A Williamsport mother of five shares how persistence and the right specialist helped her find relief from seronegative rheumatoid arthritis.

After years of recurring pain and unexplained symptoms, Danita Evans says she is back to walking “thousands” of steps and is planning to participate in a 5K later this year. She credits this progress to finally receiving a diagnosis of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (RA), from Megan Young, M.D., Rheumatology, UPMC Williamsport, and starting treatment.

Evans, a Marine Corps Veteran who met her husband while serving, lived overseas for several years before moving to northcentral Pennsylvania for her husband’s work.

“I used to be very active — walking, running, horseback riding,” she said. “Then it felt like my body kept taking more away from me.”

According to Evans, symptoms appeared off and on for much of her life, becoming clearer in her early 30s. During flares, her joints would become painful and stiff, limiting her range of motion and daily functioning.

She also described whole-body effects beyond joint pain, including altered sensation and intermittent vision issues.

“I felt trapped in my body,” Evans said. “I was trying to stay positive for my kids, but I couldn’t do the things I wanted to do with them.”

Evans said her condition worsened to the point that she could not get up due to pain. Everyday tasks like walking across a room, climbing stairs, or moving from chair to chair became difficult or impossible.

Her primary care physician completed an extensive workup, including blood testing, but results did not explain her symptoms. Because of the severity and joint involvement, Evans was referred to rheumatology for additional evaluation.

Evans said the rheumatology visit at UPMC Williamsport Divine Providence Campus was a turning point not just because of the diagnosis, but because of how she was treated as a person.

“Dr. Young listened to my whole story; she did not rush me and asked questions,” Evans said. “I knew I didn’t, but I felt like I had her whole day. The vibe that she put off was just completely present.”

Evans said Dr. Young performed a physical exam and then connected the dots.

“She did an exam on my body and she said, ‘It just sounds like you have seronegative RA and I would like to move forward in a treatment plan,'” Evans recalled.

Seronegative RA is an inflammatory form of arthritis that may not show typical markers on standard bloodwork.

“She gently walked me through it and I just started crying,” Evans said. “All because Dr. Young was willing to truly listen to a tearful 47-year-old-woman and her full story.”

Evans began taking a prescribed medication to treat her symptoms and reported significant improvement calling the change “night and day.”

Evans said she first connected with Dr. Young in early fall of 2025 and noticed steady advancements within weeks. By that November, she reported walking with her family again and returning to other activities when weather allowed.

One milestone stood out: her five-year-old noticed she was playing at the playground without hurting. “That’s when it hit me how far I’d come,” she said.

Evans hopes her experience encourages others who are still searching for answers, especially those who have been told their bloodwork is normal.

“Don’t panic, and don’t give up,” she said. “If you know something isn’t right, keep advocating for yourself and ask about seeing a specialist. Your pain is real.”

To learn more about UPMC Rheumatology, visit UPMC.com/RheumatologyNCPA.