r/rheumatoid

Hi everyone! Posting this for my dad!

He (56yo male) was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis about 13 years ago and also has type 2 diabetes. His endocrinologist wants him to start a GLP-1, but before he does, they’re recommending that he gain about 7-10 pounds of muscle. The challenge is that his RA makes traditional weight lifting really difficult, despite being on a DMARD and TNFa inhibitor for over 10 years. He’s never really lifted weights before, so he’d be starting completely from scratch.

I was wondering if anyone has experience building muscle while managing RA or has recommendations for arthritis-friendly exercises that are easier on the joints. We’d also love any suggestions for at-home equipment or brands that are easier to grip and use with arthritis (dumbbells, resistance bands, lifting straps, gloves, adaptive grips, etc.). Also, if anyone has used a personal trainer or physical therapist to help, what was your experience like? Did it make a difference?

Any tips, resources, or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much!

Hi all,

I'm 36 male with seropositive Rheumatoid arthritis.

Almost 3 months ago I received an infusion called rituximab for my RA. I had a mild reaction at the time but now I'm still not well 76 days later.

I have a constant itch that could only be masked by 15mg steroids. I'm also on Zirtek, Drynol antihistamines. But now since I've reduced to 5mg steroids my itch is back and I have a headache and am tired.

Every couple of days I feel like the itch is building up and the tiredness and then boom!! My heart starts racing and I have a mad panic attack. BP spikes too.

Then afterwards I get mild relief from the itching for a couple of hours before the entire cycle begins again.

Does anyone else have similar type symptoms with MCAS? Like racing heart, itching etc.

Can anyone help me with some answers for this? My boyfriend 25 has rheumatoid arthritits for 2 or 3 years now. On Wednesday night he started not feeling good and on Thursday he had a low grade fever. Thursday night his fever was 103. Over the weekend it would dip from 98 and he'd be feeling okay then would shoot up to 103 again. No inflammation or any other symptoms other than fever, fatigue, sweats and chills. We went to urgent care told them he was on immuno-suppressants with a high fever. They took a swab and came back negative for covid or the flu and took a blood test. Still waiting for blood tests but that was 2 days ago and they sent him home with nothing. We're extremely worried cause theres not much info on the internet and a on and off fever this high is concerning. Has anyone been through this? We plan on contacting his RA Monday.

Recently got back into seeing a new rheumatologist, she did bloodwork and at my follow up said she wants me to try hydroxychloroquine 200mg 2 times a day. She told me I can start with one a day for a week and then up it. I’m 22 and got diagnosed when I was 20 and have only tried sulfasalzine and had to stop cause I would overheat while on it.

I’m honestly just wondering how do you deal with anxiety when starting new medication? I have severe anxiety and ocd along with some other health issues and will be taking my first dose during my therapy session on Wednesday.

Ik the benefits outweigh the risks of trying it, and I can’t go unmedicated. I’m just terrified honestly of all the scary side effects and potential risks

My particular case was rare because I got diagnosed at 15 (I’m 26 now). I was wondering if anyone else here was diagnosed early and what you think caused it (if there was even a cause)

I've been on xeljanz for a month now. The first two weeks were very good but then I had some sleep issues which made me flare up again. I could sleep well now and the flareup sort of went away. But now I seem to have alternating good and bad days. On bad days I have mild pain in the knuckles, mild fatigue, feeling feverish but no actual fever after sundown. The recent heatwave doesn't help.

On the bright side, I managed to survive without steroid for one month! It was impossible while I was trying out Humira.

Has anyone gone through the alternating good and bad days in their first few months on xeljanz or a JAK inhibitor? Maybe it takes a few months for me to feel consistently good? I've failed other drugs so I get anxious that xeljanz may not work for me. The first two week was great, which is such a tease.

Sorry for the third post about my experience on xeljanz. I normally don't post a lot. Trying different drugs and failing them is messing with my head. I think knowing the expriences of others will help me.

What do I do?

When my ankles or legs feel like they are sprained

When I am in so much pain, I want to cry

When I can't sleep because of the pain

When I can't think straight because of the pain

When the pain behind my eyes throbs, and I can't see

When meds do not work, or the side effects aren't worth the relief

When pain meds will not work

When I have to argue with someone close who goes through pain, but not my pain

When I am told that I can push myself, but it always ends with me sleeping the next day away

What do I do?

I have braces, but I always misplace them. I always have to wear flip-flops with them because wearing them with closed-toed shoes just causes more pain. I am trying a natural way in hopes it will help, but it only makes it worse. I have two weeks left, and I have asked my mom to let me stop going, but she has already spent too much money, and it is nearly done. I need to stop eating the way I am eating, as I am overweight by over 30 pounds, but it is the only thing that brings me pleasure in life anymore. I take pain meds to help with the pain, but they don't help, and only leave me with excruciating pain in my stomach, because I took too much. I am burdening my parents with my medical bills, but I am about to move out soon.

Please tell me it gets better over time 🥲 this drug has helped me SO much. I've been on it about 6 weeks. Acne started right away but in the last 2 weeks seems to have gotten out of control! Really hope it's true that it lessens over time. Would love anyones insight

I am a 25 y/o female. I was diagnosed with Lupus 6 years ago and Rheumatoid Arthritis 3 years ago. It seems like every year that passes my pain just keeps getting worse. When I was first diagnosed with lupus I was pain free for the first 2 years. As time went on I finally started getting pain and once I got my RA diagnosis my pain continued to intensify.

Fast forward to now, I’m in constant pain. Constant pain, there’s days im at 10/10 pain all day and nothing helps I just have to try and sleep off my pain. This year alone I’ve had to go to the hospital 13 TIMES, simply because my pain had gotten so bad and none of my meds at home would even touch my pain. This is just not ideal at all what 25 year old wants to spend that much time in the hospital.

I’ve tried so many different medications.

For pain I’ve tried meloxicam, ibuprofen, Tylenol, trammodol, norco, oxy, morphine, buprenorphine, cbd, thc and what feels like almost every NSAID to ever exist. For my lupus and RA I’ve tried methotrexate, enbrel, simponi aria, benlysta, rinvoq, plaquenil, cellcept and saphanelo. Currently I am on plaquenil, methotrexate, folic acid, saphanelo, and for pain I’m on celebrex, hydrocodone, tizanadine and lyrica.

Although I’m on a lengthy list of medications I am getting little to no relief. Most days I become completely immobile to the point where I need assistance getting out of bed, going to the bathroom etc and the days where I do feel good enough to run errands that I’ve been putting off I pay the price a few hours later because my pain catches up to me. The pain affects me in every aspect especially my sleep, there is nights where no matter how exhausted I am the pain won’t let me sleep and I end up finally falling asleep around 7 or 8am. I’ve been in constant pain for so long now that I genuinely don’t remember how life was before my pain. This life is draining both physically and mentally. I see other people my age starting families, buying houses, getting married and all of that seems almost impossible at the moment. Meanwhile my peers are doing all that, all I know is going to the hospital and sitting behind these 4 walls.

I’m so desperate to find relief. My question to you all is what should I do? Is there any medications you recommend that I mention to my rheumatologist? My next option is trying Rituxan, I start my first infusion in 2 weeks. Any supplements? Is there any recommendations for my pain? Anything. Im tired of my pain constantly being at an 8 or 9. I know it’s probably impossible to be at a 0 but id be happy even if i went down to a 4 or 5. I just want my life back. Any advice helps.

Diagnosed with Lupus & RA for about a decade. Through lots of trial and error I'm pretty well managed through meds, diet, and exercise.

Recently I started having what I thought was tendon pain and after a week and a half of no improvement, I went to an ortho walk in clinic and found out I have a stress fracture across the width of my tibia. I'm now no weight bearing and on crutches. I have an office chair with wheels I'm using around my house so my body doesn't completely fall apart but I have to use crutches at work, to get in/ out of car, and it's taking its toll. I've requested a knee scooter but because of insurance and the holiday, I'm still waiting.

Just wondering if y'all have any tips/ tricks for surviving crutches and 6 weeks (minimum) of no weight bearing on a leg. I feel like I'm doing crutches on hard mode with my hands bruised and sore, my elbows bruised, and everything sore and inflamed. Any thoughts appreciated!

Currently on holiday in 25-30°c heat and having a very bad flare up. Particularly in my hands and one knee, left hand the worst, fingers very swollen and sore can barely move. Not back home until Friday so will be unable to see my rheumatology nurse or consultant until then. Looking for any advice please how I can manage, putting on sun cream/basic functions all very difficult. Have tried getting in the pool to cool down and be able to move/stretch out with no effect. Pain is lasting all day with no improvement and difficulty sleeping at night too. Thank you very much for taking the time to read 🙏

Edited to add: It is RA I suffer from, diagnosed early 2012 after having symptoms for approx. 1 year. Symptoms have been well controlled for 7 years due to starting biologics combined with methotrexate for a brief spell. Biologics together with sulfasalazine have kept symptoms at bay until recently have been flaring up and had a steroid injection a few weeks ago which did not make much difference (different type to normal due to NHS & supply issues).

I woke up on 4 June 2026 and couldn't get out of bed.

I felt like I had had an encounter with a dementor and that my soul had just been sucked out of my body.

It was a herculean task to get my covers off my body. That morning, I could not take a shower.

I knew something was wrong but just couldn't put a finger on it.

The following day I still felt completely exhausted and my entire body hurt like hell. I felt "feverish" but had no fever. I had muscle aches also and the most horrendous exhaustion you can think of. Despite all if this, the most alarming symptom for me was the lack of appetite. I'm one of those girlies who loves her food so if my appetite is off.. something will definitely be wrong with me.

I decided to go to the emergency room. I kinda felt stupid arriving at the hospital and them asking what's wrong with me and my response being, "I'm tired". I felt so silly even as I said that.

Anyhow, the doctor just gave me a wry look, asked me to stand on my tippy toes and then my heels which I managed to his great elation and "Oh well Ma'am, you seem completely alright, go and see your pcp !"

By the time I left the ER it was 1am. I toddled off home to my trundle bed as I contemplated which pcp (primary care physician), I could go to in the morning.

Whilst trying to get a pcp and not feeling any better I went to Urgent care. This time they ran a barrage of tests. They suspected I had lyme disease. Despite telling them I had no tick exposure they basically went on a witch hunt and tested me for everything under the sun.

After the tests they also gave me a "clean bill of health" and asked me, again, to look for a pcp for further management.

I live in Massachusetts. My family asked me to come home to New Jersey to take a break for a week.

I didn't know then but do know now that the exhaustion from RA is not something that just a week at home can fix.

I remember telling my mum that something was wrong and that I needed to get more tests. My mother then looked me right in the eye and said, "Is there any disease in particular that you are trying to find?" 🤣🤣.

I told her there wasn't but something was just wrong.

My sister suspected I had anaemia because I have 8 day periods and when I started feeling sick on 4 June it was mid-cycle. She asked me to take Iron and that helped my energy levels slightly.

I returned to Massachusetts and continued with my quest to find a pcp.

I managed to get one and she ran some tests. We realised that my inflammation markers were through the roof and that my white blood and red blood cells were also very low.

She referred me to a Rheumatologist who then confirmed that I have Rheumatoid Arthritis.

My diagnosis was on Thursday 25 June 2026 and I was prescribed Hydroxychloroquine. I was told some of the side effects are birth defects. I already have 3 daughters but if ever I choose to have children (If I remarry - but given the dating scene that's unlikely), I would have to be off the medication for at least 3 months.

There are also eyesight issues associated with it.

Because of the above, Walgreens have been calling me to pick up my medication but I'm scared. I'm thinking of maybe adapting lifestyle changes in terms of diet and exercise for the whole month of July and then maybe this thing will go away?

I've been serious about taking walks now and though I used to be sedentary I've been trying to be more active. I'm typing this at 14.30hrs and I'm on 5000 steps so far which was not happening before.

I'm exhausted and had an orange since morning. I'm feeling a bit hungry now but have no energy to cook.

I have always been bubbly and full of life. Now I wear a poker face and "look" tired. My family have noticed the change because previously I was the "life of the party" and the jokester who was always getting everyone out of a grump and now suddenly I'm a completely different person.

In hindsight I think I had RA for a long time without realizing it. I had upper back pain, finger stiffness and swelling and knee pain etc.

I also started feeling "lazy". I would always tell myself to put on my big girl panties and keep it moving. I have always been so hard working, never once allowing myself to binge on shows or take work breaks etc so I couldn't understand where this "laziness" was coming from.

I guess on 4 June my body decided to pack up so I could listen to it properly.

I'm not sure if this is going to get better and resolve or if I should just go onto the medication.

Thank you for taking the time to read my rant. I'm not sure where I managed to summon the strength to type so much. I will probably need 2 months to recover from writing this message 🥹🥹.

I just started leflunomide 10 days ago and the last two days I can feel a flare starting up? Extra morning stifness, hands and feet going numb, spine pain. Has anyone had experiences like this as a response to the meds?

Hi everybody, I'm here to introduce myself as somebody with proooobably seronegative rheumatoid arthritis, though it’s an odd case that’s puzzling my rheumatologist– I show almost no response to steroids, or anything else, and it’s really stubbornly attacking my tendons even more than joints. I just woke up one morning last fall thinking, "why do my hands ache?" and it’s been downhill from there all over my body. Lately I can’t open bottles and jars – that part isn’t even a matter of it hurting too much, the tendons just won’t move like they need to – and typing is starting to hurt badly enough that it distracts me while trying to work. Ugh. The mind-numbing medical bureaucracy while I’m trying to navigate this is grinding me down, too, but at least it’s heartening to see real people here trying to back each other up. (So thank you all!)

My reason for posting just now (other than venting to people who would get it, I guess!) is to ask what thoughts people have for workarounds or ways of adapting, especially for hands, or what it's been like for you if ordinary daily tasks just aren't possible. I got a tool to open jars recently and I realized there's probably more stuff like this in my future. I've been trying to ask doctors things like "what do I do if I can’t use my hands soon" and the response is basically "shhh don't worry about that I'm sure we'll figure it out and you’ll improve, so, see you in six weeks!" which is... not reassuring. I'm really feeling in limbo right now where we’re taking shots in the dark with different medications but I just keep trending worse, and I'm really worried about where this is headed.

This post is really resonating with me. I'm so thankful for my one hand/wrist ultrasound that "lit up like a Christmas tree," as the tech put it! That radiology report feels like my one hard defense against this ambient cloud of doubt, a sort of wordless "...but you seem fine?" hovering around me. I get the impression from the posts here that I'm not only one pushing against that, though. (To anyone on the receiving end of "it’s all in your head," either out loud or implicitly: no it isn’t, and I’m so sorry you have to deal with that.)

Thanks for reading.

For those of you with young children or with high levels of exposure to viruses: did you go on immunosuppressant medication to treat your rheumatoid arthritis? Are all treatment options immunosuppressant?

I’m looking for some opinions from people with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) or similar experiences.
My rheumatologist diagnosed me with PsA, partly because my grandfather has psoriatic arthritis and I’ve had recurring knee swelling. What’s confusing me is that my two knees don’t behave the same way at all.
After my most recent flare, my right knee improved significantly. Right now I have almost no pain or stiffness in that knee. Historically, the only time my right knee really hurts is when there is a large amount of synovial fluid in it. It feels more like pressure from the swelling than joint pain itself.
My left knee is completely different. It has a lot more stiffness and tightness, and the sensation feels like it’s coming from the muscles and soft tissues around the knee rather than pressure inside the joint. Sometimes it makes me want to stretch or massage the area because it feels so tight.
What makes me question things is that the two knees respond so differently. My right knee seems to follow a pattern where it only becomes painful when there is significant swelling, while my left knee continues to feel stiff and tight even when it doesn’t seem as swollen. Because of that, I’ve started wondering if there could be something else going on in my left knee in addition to the PsA.
Has anyone with PsA had one knee behave completely differently from the other? Has anyone been diagnosed with PsA but later found out that a tendon, muscle, ligament, meniscus, or another issue was also contributing to the symptoms in one knee?
I’d be interested to hear if anyone has experienced something similar and what the outcome was.

I'm so tired of feeling unwell all the time..if it's not joint pain then it's the exhaustion and if it's not that, then I catch every virus or food poisoning under the sun. I feel like I spend so much of my life feeling ill. I'm so tired of this hell.

Has anyone else experienced the same and managed to turn it around ?

I'm so done with this crap.