Rheumatoid Awareness Week 2021: Katy's story

"Living with RA has given me a purpose I didn’t know I needed. I feel proud to be part of the community" writes Katy Pieris. Read about her diagnosis, what it means to her and how RA affects her everyday life.

My diagnosis story

I was diagnosed 10years ago. It took about 12 months to get my GP to pay attention and send me for the right test. To begin with I had pain in my feet and struggled to walk, however by about 11am most symptoms had passed. It then started affecting my wrists and hands, however again it was just the morning and I never swelled. Just suffered with stiffness and pain. After about 3 months I booked a gp appointment. I had blood tests to see if I was bit D deficient, maybe I had trigger finger and many more. Over the year I was probably in the GP surgery once or twice every few months. I felt like the GP thought I was a hypochondriac and I really wasn’t taken seriously. I used to play tennis and it was when I started losing and my wrists were bruised that I saw a new GP who straight away made an appointment with a rheumatologist and after all the right tests - I was diagnosed and it was such a relief.

How R.A. affects my everyday life

I am now in medical remission (drugs do work), unfortunately I have joint damage in my wrists so I no longer play tennis but I do run and play netball. I have a son, work full time and volunteer for charities and anything to raise awareness about the disease.

What living with R.A. means to me

Living with RA has given me a purpose I didn’t know I needed. I feel proud to be part of the community.