Over the years I’ve had countless people, from dear friends to complete strangers, offer me heartfelt advice about how to treat my rheumatoid disease. I can’t remember ever asking for it–the “helpful” words just spill from their lips, unsolicited.
I decided to look into what motivates people–family members, friends, complete and utter strangers–to do this. Read more at RheumatoidArthritis.net.
RheumaBlog 
After 30+ years of dealing with these type of people I just explain it is an autoimmune disease like MS, T1D and Lupus and will not be cured by diet change and exercise. I have tried all of the so called natural ways to alleviate pain and the deterioration this disease causes and am frankly tired of hearing about them. I don’t mind educating someone but if they are too pushy I push right back. They wouldn’t tell someone with T1D to just skip the insulin and try diet.
God I’m tired of having RD. Can you tell?
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I’m like Mary, I’ll push right back, but it is important, and sometimes hard, to remember that as you say they (mostly) mean well!
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The worst part is when they dismiss it as just arthritis. Oh, everybody gets that, no big deal. And you have to smile and change the subject. Hard to explain constant pain to someone who has never experienced it. Can’t relate to the burn when a joint decides to act up, just because, for no rhyme or no reason.
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Wren this is fab, thank you! I don’t think healthy people get just how frustrating it is to be told if we’d just eat spinach/ dance with goats /cry at the moon on a Wednesday we’d somehow be magically cured! Believe me I’d be the first out there dancing with the goats if there was some actual scientific evidence of it working ☺️
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