I've just been diagnosed with very aggressive RA. I haven't been able to decorate in over a month due to my sudden onset of RA. I would like to know if there are any members suffering from RA and how they are able to continue cake decorating.

I don't have RA, but do have arthritis in one ankle from a bad break years ago and some in a finger ..I call it my grandma's finger because it's starting to look just like my granny's finger did years ago. I was getting really frustrated with the pain I was having every morning getting out of bed on that ankle and did some research.

I found this diet. I have not done everything he recommends, but have eliminated dairy and it has made a HUGE and I mean HUGE difference in my pain. There are days I'm absolutely pain free. On days I have pain I look back on what I ate or drank and somewhere hidden in something I can usually find dairy. It's not always easy, but to not have pain and swelling after many years is a blessing for sure!
Oh! and my knees had started to hurt, especially when I'd get up after sitting a long time--that's gone for the most part! I swear by this!!

http://www.drmcdougall.com/med_hot_arthritis_diet.html

Hi Wendy!

I have had RA for 33 years, but didn't start cake decorating until 5 years ago. Sorry that you have it and I hope that you have a good doctor to help take care of you. I know that it takes a while to figure out the right combo medications and diet that will work for you. Changing your diet alone will not help with RA. I have tried and now have a disfigured body because I thought if I just ate all natural foods it would help. I stay way from all processed foods and sugar. Sounds weird coming from a cake decorator! I keep my weight down so that I don't put extra pressure on my joints and I keep active. Try to avoid stress because that will bring on flare ups. Since you have just been diagnosed, there will be a lot of trial and error. Just learn everything that you can about RA and find a good rheumatologist.

There are a lot of cake decorating techniques that I can't do, but I can still do a lot.

If fatigue is one of your major symptoms, you will likely find that you need treat your energy level like money by prioritizing and budgeting. You may not be able to everything you want to, but if you prioritize, plan and budget, you can do what is most important to you.

I have to do things in manageable chunks. I have to do as much work as possible as early in the day as possible. Most of all, you have to have an excellent rheumatologist who won't be satisfied with anything less than a disease that is under control.