Monday, July 21, 2014

The RA Pregnancy Chronicles: Sometimes Being Pregnant With Arthritis Is Hard

The RA Pregnancy Chronicles is a series of posts that share my experiences being pregnant while living with RA. This post was written during Week 23 of my second pregnancy. 

Unfortunately I don’t think it can be denied any longer: my RA is officially flaring. I'm also waking up with the most extreme morning stiffness I have ever experienced – it feels like I have been run over with a steamroller. And the fatigue (combined from the RA flare, difficult pregnancy, and chasing a toddler) is beyond soul crushing.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

The Rheumatologist: Rheumatologists May Help Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Overcome Obstacles to Sex

I have done a fair bit of writing about sex and RA, both on this blog and on several other websites that I write for. I have shared my own experiences with the difficulties RA can cause when it comes to sex and intimacy, as well as my own research on what can be done about it. 

Not surprisingly there are not very many people out there talking about this issue. So if you google "sex & RA" it won't take you very long to find my name! For this reason I was interviewed a while back for an article about sex and RA for The Rheumatologist, a publication for rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals.The article is meant to help doctors who treat RA patients remember to discuss and aid their patients with intimacy issues. 

The article has finally been published! If you are interested you can read the article here: Rheumatologists May Help Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Overcome Obstacles to Sex

Monday, July 14, 2014

Kids Get Arthritis Too! July is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month!

Most people who hear the word arthritis probably picture Grandpa walking with a cane or perhaps Grandma’s hands hurting too much to knit. But, in reality, arthritis is not just a geriatric disease. July is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month!

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

The RA Pregnancy Chronicles: The Post-Birth RA Flare

The RA Pregnancy Chronicles is a series of posts that share my experiences being pregnant while living with RA. This post was written during Week 32 of my second pregnancy. 

It is common to experience an RA flare postpartum, but there are several things one can do to make this period of time easier.

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Meeting A New Rheumatologist

I was scared about the prospect of switching rheumatologists. I felt somewhat overwhelmed at the prospect of meeting this stranger and letting him into my life, hoping he would eventually become a partner I could trust to help me make the right decisions about my health. If you are in the position of meeting a new rheumatologist, here are some things to consider that might help.