u/nomoneyandnoprospect

My rheumatology blood tests have all come back normal so far and I’m 8 years into having RA symptoms and still being turned away. I finally have a good GP but even he has admitted I’ll keep circulating in the system due to my test results.

For those of you with seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (or who had normal blood work initially), how did you eventually receive your diagnosis?

Did imaging such as an MRI or ultrasound show inflammation? Did your blood tests become positive later, or was the diagnosis based mainly on your symptoms and examination?

I’ve been given pregabalin as I’ve taken so much ibuprofen over the years that I can’t take it anymore without vomiting.

I’m not looking for a diagnosis or medical advice—I’m just interested in hearing about other people’s experiences while I wait for my follow-up appointment.

My rheumatology blood tests have all come back normal so far and I’m 8 years into having RA symptoms and still being turned away. I finally have a good GP but even he has admitted I’ll keep circulating in the system due to my test results.

For those of you with seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (or who had normal blood work initially), how did you eventually receive your diagnosis?

Did imaging such as an MRI or ultrasound show inflammation? Did your blood tests become positive later, or was the diagnosis based mainly on your symptoms and examination?

I’ve been given pregabalin as I’ve taken so much ibuprofen over the years that I can’t take it anymore without vomiting.

I’m not looking for a diagnosis or medical advice—I’m just interested in hearing about other people’s experiences while I wait for my follow-up appointment.

My rheumatology blood tests have all come back normal so far and I’m 8 years into having RA symptoms and still being turned away. I finally have a good GP but even he has admitted I’ll keep circulating in the system due to my test results.

For those of you with seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (or who had normal blood work initially), how did you eventually receive your diagnosis?

Did imaging such as an MRI or ultrasound show inflammation? Did your blood tests become positive later, or was the diagnosis based mainly on your symptoms and examination?

I’ve been given pregabalin as I’ve taken so much ibuprofen over the years that I can’t take it anymore without vomiting.

I’m not looking for a diagnosis or medical advice—I’m just interested in hearing about other people’s experiences while I wait for my follow-up appointment.

Assalamu Alaikum sisters, I was chronically ill for eight years before I became Muslim. My symptoms were much better a year before converting and my symptoms stayed away MashaAllah. However, my symptoms have returned after a physically and mentally stressful period of my life but now the symptoms are much clearer than before and I believe I am on the way to getting a diagnosis which will help me improve InshaAllah. Before converting I would manage the pain, boredom, hopelessness through fun (for example watching films, reading, scrolling on my phone and crafts). I have returned to these ways of supporting myself and I am ashamed to say that it has weakened my iman. I still pray my salah and have every faith in Allah and His plan for me and I do not fear my illness MashaAllah, but I am ashamed to say that I quit Quran lessons for now. At first I was genuinely too unwell but now I am feeling a bit better and I feel that I do not want to start up again even though I know I could make significant progress now. I am asking Allah every day for His help, for every appointment and every step I take to getting better but I have come to realise that I feel so distant from Him. I know that He is close but I feel like I do not know who Allah is. I have heard before that the version of Allah that we know is the one that we will get and so our mindset is very important. I have spent so much time since converting just adjusting to the religion and learning about Islam I am ashamed to say that I did not focus enough on Allah and now I feel alone.

Recently diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, I’ve had to stop working, leave my knitting group and fitness group. Dealing with a lot of fatigue and pain and to be honest I’m feeling quite isolated and a bit lost. I’m wondering if anyone who lives with RA could point towards any support, communities, hobbies or activities that might help me rebuild a social life while dealing with this. I’d also really appreciate hearing from anyone who’s been through something similar. Right now my world feels a lot smaller than it did before, especially since I was battling this for a long time but it’s come back worse than ever, it would be nice to hear some positive stories from people who have found their way through it. Thank you <3

Long time lurker and first post here. I think because I’d been unemployed for a while, whatever this is seemed to go into some sort of remission — or at least a version where I could get away with overdoing things without triggering a full flare. I still had fatigue, but for almost two years I was mostly pain free. The pain is back and officially never ending, it’s chronic once more. I was so used to managing symptoms on my own and not bothering the GP anymore that I didn’t go for a while but finally I have my rheumatology appointment requested.
Honestly, feeling this pain again has finally pushed me to post here. I see so many of you going through pain, uncertainty, self-doubt, or even guilt that’s been placed on you by other people or by your circumstances, and I just wanted to say I see you. I’m also feeling a huge amount of love for my past self today. She lived with this pain for around 7 years, and I don’t think I realised until now how much she was carrying. I’m not used to this pain anymore and it’s made me look back at her with so much more compassion than I had at the time. Anyway, just wanted to say hello properly and send love to anyone currently struggling through uncertainty and pain 🤍

Edit: it’s 20 metres away, sorry I wrote this in distress, hubby has informed me it’s 20 metres lol

I genuinely can’t tell if I’m being paranoid here or if this is actually weird behaviour and it’s left me really uncomfortable. I stay in a studio flat with balcony and big windows and directly opposite is another building about 100m away. The flat opposite mine has two window areas floor to almost ceiling, one that looks into my flat directly and other flats and then the other side is a nice view. It was empty for months, then a guy moved in while I was away. I’ve only been back living here full-time for about a week. He’s now positioned his desk facing directly towards my building/windows, even though his flat has the nice view on the other side but I told myself I was overthinking it. Multiple times now when I get home he’s been fully clothed and then 5 mins later is (nearly or maybe fully) naked at his desk again right opposite my flat. The first few times I brushed it off because obviously people can be naked in their own homes and I would just shut the blinds. There’s also been a few times where he’s just been in pants staring out the window but again the window looking only out at mine with a few neighbouring flats. But today I put my cat out into its pen on the balcony, he watched me doing it from the window, I went back inside for literally a minute, looked back, and he pulled his pants down in front of the window and kicked them off before walking away fully naked. It’s not even the nudity itself that’s upset me so much, it’s the feeling of “this is being done to be seen” and the fact I now feel weird using my own balcony or opening my blinds. I was going to build a catio once I’ve saved up and put up a privacy screen but I’ve borrowed money from my mum to do it sooner. Would you mention this to concierge/building management (not in an accusatory way just to let the guy know not to strip naked in front of his living room window.. ) or just leave it and focus on blocking the view? I feel shaken up and almost guilty, like I’m the weird one for noticing what’s directly in front of my flat.

I have free time and really want to help others. What’s something you think is missing from Glasgow which we could really benefit from? It could be anything from a fly tipping issue to a mental health struggle. I know I’m a small fish in a big pond who could just volunteer anywhere that needs help but I’m curious to know the causes we’re passionate about as a community.

Assalamu Alaikum sisters,

Before becoming Muslim I would have called this a monster, paranormal/supernatural creature, ghost.. I've only had one experience like this in my life. Years ago I was dog sitting for my dad and I went out in the garden at night with the dog. It stopped moving and started to growl, when I shone my torch in the direction she was looking I saw a really tall shadowy figure (darker than the night) sitting on the wall. It turned right as I shone the light and it had two blue/reflective eyes. Sheep are have eyes like this and it was in a field with sheep but I was so sure of what I saw. I was scared and tried to pull the dog in but she wouldn't move she just kept looking at it and growling. She had never done that before and was very used to the sheep in the field and had never been bothered by them before. I took her in eventually and couldn't find the keys to lock up so I went back out to look with my mum on the phone but it was gone.

I'm just bringing this up because I don't know much about jinns (I've searched but unsure because they are not part of my culture) and now that I'm Muslim I often think back on that experience and wonder if that's what I saw.

Any autistic people here who would like to share their routes to employment?

Hi there! I’ve always loved yoga but every time I try to pick it up consistently I get lower back pain. I’ve tried keeping my core tense (imagining there’s a rope pulling in my belly button etc) but I still struggle with it. My back doesn’t arch far either just fyi. I’m 28 female and don’t have back issues otherwise. Would really appreciate any suggestions!