Symtoms when first diagnosed? | Arthritis Information

 

As some of you know, im very new to this forum. I havent even had my first Rheumatologist appointment yet (April 27).
Ive been reading online, as well as through this forum and these three main symptoms always come up:
Pain
Swelling
Stiffness
My question is, why do i only feel pain? I read that people have stiffness of their joints usually in the morning, and swelling also, which causes the pain.
But I only feel minor pain, and all ive taken is aleve. I mean dont get me wrong, i dont want swelling and stiffness, but im starting to wonder if i was misdiagnosed.
how accurate are blood tests. so far thats the only test ive had.
my pain isnt even that bad, last night i practiced my guitar for about an hour or so and only the tips of my fingers hurt, which is completely normal cuz im pressing down on strings. the only thing that hurts is my big toe on my left foot. and well my back and neck but its more uncomfortable than pain.

So just wondering, since a lot of you guys have been dealing with this for a long time.

Maybe im just in denial??
I had what I would describe as severe pain.  It was also migratory.  It would hit a joint for a few days to a week and then move on to another joint.  I very seldom had any visible swelling.  I did have stiffness, though the pain was much worse.

I dont really know what blood test i had. to be honest, i didnt even know there was different types. i know my doctor thought i might have arthritis so that was the reason he tested me. but i dont know exactly what tests were done. 

The waiting is hard, isn't it? 

The Aleve could be helping the stiffness as swelling as it's an anti-inflammatory.

I think you can have a positive RF and still not have RA, just as you can have a negative and still have RA.  Mine started  alot like Kween's except that I had crazy inflammation.  My RD said he had never seen an ESR(?) as high as mine was. 

 

I experienced what I would describe as severe pain in my right wrist accompanied by swelling, heat, and discolouration that lasted a few days followed by rapid progression to my left wrist and then feet and ankles. Within a very short time I was unable to arise from a sitting or lying position without assistance secondary to my entire body being stiff and painful. I was diagnosed within a few weeks based on fluid aspirated from my joints, x-rays, clinical presentation and a high sed rate (ESR).

Like others, I am considered to be seronegative. However, as Linncn points out not everyone with positive RF has RA.

I suggest obtaining a copy of the lab tests that were done as well as a copy of your physician's notes to hand carry with you to your pending appointment.

Best wishes, Shug


My started in my right thumb and first finger. I woke up and it was so red, imflammed and painful. I couldn't even push down on the hair spray bottle. My ra facter was high and it also showed up in xrays. Since then it has rotated all over. One minute my hand will hurt, next minute my feet. THe worst part of all this for me is my energy level hit the bottom of the barrel and I used to be one of those people who was a control freak and full of energy. I have had a hard time letting things go like housework and my work. I had a cleaning business, was girl scout leader, cub master, sunday school teacher and was painting a mural on the church nursery of Noah's ark. It's still waiting on me to finish. I hope one day to be able to do painting again. I miss it. I was my therapy. Everyone is different as to how they were first dx and how it affects them and what meds work. It's all trial and error. What works for one may or maynot work for another. I had severe pain in all joints and excessive swelling in my wrists, hands, ankles, feet. Very high ESR but never RF. This came on overnight. Went to bed healthy and strong and got taken out at the knees with no warning. so most of you experienced some type of inflammation or stiffness. i have neither of those.
what i do have sometimes is pain on the lower part of my ribcage. any of you ever have that?
i had a sonogram a few weeks ago and my organs were all fine, so i started to think it might be the bones of my ribs or whatever surrounds them.
When I was first dx'd I had pain and stiffness, but not much swelling. My first posts were almost exactly like yours.... wondering if I'd been misdiagnosed, etc. I now think I was lucky enough to be diagnosed early. I am now experiencing swelling along with more intense pain and stiffness. You could just be early in your disease.

I hope you don't have RA. If you do have it, we'll be here for you. Let us know how it goes.

Perla -

I didn't have swelling or redness or when first diagnosed and only got the swelling about 3 months into AP as my first significant herx and in that case, it was only one hand.  Have I asked if you think you might be Palindromic?

Hugs and sorry you needed to find us -

Pip

[QUOTE=Pip!]

Have I asked if you think you might be Palindromic?

[/QUOTE]

I dont think you had asked me. I really dont know what i might have. I was just diagnosed a week ago today after a blood test. thats all i know right now. my appointment is on april 27, but ill ask the doctor about it. see what he thinks.

thank you.

For more info check out www.palindromic.org

I was mis-diagnosed in the beginning.  I had severe pain in my wrists.  Was told it was carpal tunnel, but after physical therapy, nerve tests, etc. a blood test showed it might be RA and it was.  My early symptoms were pain, stiffness, and redness.  I had extreme trouble driving, opening doors and jar lids, holding a pen, etc. 

Hope you have a good RA doctor who will make an accurate diagnosis based on your blood tests, xrays, physical exam, etc.  And, I hope it isn't RA. hi Perla, yes I had extreme pain, swelling and crippling stiffness, and now for about the past 2 or 3 years, my keft sided ribs and sternum are always painful, sometimes I cannot lie on that side in bed, my right side was never involved until last week for the first time that I can remember, we can only pray that you get diagnosed quickly and treated appropriately, best of luck, kind regards Janie.  I always tell the newbies to keep a journal as in years to come the Drs ask you and how long was your first flare, and which area of your body was the worst when you were on this or that drug etc etc, I find my notes invaluable. How long have you had pain? My started with pain in my right thumb that I only noticed when I released the parking brake on my car. I don't remember very well but it seems to me the stiffness and inflammation did happen right away. At the same time I had morton's neuromas in both feet which was very painful and confused the issue.

I was finally initially diagnosed with palindromic arthritis. Eventually the classic RA symptoms did appear. I had marked morning stiffness and night sweats. Funny, after the first neuroma was removed I felt A LOT better. But eventually I did get RA. [QUOTE=hessalina]How long have you had pain?
[/QUOTE]

the pain in my ribs has been there for a long time already. but it would happen very rarely. i thought it was because i would lie on my stomach for too long. but lately its been hurting very often.

my back pain started in february.
about four weeks ago i was told i had carpal tunnel syndrome and tendinitis.
and my hip, knees, and feet hurt like 3 weeks ago. its mostly gone now. i only feel pain sometimes in the toe of my left foot.
I would also ask to have your Vitamin D level checked.  A deficiency in Vitamin D can cause pain similar to what you are experiencing, without swelling.  And it often goes hand-in-hand with RA and other auto-immune diseases.
Copyright ArthritisInsight.com