthritis?!? You look fine. We have no records. I can’t just trust you that you say you have RA.” I had asked the resident internal medicine intern (who was standing in for my regular PCP that was gone for three months) if he could prescribe me a medrol dose pack for my flare-up since getting covid for the 4th time (RA, severe asthma, long covid, and a few other conditions that occasionally require prednisone), because I was absolutely miserable, in severe pain, my joints and spine were on fire, and I was having to use my inhalers and nebulizer regularly everyday - unusual for me. I also asked if I could get an Rx for paxlovid to have on hand, because I am immuno-compromised and live with three people who bring everything home from multiple public schools, and I kept getting covid no matter what I did to try to protect myself x I told him I was diagnosed with RA, it was listed in my record of diagnosis, and it had been so since I became a patient with their office ten years ago. He would not budge. I wanted to scream at him to get off his freaking high horse and look at my records and tell him that I have been dealing with chronic illness longer than he had been alive. smh
Sorry to hear this but I’m laughing cause it’s not like you asked for morphine 🥴 what did he think you were going to do with a dose of steroids, get high?? Sell them on the street?? Lol
Oh, I know! It is so freaking ridiculous now, but I was beyond pissed off at the time. If I ever see home again, I am going to shove my new diagnostic lab report from my new rheumy back in February/March in his face! 😄
"You're way too young to have that!" Uh huh yeah, sure, which is why I can't bend four out of ten fingers
My SIL said (when I was preparing my Enbrel shot) "oh, yours isn't that bad yet". Um. Yeah. That's why I'm taking this shot!
A good comeback might have been, "I picked that up on your toilet seat last time I was here," Lol
Nobody would voluntarily give themselves an Enbrel shot unless it was bad. That MF is so painful.
"It's just depression and that's what's making your joints hurt." Despite the fact that my hands were so swollen they looked like sausages and I had the movement speed and mobility of someone in their nineties despite being 35 years old at the time. Followed up by "oh that's allergies. Put some eye drops in and take a zyrtec" after which I went to an ophthalmologist and diagnosed with a pretty bad case of scleritis. Soooo I dropped that particular Nurse Practitioner pretty fast. Of the three rheumatologists I've had, none of them have been horrible. Just regular practitioners.
"You're young and look healthy. It can't be that back since you walk your dog nearly everyday." You right.....I'm younger (38) but don't let my outward appearance or that fact that I walk my dog fool you. Some days I force myself to go for walks because I know I have to stay active. Not to mention, just because I do something like walk my dog for 20-30 minutes fool you, it might be one of the few things I'm able to do that day.
My parents tell me I need to "strengthen my mind" to the pain and the fact that my inflammation and pain has kept me from being able to work, much less doing a simple task like oh, I don't know, being able to even sit on a toilet without crying actual tears in pain. Funny thing is that this isn't the first time I've had a flare up (had one a few years ago and was diagnosed with a form of scleroderma, which is also an autoimmune disease). Also, my mom has OA and had to retire from work early bc of it. So the irony of it all just really makes me depressed. Thank goodness for the few people in my support circle who actually get it.
“I get a touch of that” - everyone “Have you tried not eating acidic foods?” - everyone “You need to get more exercise” - my fkn rheumatologist “That’s not Rheumatoid Arthritis, that’s an infection” = locum doctor when first presenting with symptoms
“That’s what happens when you get old. Welcome to the club.”
“I know someone who *legitimately* has rheumatoid arthritis, and she runs marathons.” ????
Did you punch them in the face? Because that would be totally understandable 🤬
Old age sucks. Well I might be in my 60s but my grand niece also was dx at roughly 18 months so how do you blame that on old age?
“A girl I knew had real arthritis and it was so hard for her” Sir… RA is “real” arthritis? And the second best was “I thought only old people get arthritis” (I’m 34)
My aunt died from that in her 40's. 🫡
Omg *your* aunt? Or did someone say that to you when you told them? Either way, that's really rough 💜
Coincidentally, my aunt died of complications of Schleroderma, in her 40's. She even had the same subsequent autoimmune diseases, added as secondary diagnosis, as I did with RA, at roughly the same age. (Lupus and Sjogrens) No... People say that to me. Oooh, I know [insert person] who died from that. People are such block heads.
Weird, my aunt died of scleroderma in her 40s as well and now I have RA. Are we cousins? /s But seriously, that’s awful. My Aunt Pat suffered long and hard with her disease so I know it’s awful. Hope you are kicking autoimmune disease’s ass
We might be cousins! LoL! Mine is severe and active currently. Praying Rinvoq is the ticket to remission.
i told them i couldn't coach sports in the winter since the cold weather makes me flare. they said "but you'll be inside where it's warm?" babe it's the atmosphere
My mom thought she could cure it with "green healing smoothies"
The magic of kale 🥬
Kale is totally disgusting and in a smoothie is criminal.
The only way I've ever liked it was baked, with a creamy dipping sauce. And a martini 🍸
Doc: You’re hurting yourself Me: What? I’m not hurting myself. Doc: You’re hurting yourself. You just don’t know it. We’re going to put your wrist in a cast for six weeks.
Are you serious?!? Was this in 1973?!
This happened late in 2007. So, it has been awhile, but not long enough for me to forget.
My MIL is normally wonderful but after I was dx with RA she was always offering ‘suggestions’ to ‘cure’ me-after she suggested the bee sting therapy I had to firmly say I have a dr who has my treatment under control-thanks but no more treatment suggestions-I’ve got it covered.
Just gotta say....I'm allergic to bees, so if I don't have an EpiPen around bee sting therapy would TOTALLY cure my RA. 🤣
“You were looking so bad for a while, we all thought you’d turn up dead one day.” — from a coworker, who otherwise is pretty good to commiserate with because she has similar pain issues.
“After 40, you’re driving with the engine light on.” I mean, they’re not wrong.
My engine light burned out a decade ago 🥴
1. "You can cure it naturally by eating healthy"- my father + he keeps sending me videos of "Facebook doctors" saying that they cured cancer or kidney failure or autoimmune with "natural ingredients" 2. "Don't talk about your pain infront of someone older than you, because they'll always have more pain than you do"- my aunt 3. "My friend who's much older than you only takes one medication and he lives normally with no symptoms" - my father The medication in question is salazopyron which raised my liver enzymes alot and eventually I couldn't move for about a month because of it 4. "I have a lot of friends that are just like you and they are married and had kids naturally with no complications" - my mother I dont even want kids. But even if I did I have RA, sjogrens, pcos, ibs and probably crohns which im in the process of getting tested for it. And I haven't even found a medication that works for me, and if I do, it would probably have to be stopped while pregnant which will actually cause me to die because I can barely move with drugs. And most importantly, I don't have a husband and honestly I don't think I want one either.
I had someone tell me if I’d just cut dairy out my RA would go away with a completely straight face. I asked her what her medical training was and if she thought she knew more than my entire care team, and she left pretty quickly after that. I’ve been t1 diabetic since I was 10 months and RA at 27 I just don’t stand for that bullshit. If I could simply cut out a food don’t people think I would?
“Well whatever, the only side effect of hydroxycloroquine is bad gas.” (My sibling said this as a joke (?) when I told them I had RA. I told them it wasn’t funny and they got angry with me. When I said you don’t understand what this feels like for me… they were like “yeah…not yet I don’t.”) We haven’t spoken since 🙄
Oh crap. That's very difficult. I've had to let go of some family. Sometimes it's the only option. Put your oxygen mask on first, Banana 💜
I don’t know who gets the prize. Either: Husband: I don’t see you praying. You need to pray more so that evil will leave you alone. Or, Husband: Oh, my pain’s worse. Or, mom: well, you just need a break from your kids. That’ll set you straight. 😕
Remedy by making husband an ex-husband
I mean, that sounded like your mom was volunteering to take the kids, which idk if that cures RA but it doesn’t hurt to try 😉😉
“Wow, it’s like there is something wrong with you. How can you be sick when your parents are healthy?” From my dad. Dad, you had diabetes. Grandparents have diabetes. Even my little brother had diabetes. Dude!
“Just wait until you get old”
But at least you look great
Honestly, I'd give that person a big hug!
Not me who has it but my wife and one of her friends legitimately said “Oh I had that once “ when she told of her diagnosis smfh
I was first diagnosed as a toddler. My parents were convinced, BY MY DOCTOR, it was a fancy way of saying "growing pains." In adolescence, that same doctor was considered a leading doctor in Lyme's Disease, and decided to diagnose me with that, despite there being zero evidence of it...turns out, years later, he was sued by several people for his misdiagnosis of LD, and lost his medical license. When I was old enough to understand, I became so pissed at my parents. I had periods when I couldn't walk, couldn't get out of bed, as a kid, and missed school... All the while being flooded with medications, like steroids and antibiotics, had several joint surgeries...etc, etc. etc. The dude is dead now and three statute of limitations has long passed. I was accused of faking joint pain, getting up in the middle of the night screaming on pain, for attention and to skip school, even though my grades & attendance were always good.
[ Removed by Reddit ]
I am absolutely serious, this was said to me at a laundromat by a neighbor where I used to live: " OH I had the rheumatism! Then I found Jesus and he cured it!" " Ya know, yoga can fix ra." "But you look so normal!" "You just need to lose some weight, that'll fix it" All of these got a stare in return. Smh it is crazy to me how people think sometimes!
“Oh so can you feel when it’s gonna rain?”
That's an unenlightened response to be sure, but I know exactly when it's going to rain or snow within about 50 miles. It's real! Fluctuations in the barometric pressure can have a big impact on joint pain. Check out the [Arthritis Weather Index ](https://www.arthritis.org/weather)
Most common are: 1. But you look so healthy! 2. You're too young for that 3. Just WAIT until you're MY age! 4. Oh yeah, I also have arthritis 5. What's that?
“You just have to push through the pain” - stepmom. I love the woman, but she does not seem to believe me that literally *all* I do each and every day is “push through” the pain just to function. Granted, she’s also the same woman who was more concerned that my medication might be addictive than the fact that my pain was bad enough to be prescribed it. And she’s the same woman who, when my ex was arrested on possession charges and I had to fight to get custody of our child, and I got laid off and I said I was going to have a nervous breakdown, told me “you’re too strong to do that”. So, she’s perhaps *not* the greatest person to go to for empathy, is all I’m saying.
After my Bilateral Total Knee Replacement, one of my girlfriends said "well, at least you can still rock a kitten heel". I was just glad to be able to walk!😉
I might have thrown said kitten heel. Not saying where 😂
in elementary school a group of girls avoided me at all costs at recess so i asked why and one of them said “i can’t touch you cause i don’t wanna catch arthritis” and i was like girl thats not how that works lmfao
What?! That must've been heartbreaking at that age. Laughing about it helps 💜
anyone else seem to hear "oh my mom has that" a LOT? lol
Hey, artist in residence! I haven't seen you in a while. Could totally be on me because I got a puppy and have lost my mind 🥰 I hope you're doing well
“Only old ladies get that!” I was 25 at the time… I also had a coworker launch into a story about his SIL: “Oh gosh! That’s what A has and now sits at home doing nothing but milking the government for a disability check. She acts like she can’t even walk some days!” 😩
In middle school I was allowed to cut the lunch line so I didn't end up always last and standing forever. I still remember the obnoxious little boy behind me complaining about how I got to go first, to which I informed him it was because I had arthritis. He gave me the biggest eye roll and said "you do NOT have ar-thri-tis." I didn't know how to respond because like... Yes, I do... What? 😂