Hi, I was wondering if anyone who has oa in their hands DOES not have heberden nodes in their first finger joints, I was dx with ra but have only swelling in the knuckles, minor in the fingers. the pics I have seen of others show alot of swelling. I don't have the heberden nodes but I'm thinking maybe I don't have ra. do people get swelling in their knuckles from oa? thanks for listening. Hey, Janlee! I don't have the Heberden nodes, but I do swell in my knuckles, fingers, and wrists bilaterally. My family doc was worried about RA given my symptoms and age, but ALL of my labs were completely normal, so my RD (that I was referred to) dx'ed me with OA today. My mother has the same pattern of pain in her hands and wrists (but she doesn't swell) and was dx'ed with OA in her early 40s. I'm 27.
Your lab values are pretty typical for RA. The one thing I really picked up hanging out on the RA board it that EVERYONE is different. Some folks swell, some don't. I swell, and I don't have RA. My mother has the same form of arthritis that I do, and she doesn't... go figure.
I had posted a pic of my hand on the ra forum and a member thought it looked more like Oa, that's what got me thinking, I know you can have Oa & Ra together. I also have read you can have other things to give you high RF. I just started Remicade just want to be sure of Dx cause of the meds. I'm really not in alot of pain but since my wrists and finger joints are sore they want to stay ahead of Ra.anyway thanks for Listening!!! hope you will be feeling better on your new meds.