I'm Janet Dixon, and I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) in 2008 which came on very suddenly. I now inject the biologic, Benepali in combination with Methotrexate to keep me in remission, having failed with Methotrexate only tablets and Sulfasalazine. Sometimes, I have steroid injections to control an occasional flare.
My experience of physical activity: I've always been active with horse riding, walking, running, gardening etc. but when I was first diagnosed, I was unable to walk almost overnight, and all activity stopped. The drug combination I use means I have returned to full activity which now includes playing netball at least 3 times a week.
Why I wanted to get involved in MISSION-RA: I strongly believe that movement and exercise on any level has helped me manage RA over the years with a better outcome than my original prognosis. I've pushed boundaries to keep fit and Mission RA is an exciting project sharing that view which I believe could really improve the outcomes of many people with RA.
