I developed RA seven months ago and am currently taking methotrexate and plaquinil and am relatively under control.  My symptoms started after I had a virus with a high temperature for 5 consecutive days last fall. I’m 49 years old and have been fully menopausal for only 16 months.  Could my reduced hormone levels have played a part in my onset of RA? If so, could I counter this with hormone replacement therapy?  It seems way to coincidental that both of these things occured within the same year.

If somebody is on an anti-TNF inhibitor, should they avoid coming into contact with somebody who has had chickenpox and what about flying is it ok to stay on these drugs when going on holiday?

I am 56 years old and suddenly have started to feel pain in the joints of hands and in the feeds. All blood examinations have sent doctors result normal but pain is severe and continue. please advise me what is the set of lab test must be done to determine if is RA. I am from Colombia S.A.

I have been reading your  FAQ and it seems that alot of people with post traumatic arthritis develop RA. I have post traumatic arthrits from multiple injuries sustained in a MVA in 2001. Fx femur, tib /fib fx, fx T4& T8, C3&C4, arms , wrist , acetabular fx and a spleenectomy. This last month I have developed RA starting out in my feet and hands. It just seems that there is a coorlation between the two. Just wondering if anyone has actually done research on  patients with post traumatic injuries that later develop RA?

Can you explain why RA pain is felt in pairs on both sides of the body?  Why does the same two fingers on my left hand mirror the pain and stiffness on the right hand.   I know that all my RA pain is not necessarily felt just that way…sometimes my rt ankle swells and bothers me far more than the left.  But my knuckle/finger pain and stiffness have a symmetrical pattern.  What causes this?  My dtr thinks it has to do with the nerves.  But it’s my joints that ache.