Type 1 Diabetes + Autoimmune Arthritis

Autoimmune arthritis is a broad term for arthritis caused by an autoimmune attack in the body. There are over 100 different types of arthritis and related diseases, but one form is more common than others! We dive into that within this guide.

In this overview, we explain the types of autoimmune arthritis that can happen to your body, how they’re connected to T1D, symptoms and signs to watch for and what living with these conditions means for your overall quality of life.

Plus, how to move forward in a way that matches your life’s goals and values.

How does each type of autoimmune arthritis start?

The most common form of autoimmune arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis (RA). With RA, the immune system mistakenly attacks the tissue that lines the joints, leading to painful swelling. Two other common types of autoimmune arthritis are ankylosing spondylitis, which causes ongoing inflammation in the spine and the joints at the back of the pelvis, and psoriatic arthritis, which causes inflammation of the skin and joints. 

Together, these three types of inflammatory arthritis affect around four million people in the United States. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of 2018, roughly 18 million people worldwide were living with RA. 

Like T1D, RA and other autoimmune arthritis types are caused by an autoimmune attack in the body. Because of this shared cause, having one condition raises your risk of developing the other. Living with T1D raises your risk of developing another autoimmune condition at some point in your life.

According to the Arthritis Foundation, about 47% of adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes also have arthritis. A 2018 study found that cisgender women with T1D are more likely than cisgender men to develop other autoimmune conditions like RA. 

One possible explanation is that both conditions share overlapping genetic risk factors. While knowing why helps move forward in research, it’s not always helpful for moving forward with your day-to-day life—knowing how to screen for and treat it after a diagnosis is!

Signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

Because RA is the most common form of autoimmune arthritis, it’s important to know the signs and symptoms. 

Common symptoms of RA include: 

• Fatigue
• Joint pain
• Tenderness
• Swelling
• Redness or warmth
• Reduced range of motion in the joints
• Anemia
• Fever 
• Limping

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s time to chat with your healthcare provider (HCP) and discuss screening for RA.

How to get screened for rheumatoid arthritis

RA often goes undiagnosed early on because its symptoms can look like other conditions. There’s also no single test that can confirm RA. If your HCP suspects RA, they’ll likely do a physical exam to check your joints for swelling. 

They may also order blood tests to check markers like:

• Your erythrocyte sedimentation rate
• C-reactive protein
• Rheumatoid factor
• Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies

Don’t worry if those terms sound confusing. You don’t have to remember them! Your HCP should know exactly what tests to order. Let your HCP know you think it’s what you have going on and would like to be tested for and they should be able to take it from there. If you bookmark this article for safe-keeping for your next visit if you think you have the signs of RA, that can also be helpful. 

How to treat rheumatoid arthritis

Much like T1D, there’s currently no cure for RA. However, if it’s caught early, taking disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs may lead to remission of symptoms. Your HCP may also order imaging tests like X-rays to track how your RA is progressing over time. 

Treatment depends on your specific case and how severe your symptoms are, and may include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs or other biologic medications.

T1D considerations with rheumatoid arthritis treatment

You and your HCP should factor your T1D into any treatment plan for RA. Steroids, for example, often raise blood sugar, which can make diabetes management harder. RA treatments can also raise your risk of infection, which adds another layer of complexity when you’re managing T1D as well. 

Knowing these may be side effects can help you get proactive with your T1D management, adjusting insulin dosing strategies or adding other blood-sugar-lowering medications to your plan with the support of your HCP. Keep in close touch with them as you add RA medications to the mix so you can adjust in real-time and don’t have to wait for your next check-in to make changes that benefit your health.

You’re more than your diagnoses!

Getting another diagnosis on top of T1D can feel like a gut punch. If you’re struggling to manage the pressure of factoring another disease into your brain or day-to-day routines, get help from healthcare professionals such as a therapist to sort through the emotional drain that can come with another layer of your health being impacted.

Life with T1D can be a lot already. If you’re feeling the heaviness of another new diagnosis right now, that’s normal, but staying in a state of grief doesn’t have to be. You’re encouraged to find a place of contentment—a way that feels good for you to manage T1D and RA with a pep in your step and pride in your eyes. You got this!

It can feel heavy and you can know you’re okay and able to move forward all at once. That’s life with chronic illness, and you are so much more than the burdens you bear!

You are more than your diseases. Embrace the beautiful person that you are with T1D and RA! If you’re newly diagnosed or just want a refresher on the ins and outs of life with it, download Beyond Type 1’s Beyond Diagnosis Guide. You deserve to live your best, most fulfilled life.