LIVING WITH
RHEUMATOID
ARTHRITIS (RA)
Explore ways to stay informed and supported in your day-to-day life.
Select a topic below to see resources that are available to you.
WELLNESS
Explore practical ways to manage stress and support your overall well-being.
Start your 30-day wellness challenge
Find strength, knowledge, and support one day at a time. This 30-day challenge is designed to guide and empower you with daily tools for self-care and reflection.
Guided journaling
Engaging in self-reflection about your emotional well-being may help you process your experiences. Contact a Nurse Navigator to request a journal that you can use throughout your treatment.* Available 8am–8pm ET, Monday–Friday.
Reflecting on your progress
If you're new to CIMZIA® (certolizumab pegol), this guided reflection can help you think about where you are in your treatment experience and where you'd like to go.
Nurse Navigators do not provide medical advice and will refer you to your healthcare professional for any treatment-related questions.
Coping with emotional concerns
Anxiety/distress is a normal reaction to stressful situations like living with a chronic inflammatory condition. There are many things you can do to help cope with the emotional ups and downs related to your diagnosis. To help manage these feelings, you can try:
Staying in touch with your support system. Family and friends are important people to lean on when you are not at your best. Avoid isolating yourself. Speaking to others can be beneficial for dealing with the stress you experience.
Using mind-body practices. Chronic stress can worsen your symptoms and impact your overall health. Meditation, deep breathing exercises, and muscle relaxation can help you cope with stress and manage your emotional well-being.
Setting goals for yourself. Don’t take on too much. Instead, prioritize one or two tasks per week. Try focusing on goals that are within reach.
Reflecting on past challenges you've experienced may help you navigate where you're going.
Use this guided reflection to check in with yourself and make a plan for moving forward.
SMART goals
Break down your goals using the SMART method to stay focused, realistic, and empowered.
The Headspace app
Headspace is a mindfulness and meditation app offering guided sessions to support relaxation, focus, and emotional balance.
Coping exercise: 5-5-5 breathing
Calm your mind and body in moments of stress using this simple breathing exercise:
INHALE 5 seconds
HOLD YOUR BREATH 5 seconds
EXHALE 5 seconds
REPEAT
NUTRITION
Discover how smart food choices can support your health and treatment goals.
The role of nutrition in managing your condition
A large number of studies have confirmed that diet can have a direct effect on the immune system, either stimulating or suppressing inflammation. And, as we know, inflammation is a key symptom of conditions like yours.
Diet/nutrition facts
- Refined carbohydrates, added sugars, red and processed meats, and salty foods can contribute to inflammation and the onset of autoimmune diseases
- Adopting an anti-inflammatory diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats can be beneficial
Tips for success in using food labels
Learn how to read the food labels on the back of foods and beverages to understand how they fit your personal dietary needs.
Tracking your diet and symptoms
Track what you eat and your symptoms to find possible patterns with foods that trigger your symptoms.
GETTING ACTIVE
Learn the benefits of physical activity and how to move your body in ways that work for you.
Getting active
Exercising regularly can help with joint flexibility, ease stiffness, and strengthen your muscles, all of which can help manage your condition.
Physical activity facts
- Exercise/physical activity is a potential treatment for inflammation for people with rheumatic conditions
- Physical therapists can help create a program tailored to ensure you're exercising safely and effectively based on your current condition
Exercise and mobility videos
Looking for some simple exercises to get more active? Watch the videos below, courtesy of the Arthritis Foundation, to learn movements and stretches to help you get going.
Side-Bend Stretch
Stretches your lower back and side muscles (obliques).
Shoulder Blade Stretch
Helps stretch out your back and open up your chest.
March
A range-of-motion exercise that also provides some cardio.
Sit-to-Stands
Helps work muscles used to rise out of a seated position.
Hamstring Stretch
Stretch your hamstrings out from a standing or seated position.
Leg Lifts
From a seated position, safely work a major muscle used for walking.
TREATMENT TOOLS
Get the support you need with tools and tips that make managing your treatment easier.
Discussing treatment with your healthcare team
Track your symptom experience so your healthcare team can better support your treatment goals.
Tracking your progress
To help evaluate your symptoms when starting CIMZIA® (certolizumab pegol), keep tabs on how you’re feeling at each of your initial doses.
SMART goals
Break down your goals using the SMART method to stay focused, realistic, and empowered.
Sharps disposal containers
Safely dispose of used CIMZIA injectors using this FDA-approved container. Contact your Nurse Navigator to learn more.* Available 8am–8pm ET, Monday–Friday.
Nurse Navigators do not provide medical advice and will refer you to your healthcare professional for any treatment-related questions.
Traveling with CIMZIA
From proper storage for your injection devices to getting through the airport, get helpful tips for staying on track with your treatment while traveling. Call your Nurse Navigator for more information at 1-844-822-6877, available 8am–8pm ET, Monday–Friday.*
*Nurse Navigators do not provide medical advice and will refer you to your healthcare professional for any treatment-related questions.
Have a trip coming up? Download the Travel Checklist to make sure you have everything you need.
COMMUNITY
Find guides and tips for connecting with those close to you and organizations that support your condition.
The power of community
Whether it’s opening up to those closest to you or connecting with others who understand your condition, community can offer understanding, encouragement, and helpful support along the way.
Talking to family and friends about your condition
Learn tips for speaking with loved ones about your condition and any help you may need.
Patient associations
When it comes to living with a rheumatic condition, you are not alone. Here are some organizations that may be able to offer resources, education, and support as you treat your condition:
American College of Rheumatology
An organization that provides education, research, advocacy, and support to improve care.
CreakyJoints
A digital community and advocacy organization that provides education, support, and resources.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
A US federal research institute that conducts and supports scientific studies to improve understanding, treatment, and prevention.
National Data Bank for Rheumatic Diseases
A research organization that collects and analyzes patient-reported data to advance understanding and treatment of rheumatic conditions.
