1. “Just because I look fine doesn’t mean I am.”
“Even though I may look healthy and happy on the surface, [my RA means] I suffer with daily, often severe pain,” says Meredith Hutter Chamorro, 45, of Pennsylvania. This happens because people with RA are dealing with joint problems.
2. “It’s not ‘just’ arthritis.”
“Too often, people hear ‘arthritis’ and think minor aches and pains,” says Dina Neils, 30, a blogger living in California. Neils was diagnosed with RA 18 years ago. “The truth is, living with RA means you will most likely be on a variety of medications for the rest of your life,” she says. “You may need multiple surgeries or joint replacements, too,” she adds.