Skip to Content

Be positive and strong and don't give in

Just before my 40th birthday I woke up in the middle of the night with a horrific pain in the inside of my right knee. This developed into inflamed knees, ankles, wrists and fingers. I couldn't use my hands, couldn't kneel down, couldn't  do anything. I was in terrible agony and very scared. I was so exhausted I would sleep from 5pm but wake in pain.

By. December ( a month later) I saw a rheumatologist who thought it was RA. I was immediately put on NSAIDs and steroids until my tests came back. After Christmas I started on 15mg of methotrexate. I hated it, it made me so sick. that was in 2012. I probably spent 18 months depressed and devastated.

I felt no one understood or cared because I looked OK. Then in August 2014 my ankles went, I could hardly walk, I needed crutches. I started on injectable methotrexate 17.5mg, It took 5 weeks to walk without pain. Since then I've took back control.

I was sick of the disease winning so I researched. I was inspired by Deliciously Ella and gradually changed my diet slowly. I dont eat meat, fish or gluten, I haven't drank alcohol for 2 1/2 years anyway and mainly eat nuts, seeds, fruit, veg, green tea, ceylon cinnamon with honey, quinoa and exercise, walking, three times per week.

My medicine is down to 12.5mg im hoping on Monday it's lowered to 7.5mg. Yes I have bad times but they dont last long. I'm determined to beat it. Be positive and strong and dont give in. Life is too short!

Submitted by a 42 year female living outside the UK

Why not share your personal journey