Hi, I’m brand spankin’ new here. I’m a southern girl. I’ve had joint pain and stiffness for most of my adult life. Have a family history full of rheumatoid arthritis and I never really fit into that diagnosis. Was diagnosed with undifferentiated spondyloarthropy about 8 or 9 years ago. Doctors asked me about rashes and I have eczema but no psoriasis. Then my fingernails got all weird and rigged and my toenails started to separate from the nailbed and voila, now I fit into a diagnosis!
Currently having a flare and am on my 3rd day of a medrol dosepack. I hate taking it. Turns me into a diabetic while I’m on it. I love taking it! Makes my pain and stiffness SO much better. Uncharacteristically, I am greatly fatigued. Steroids usually make me hyper.Currently take Arava, Celebrex and Tylenol 4 (codeine) which does little for my pain. I take a bunch of supplements too. I have a part time job, I retired from nursing about 5 years ago. Was an ER RN for 27 years. Anyway, I work at Sprouts in the vitamin section and reps routinely give us samples of their products. If I stumble upon a cure, I will let you guys know.
I am mom to 2 and Granma to 1. Have 3 cats and a boyfriend.
Thank you for letting me join you. Hoping to learn a lot more about our disease from all of you. Like I said, I’m a retired ER nurse. I can’t ever recall taking care of a patient with this disease. When I did have patients with an unusual diagnosis they themselves were always a great resource of information. Hoping to find the same here, we are ALL patients. Well unless some of us have given up on doctors and are taking care of themselves. 
