VOICE-OVER: It’s important for me as a rheumatologist to build a relationship with a patient, so that from the very first appointment that patient understands that I’m listening to them. And we’re going to partner together to get to the best place you can possibly be.

So what’s important is that you tell me your story. I want to hear what your symptoms are. When they impact you. I need to know what you’re experiencing. Whether it’s that your symptoms aren’t getting better, your medications aren’t working, or you’re having difficulty with a medication.

If I could tell my patient three things to bring to an appointment, it would be: track your symptoms. Note the events that you’ve had to miss or the activities that you can’t do and really want to get back to doing. And I also want to know if you’re supplementing your medication with over-the-counter pain medication to manage your RA pain.

Every patient’s experience with RA is unique, and only the patient truly knows what it’s like to live with their symptoms day to day. So when they’re more engaged in the treatment process with their rheumatologist, it just makes for a more productive partnership and helps us get them on the right treatment plan to help prevent further joint damage.