Halifax resident hopes to educate others about living with rheumatoid arthritis

Halifax resident Tucker Bottomley started feeling the painful effects of rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 21.

Bottomley said before being diagnosed they would have joints swelling up and be in a lot of pain.

“I didn’t get diagnosed until two years after having symptoms because sometimes it can be undetectable from the blood tests in the early stages,” said Bottomley in an interview with CTV’s Ana Almeida on Friday.

Bottomley said rheumatoid arthritis has had a huge impact on their life.

“I pretty much lost all mobility. I can still kind of get around and walk. It reduces my ability to do everything.”

There are a lot of myths about arthritis that people don’t know about said Bottomley.

“For instance that it only affects older people or that it’s something you can just get used to. But it does get worse with time,” said Bottomley.

“People as young as children can get it. There is over 25,000 children in Canada with arthritis. Also, half a million people in Atlantic Canada have arthritis.”

Bottomley said they downplay the pain they experience a lot.

“You also kind of get use to the pain over time so then you’re downplaying it to yourself.”

September is arthritis awareness month. Bottomley said it important for people to spread awareness about the often misunderstood disease.

“It’s severely unfunded and it’s more prevalent then cancer, diabetes and stroke combined. It is the number one leading cause for disability and inability to work in Canada.”

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