ask: Is having ra the end of the world or can you live a normal life and do most things, do people have it and run, swim and do everything.

Hi Anon - Are you asking this question because you have recently been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis? Learning that you have any type of chronic illness, whether it is arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, asthma and many others, can be very upsetting. When you look up information on these conditions the available information often focuses on the disease process and worst case scenarios, which can be frightening. What is a lot more helpful is understanding that a chronic condition is different, and must be managed in order to have the best health and quality of life possible.

Without knowing your specific situation it is impossible to know whether you will be among those with RA who do run, swim, exercise, hold jobs, travel and do many other things. I can tell you, as someone who also lives with a chronic medical condition, that it's going to be an ongoing educational process to learn what you can do to deal with symptoms, medication side effects, lifestyle changes and other aspects of chronic illness.

A place to start learning about living with RA is our conditions section at http://www.empowher.com/condition/rheumatoid-arthritis There are articles on topics such as dealing with fatigue, how food affects arthritis flare-ups, and more. You may also find it helpful to get involved with the Arthritis Foundation http://www.arthritis.org/ and consider joining a support group. Other patients are often the best source for learning coping strategies and are also far more willing to talk with you about your concerns than people who do not share the same condition.

Many people come to our site wanting a simple yes or no answer and you may be one of them. When you have a chronic illness things are no longer simple, including a lot of everyday tasks that you used to be able to take for granted. It can be very frustrating to deal with all of the issues, pain, questions, expenses and general hassles of the illness. In the long run, however, taking things one day at a time and becoming your own best advocate by learning all you can to manage your condition is what is going to give you the best quality of life and determine what you can and can't do to a very large extent.

I hope things go well for you and wish you the best.

Take care,
Pat