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Hello everyone.. I'll tell you a bit about myself and you can give me your input or some information.
I'm 19 years old and Im currently serving in the United States Marine Corps. I just recently recieved a full ride to a college of my choice where I will be attending this fall to become a Marine Corps officer. There's only one problem.. When I was around 9 months old I was diagnosed with JRA Juvenille Rheumatoid Arthritis. I went to several doctors they cleared me and sent me on my way saying I would grow out of it.. I did. After Marine Corps recruit training I started feeling some joint pain in my knees. I figured it was just a form of overuse syndrome and began to rest them. Well when I was in School of Infantry my left knee swelled to the size of a large softball. This left corpsman and doctors alike babbled. I was then stationed in 29 Palms California for 11 months. The first 5 months of my stay there I ran every morning close to 8 miles mon-fri. My knees began to hurt worse and worse everyday until it got to the point where I could barely walk in the mornings. Deep down I knew what the problem was.. I went to several Corpsman or military doctors and they insisted there was nothing wrong with me. After a couple more months the join pain had spread to my elbows, my right foot, to my jaw area, my neck, and now to my right hand. Sadly.. my arms won't even extend to their full length anymore. I've noticed significant swelling my my smaller joints, such as my fingers, and my knuckles.. My knees have stretch marks now from swelling.. I've had a MRI and they said everything was normal, I've had blood test for RA they said it was normal.. I know I wasn't working with the finest of doctors and I'm almost certain my problem is RA once again. I've been scared to go to a doctor, wait .. not scared but terrified. My whole goal in life was to be in the Marine corps. Not just for 4 but 20 years.. now I have so much going for me and if im diagnosed it will surely be the end of my Marine Corps career. Is RA managable? Will it dissappear like when I was a child.. What can be done?
edit- as for now, im running, lifting and not have an excellent by Marine corps standard physical fitness test. I do however take pain medicine almost everyday or before a Physical training session.
I don't think you are going to make that 20 year goal. RA does not disappear. It can go into remission but this is very rare. There are drugs to slow the progression but you will continue to have flares and the fatigue will get you everytime.
