Profiles

Here, you can find any of the interviews on this site.



Kerrie

Kerrie was diagnosed in 2008 as having seropositive rheumatoid arthritis. Kerrie's symptoms came on suddenly and were severe. She left her graduate-level job in fashion promotion and moved to be closer to her family. Kerrie has good and bad days.

  • Background

    Kerrie is a self-employed baker. She is white British.

  • Age at interview 25
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Cat

    Cat has rheumatoid arthritis. She experiences pain in all of her joints. Cat says that the worst thing about living with arthritis is the constant fatigue and people not understanding how exhausted Cat can be on a daily basis.

  • Background

    Cat is a full-time medical student. She is white British.

  • Age at interview 24
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Deni

    Deni has juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. She had a very bad experience with medication and doctors when she was 14 years old. She ran away from home at 16 and refused treatment until she came into contact with an Arthritis Care support group when she was 24.

  • Background

    Deni is a full-time university student and volunteer for Arthritis Care. She is white Scottish.

  • Age at interview 26
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Charlotte Y

    Charlotte was originally diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at the age of seventeen. She had been ill at school with seizures resulting from a streptococcal infection. Rheumatologists think this triggered the arthritis. At the age of twenty Charlotte's doctors changed her diagnosis from rheumatoid to psoriatic arthritis. She has struggled to get her arthritis under control.

  • Background

    Charlotte is a Quality Team Member. She is married and plans to have children in the future. She is white British.

  • Age at interview 25
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Jazmin

    Jazmin has systemic onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis. She was diagnosed when she was eighteen-months old. Most of her joints are painful and achy. She is not taking any medication and has an optimistic outlook on life.

  • Background

    Jazmin is a full-time university student. She is white and black Caribbean.

  • Age at interview 20
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Catherine

    Catherine has extended oligoarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis. She has had it for about twenty years and experiences pain in many joints. Even though the pain has got worse as she has got older, she still praises her health care team and considers herself 'lucky'.

  • Background

    Catherine is a health care assistant and honorary assistant psychologist. She lives with her partner. She is white British.

  • Age at interview 24
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Sara

    Juvenile chronic arthritis diagnosed 1990. Initially NSAIDs, then methotrexate but nausea & then oral steroids from age 15. Finger tendon repair & hip replacement (01) currently Anti-TNF Humira (adalimumab) injected 2/month, indomethacin, co-codamol & lansoprazole.

  • Background

    Student, single, no children. Lives at home with mother. Ethnic background/nationality: white British.

  • Age at interview 21
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Ruth

    Diagnosed 1979 as a young child. Currently on methotrexate 10mg & folic acid, tramadol 100mg 2/day, solpadol 7/day. 2 hips and 2 knees replaced under spinal anaesthetic in succession over 2 years. Broken femur complication of last knee operation.

  • Background

    Not employed. Single lives at home with parents

  • Age at interview 28
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Melissa

    Melissa was first diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis and later with rheumatoid arthritis. She was on methotrexate for about eight years. She has been on two Anti TNF treatments: etanercept (Enbrel) and adalimumab (Humira) and expects to be started on influximab soon.

  • Background

    Melissa lives with her parents and would like to do a writing course. She uses the Internet a lot emailing and talking to her friends abroad. Ethnic background/nationality: White British.

  • Age at interview 22
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Michelle

    Michelle is currently on anti-TNF treatment: Humira (adalimumab). She has taken methotrexate for a number of years but has had breaks in between following a biopsy that revealed liver scarring. Michelle was diagnosed with osteopenia (a milder form of osteoporosis) in her spine and needs to take calcium tablets regularly.

  • Background

    Michelle is a university graduate and works in the field of education at university level. She is planning to move to France and to work either teaching English or doing...

  • Age at interview 25
  • Sex/Gender Female