I have recently been diagnosed with RA and am on some heavy duty drugs. I would like feedback from other ra patients. Are these drugs safe long term? What is your cancer risk? life expentancy? I am 63. Will this disease progress more rapidly because of my age. I am going to a good facility (I hope) but my doctor does not really have a lot of time to discuss anything with me. He seems to be good medically. There is
very little support for this disease. Maybe I am overacting to the severity of it. What are the bes facilities for this disease? Any support would be appreciated.

Four common stumbling blocks that can break your stride — and how to get back on your feet forever.

We've been discussing exercise: how much do you need, should you do, can you fit into your day? Walking is what we humans are meant to do, and it's a free, easy form of exercise. JoAnn Manson, MD, chief of preventive medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston says most women can stick with a walking program for a lifetime.

Hello, my name is Mary. I am 59 and have had RA since I was in my early 30s. I do enjoy listening to other patients out there whom share the same dibiliating disease,and getting their stories and inputs on treatments. I am glad I stumbled upon this website, I think its a great place to share information and have someone out there to listen when you want to talk. I look forward to sharing and helping others if I can.

WEDNESDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis benefited from combining the drugs methotrexate and Enbrel (etanercept), new research found.

The combination improved both remission and radiographic non-progression rates within one year compared with the standard treatment of methotrexate alone.

Patients on this regimen were also more likely to stay employed, according to a study in the current issue of The Lancet. The study was funded by Wyeth, the maker of Enbrel.

TUESDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) -- Children suffering from juvenile arthritis who haven't had luck with other treatments may benefit from a drug called Orencia (abatacept).

The conclusions follow from a randomized trial of 122 patients aged 6 to 17 from 45 centers in Europe and in the United States. All participants had a history of juvenile idiopathic arthritis and had at least five joints with active disease. All had tried and failed at least one previous drug.

MONDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- The risk of rheumatoid arthritis is twice as high in women who had a heavy birth weight (more than 10 pounds) than those with an average birth weight (7 to 8.5 lbs), a new study finds.

Researchers at the Hospital for Special Surgery, New York City, analyzed data from more than 87,000 women who took part in the U.S. Nurses' Health Study between 1976 and 2002. The women were aged 30 to 55 at the start of the study.

THURSDAY, June 26 (HealthDay News) -- The latest data on HIV infection across 33 states finds new diagnoses jumping by 12 percent annually between 2001 and 2006 among young gay and bisexual men.

Researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say the rise is "especially concerning" for young black men aged 13 to 24 who have sex with men. For this group, the annual rate of new HIV diagnoses rose by 15 percent annually, compared to a 9 percent and an 8 percent annual rise among their white and Hispanic peers, respectively.

THURSDAY, June 26 (HealthDay News) -- New recommendations for the use of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have been developed by the American College of Rheumatology.

I have arthritis associated with lupus, and also rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. So, I'm accustomed to dealing with a variety of aches and pains due to these conditions. I'm currently on contract at a State agency and read a wonderful story in this week's newsletter about the agency's Arthritis Program Coordinator.

Looking for anyone who had an ankle fusion and now is having problems with severe pain agian (mine was done in 2000)?