The five-year waiting time that many Newfoundland and Labrador arthritis patients endure for treatment is unacceptable, a patient says.

Only five rheumatologists treat adults in the province, leading to extensive waits.

Roberta Collier, who lives in Baie D'Espoir, said while powerful drugs allow her to live a normal life, it also means she has to see a specialist once a year.

"A person can live a normal life and then all of a sudden ,everything is gone, everything is taken away from you," Collier said.

"Without the proper treatment it just gets worse. So its really important that we have enough specialists."

Dr. Sean Hamilton, a rheumatologist working at St. Clare's Hospital in St. John's, said wait times are mounting across the country. He said as the baby boom generation ages, more people are being diagnosed with arthritis. As well, the number of specialists across Canada has been falling.

"A one-year list for an early patient, quote unquote, early," is not uncommon, he said.

"And, say, for a routine thing such as osteoarthritis, it may be five years, which is totally unacceptable," he said.

Hamilton said most family physicians can treat the more common types of arthritis - which is important, as the province is unlikely to have more rheumatologists in the near future.

He added that with some rare, extremely aggressive types of arthritis - in which a patient can permanently lose the use of a limb within a matter of weeks - Eastern Health has a specialist on call at all times.

Collier, meanwhile, said she is concerned about the status of programs available to help those with severe arthritis.

Her rheumatologist admitted her to an acute-care program at St. Clare's 10 years ago, following a major flareup.

"It was a two-week treatment where you actually see a team of eight - the doctors, the social workers, the physiotherapists, occupational therapists, the druggists. You learn all about the illness. You learn how to cope with it," she said.

"Unfortunately, that program is not as accessible as it used to be and I really feel that needs to be in place."

Collier said the program could help many more people if there were more hospital beds available.

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