Did any of you have the joint pain WITHOUT swelling at first or in the early stages of RA?
The symptoms that led me to a rheumatologist produced massive swelling in my hand. However, taking NSAIDs took the swelling down quite a bit, before I'd even gotten to the visit. Also, I'm beginning to realize that the foot pain I had back in 99, as well as shoulder and hip pain I've had on and off for the last 5 years was probably associated with RA, and I didn't have significant swelling with those incidents.
During the first two years, I didn't think I ever had any swelling. When my RA progressed, I started noticing it. Last year, my RD left the group practice he was in and started another. The other RD was giving me a hard time about sending my records, so I just paid and got my own copies for my RD. I saw in his notes that he documented lots of swelling. It shocks me that I couldn't notice.
During the first 2 weeks Of extreme joint pain I had no swelling- all my tests were negative except I had VERY HIGH inflammation. Then I swelled up like an elephant and my RA test came back positive.For 17 years, I had the joint pain without the swelling. My joints would feel hot, but they didn't look arthritic. Then about 7 years ago, my wrists and the first row of knuckles from the wrist would look swollen.
I get lots of pain and no swelling, over the years I have had very little swelling and mainly in my knees and ankles.I've only had swelling in knuckles and ankle. that I can see. I was really starting to doubt my Dx cause of lack of swelling,but I guess now it looks like it happens alot. My hands would swell up like sausages. They were really cute.