You Can Lead a Normal Life with Rheumatoid Arthritis

[HTML1] On this show Dr. Gracer interviews Dr. Joel Silverfield and Sara, his patient, who has Rheumatoid Arthritis, (RA).  RA is a common and devastating disease that affects the joints and other organs. In the past, sufferers often had their lives destroyed and frequently became invalids.

Nowadays, things are different. We have new drugs, special surgeries to improve joint function, and a different attitude about activities for those affected. Sara is a mother of triplets who is active and leads a normal life, as she explains in the interview.

In the subsequent overview of RA, Dr. Gracer explains what causes RA, why it is important to get early treatment, some of the drugs and other tools used against it and how they work, what tests are used to diagnose it, and how these tests work.

More about Dr. Joel Silverfield
Dr. Joel Silverfield is a graduate of Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia.  After completing an internship and residency at Emory, he continued his education with a Rheumatology fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.  Dr. Silverfield is board certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

He has authored over twenty publications, including articles in The Journal of Rheumatology other professional journals.  He also has received numerous awards.

He is a frequent lecturer and featured speaker in the field of Rheumatology and serves on various RA-related and health-care Boards of Trustees, advisory boards, and foundations.  Dr. Silverfield is married, has three sons, and loves to collect antiques and play tennis.

More about Sarah Clearwater
Sarah Clearwater is a busy mom of three year old triplets living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). She first started experiencing symptoms in May 2003 when her right ankle began to swell for no apparent reason. After several doctor’s visits she was ultimately referred to a rheumatologist and was diagnosed with RA in early 2004.

At first, Sarah was in denial about her diagnosis. She had always been very active, and couldn’t believe that she now had a disease that was making her feel so weak and tired. For Sarah, dealing with the fatigue was the hardest part and was often worse than the pain. She wanted to be a fun mom who could run around with her children, but instead was a tired mom who could barely get out of bed.

After trying several treatment options, Sarah began taking Humira® (adalimumab) and her symptoms are now managed. Her pain is much less severe and she’s been able to get back to her active lifestyle. To keep moving and stay fit, Sarah likes to play tennis and currently is the co-captain of her team. She also enjoys spending time outdoors with her children, walking and doing yoga.

Sarah credits her active lifestyle for having a positive effect on her life, both physically and mentally. She’s found that maintaining a level of physical activity not only helps with her RA symptoms, but also helps her to de-stress.