Sarah Gibson

My name is Sarah Gibson I am 35, married with five children aged 13, 12, 11, 9 and 6 months. I have had RA for eight years.

It first started when I was 27 in my left elbow. Within a week it was in my left foot as well. I was devastated to be diagnosed with RA four weeks later. There is no recent history of RA in my family. However, there was a case three generations previously. Within a short space of time I felt as though it had taken over my whole body, which was very difficult for me because my children were very young.

At first I was given painkillers, which did not help. Then I was given gold injections, which was difficult because I have a fear of needles. The side effects of the gold injections outweighed the benefits. I was then put on various other drugs including Salazopyrin and Methotrexate and many more. Each one helped me to an extent, but the side effects made me unable to carry on. After four years of various drugs I decided that I would dearly love to have another child. I stopped all of my tablets except for Brufen Retards. At that time I was on Penicillimine, Paracetamol and Brufen Retards maximum dose. I tried for two years for another child. I was told I could not become pregnant, because I could not ovulate. I returned to Penicillimine. Within six months I became ill feeling unwell and sick. I assumed this was a side effect of the drugs. After ten days of feeling like this I had a pregnancy test, which was positive. I informed the hospital straight away and was told to stop all of my Brufen Retard tablets. My gynaecologist contacted all the pharmaceutical companies regarding my second line tablets. After two days I was contacted and told that I could continue with my pregnancy. It was very hard for the first few months, but as I got to about four and a half months things began to feel a bit better. By the time I reached full term of my pregnancy I felt the best I had in years. I had my little boy by cesarean section. He was a healthy baby. I felt very well for the next four weeks, but in the fifth and sixth weeks things changed drastically and I went down hill rapidly. I was put back on Penicillimine, but I did not feel any benefit. When my son was five months old I was put on a new drug Leflunamide at a 100mg a week for three weeks and then 10mg a day from then on. Louie is now six months old and I have started to have side effects of thrush and mouth ulcers. I have stopped my tablets and will wait until my side effects have disappeared, then I will restart and hope that the drugs will work this time.

As things stand now I have problems with my elbows and would love to have them replaced. Every other joint in my body is affected, but my elbows are the worst. I struggle to bath Louie and have help twice a week. If I could have my elbows and wrist operated on I could lead a much better quality of life.