Arthritis Life
Pregnancy, Parenting and More with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Episode Summary
Claire and Cheryl discuss Claire's journey with rheumatoid arthritis, including how it affected her pregnancy, postpartum period and parenting as well as work, social life and mental health.
Episode Notes
Episode at a Glance:
The following is a breakdown of the main topics we discussed - scroll to the end to see hyperlinks for resources mentioned in this episode! As a reminder: this episode was originally recorded in 2019.
- 01:35 - Claire diagnosis journey for rheumatoid arthritis: difficulty being believed by providers through her official diagnosis and her journey towards accepting it
- 10:30 Claire’s pregnancy and childbirth experience
- 14:20 - Claires postpartum experience with RA coming back slowly
- 16:20 - How Claire parents a Toddler with Rheumatoid Arthritis
- 18:15 Claire’s advice for people with RA who might want to have a child
- 20:20 - How to Manage Stress and Anxiety with chronic illness, including tips for finding a good fit with a provider (
- 26:40: Claire’s advice for newly diagnosed patients
- 30:10: What Claire wishes doctors did better
- 31:26: Claire’s tips for a good patient-provider relationship and tips for advocating for yourself
- 35:36: The Difference between living with an invisible illness and living with a visible one when Claire had to wear a splint!
- 38:55: How RA affected Claire’s choice of work, and her employment
- 41:42: How RA affected Claire’s relationship with her husband
- 44:00 - Fatigue and RA
- 45:44 – How RA affects friendships and relationships in adulthood
Get More Support at:
Rheum to THRIVE, an online course and support program Cheryl created to help people with rheumatic disease go from overwhelmed, confused and alone to confident, supported and connected**.** See all the details and join the program or waitlist now!
External resources mentioned in this episode or relevant to it:
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER:
All content found on the Arthritis Life public channels was created for generalized informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.