Imagine having to manage packing lunches, carpooling and homework with the added stress of living with a chronic autoimmune disease. For parents with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), it’s an everyday reality.
RA is a disease in which the body’s immune system–designed to protect us by attacking foreign substances like bacteria and viruses–mistakenly attacks the joints. For the estimated 1.6 million Americans who have RA, this typically results in pain and stiffness. For people living with moderate to severe RA, on some days, seemingly simple tasks such as getting out of bed, making dinner or helping the kids get ready for school can be tough or physically impossible.
All parents have tips and tricks for managing everyday household needs, and parents living with RA ar99us meal together quickly and easily!”
When Lisa was having issues with her moderate to severe RA symptoms, she asked her doctor about XELJANZ® (tofacitinib citrate) 5 mg tablets, the first oral therapy in a class of RA medicines known as Janus kinase inhibitors. It is indicated for patients with moderate to severe RA for whom methotrexate did not work well. Lisa’s doctor explained that XELJANZ has a boxed warning for serious infections and malignancies, and reviewed the potential side effects. She found that it helped her get back to the things she used to do before she was diagnosed with RA.
Additional Tips for Parents Living with RA:
- Is that back-to-school shopping list a mile long? If you have older children, turn that trip to the store into a scavenger hunt for them! This is a fun way to get your kids involved and can help to shorten your time in the stores.
- Make note of a few things that you and your children love to eat. Make a lot of it, and freeze for later.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help (even if it means asking your kids to pitch in).
- Play “beat the timer.” Set a timer in the morning for when your kids are getting dressed for school. If they make it to the door dressed and ready before time runs out, they get a small prize.
- Make sure you talk to your doctor about your goals for living with RA. Share with him/her the activities that are most difficult for you. This will help your doctor determine if you are achieving the best management of your disease.
