Woman’s Journey to Arthritis Diagnosis Inspires Others to Seek Help

Dasha, a 27-year-old woman, is sharing her experience with arthritis to encourage others to advocate for their health. After years of unexplained symptoms, she was diagnosed with Axial Spondyloarthritis, a form of arthritis that affects young adults.

According to Arthritis Action, arthritis is a common condition with over 100 types, often associated with older age but capable of affecting individuals of any age. Dasha first noticed symptoms at 19, beginning with an inflamed left eye that left her in pain. Despite seeking medical attention, doctors struggled to identify the cause.

“I woke up one morning with an inflamed red left eye,” Dasha recounted. “At first, I just assumed it wasn’t anything serious, but it quickly became very painful.” She received steroid eye drops, which provided some relief, but the issue persisted.

After years of intermittent symptoms and treatments, Dasha ran her first half marathon at 26, which triggered severe pain in her hip. Initially dismissing it as a post-race ailment, she sought further medical evaluation when the pain did not subside. Her persistence led to an MRI, which revealed the underlying issue: arthritis.

“They immediately saw that the cause of my hip pain and eye problems had been a form of arthritis all along,” she said. “Only at this point, seven years after my first symptoms, was I diagnosed.” Dasha emphasized the importance of advocating for one’s health, stating, “If I hadn’t asked, I could have gone on for years without actually finding the root cause of my symptoms.”

Receiving the diagnosis was not a relief for Dasha; it felt more like a sentencing. “It felt like I was immediately being told I wouldn’t be able to do the things I aspired to as an average 27-year-old,” she explained.

Despite the initial shock, Dasha’s journey was far from over. Treatment often requires a process of trial and error to determine what works best for each patient. During this time, her health declined significantly.

“Initially, all the doctor could do was give me ibuprofen to help manage the pain,” she said. “Pretty soon, I was taking eight tablets a day to try and manage the pain, but even then it didn’t subside.” The constant pain and stiffness began to take a toll on her mental health.

Dasha’s breakthrough came when her doctor finally prescribed biologics, a class of medications derived from living cells known to provide significant relief for arthritis patients. “By the end of 2020, I was finally able to commence the treatment,” she said. “It’s been such a life changer to find the right support that works for me and my condition.”

Her experience has led her back to running, an activity she had initially thought was lost to her. “I can easily run 7k and feel completely fine afterwards,” she noted, highlighting the positive impact of effective treatment.

In sharing her story, Dasha aims to empower other young individuals facing similar health challenges. “Don’t accept that debilitating pain is your new, inescapable reality,” she urged. “Having a condition like arthritis is really lonely, but finding a community of like-minded people made a huge difference.”

Dasha’s journey illustrates the importance of persistence in seeking a diagnosis and effective treatment. She acknowledges that while her condition is lifelong, she has found ways to cope and thrive. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but I do know that if anything happens then I’m ready to deal with it,” she concluded. “I’ve learnt that no matter what happens, my condition won’t define me.”