Reddit mentions of Maxracy Premium All-in-one Bottle Can Lid Twist Gripper Ideal for Seniors Arthritis Suffers and Weak Hands with Free Jar Opener, Green

Hi! I'm a medical student with RA, diagnosed 10 years ago when I was in high school. The experience of a flare and getting this diagnosis is such a pain in the ass (the literal, figurative, and emotional asses) if we're being quite frank. When I was diagnosed and then later on when I had a rough, persistent flare, the emotional burden was pretty heavy. There was a lot of crying, a lot of anger (at God, my genetics, my immune system, etc.), and a lot of stubborn refusal to utilize or even ask for things that could've made my life a bit easier. You've already taken that step by posting here, so that's one down! This sub and finding peers who either are going through similar things (there were a surprising number of women with autoimmune disorders in my class) or were just good, understanding people made a huge difference for me. If you're comfortable talking about your experience to others, I think might be surprised at how many people know the struggle.

Physical things that I did find helpful:

• Grippy rubber sheets to help open jars without requiring hulk-like grip strength (rubber bands around lids also work in a pinch). I got mine from my PT but it's similar to these.
  
  • There's also this one that I've not tried but it looks neat
    
• BIG pencil/pen grips are a godsend for achy hands
  
• Very cushy tennis shoes. My first pair were Brooks motion control shoes and they made me feel like I was walking on a cloud. You may not want/need that much cushion... it's a lot.
  
• If you can manage it at your practice and if typing/writing notes is more of a challenge these days, see if you can get a medical scribe to help you out there.
  
  Being comfortable talking to people about it might take time, but you'll definitely get there soon. You're a doctor! You've had to learn how to talk to people about all sorts of uncomfortable things, so you can absolutely do this. Remember that although you have this diagnosis, you did nothing to "earn" it and therefore theoretically there's nothing to be embarrassed about. I know it's easier said than done. Try starting with people you know and trust- close friends, family- and then branch out as you're comfortable. I honestly make jokes about my "crap joints" and how "my body is rejecting me" quite often, and I find that the self-deprecating approach works well for breaking tension while talking to others about my RA.
  
  Finally, it might feel like you're going stir crazy in your own body because doing anything physical is just a recipe for pain right now, but it will get better and you will get back to being active. "Normal" might not be the same as it once was, but you'll re-define it for yourself and your illness. You've just now been diagnosed, so your journey to finding the treatment plan that will work for you is just beginning. I'm sure you know these meds take time to reach their peak effect, so be patient (again, easier said than done, I know) and keep an open dialogue with your rheumatologist about how things are progressing. Be as active as you can stand without hurting yourself, even if it's just walking. Hopefully MTX will fix you right up in no time and you'll be back to doing all of the activities lickity split!
  
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  Wow, okay, that's a lot. Um...
  
  tl;dr For ease of use, make things fatter, squishier, or grippier. If you can handle doing a full medical history and physical exam , you can deffo handle the RA talk. It gets better. <3