I made the decision to have bilateral knee surgery. Here is what I experienced.

I am a 56 year old woman and I have had Rheumatoid Arthritis for 30 years.   It has taken its toll on me and I have had several joint replacements over the years.  My Rheumatoid Arthritis started in my knees back in the late 80's.  Back then there was not a aggressive treatment and it was not as well known as it is now.  I started taking aspirin round the clock for years to control the pain only to end up in the ER and Intensive Care for acidosis of the stomach. 
In 1993 I started going to a Rheumatologist who put me on steroids, Plaquenil and Methotrexate.  Blood tests were required to check my liver while on these drugs.  I began getting sick and was tired all the time.  I had a sore throat all the time and never felt well.  I gained 40 pounds from the steroids.  I suffered for 7 years.  My little fingers became deformed. I found another Rheumatologist who prescribed gold.  The gold worked well for a year then quit working.  I found an amazing Rheumatologist in 2005.  I learned some very valuable tips over the years,

1. See a Rheumatologist!!! 
Research your Rheumatologist and try several till you find one who answers all your questions and listens to you.  I could not research mine in the beginning because the internet was not around.   Your Rheumatologist will be your biggest ally in fighting this disease.  Make sure you look till you find one you trust.

2.  Stay Active.
It is hard especially in the beginning when the pain is so bad but with RA you need to keep the joints moving.  Range of motion exercises maintain joint movement.  Even when you are having a flare up keep doing gentle exercises and keep moving.  Water exercises are a blessing.

3.  Don't miss medication or Doctor Appointments.
This disease is so hard to stay ahead of without making it worse for yourself.  You and your doctor need to monitor the course of your disease, look for harmful side effects and adjust your treatment if needed.
When I was diagnosed the biologics were not around now people with RA can lead normal lives with very minimal damage due to new medications.  I started Enbrel in 2009 and it was amazing.  I felt like a new person.  Unfortunately it quit working after five years and I started Humira.  Research and discuss the newest medications ans work with your doctor.

4.  Take your medication when you are supposed to and do not skip your medication.

5.  Do not skip it when you feel good as you need to be consistent to get the maximum effectiveness.

6.  Accept depression.  RA is a horrible disease and very hard to live with.  Pain and fatigue are common side effect and you will find doing the things you once did impossible at times.  

7. Naps are your friend.  I found it helped me immensely to take a fifteen minute power nap every day at 11 a.m.

 8. Accept help from your loved ones and seek a support group.  Having others who know what you are going through helps your outlook.

Anyway after 30 years of RA with no aggressive drugs in the beginning I ended up with total joint replacement in my feet and hands.

 I fell and tore my ACL and my miniscus and found out it could not be repaired.  With RA they cannot repair your knees because the body will reject it so they take the ACL out and replace the knees.
Now I am looking at bilateral knee replacement and I researched it in depth before I decided to do both knees at the same time.  I want to share what I have learned.

That will be my next entry in my blog.