My daughter may have RA | Arthritis Information

 

My daughter Andrea woke up yesterday morning and could not make a fist
with her R hand. She says the middle finger knuckle has been bothering her
for about 2 months but she blamed it on her job, or lifting her 2 year old a
lot. Yesterday, her hand is swollen, no heat or redness though. It throbbed
all day so I encouraged her to try to get in this morning and she did. The
doctor is convinced she has RA. Sent blood work and did xrays of her hands
which the xrays were normal. She will know later about the blood work.
Has anyone here had a similar onset? No stiffness, fatigue, or painful other
joints. This is the only one. Doctor told her that it can start this way. And
with my history, the doctor feels strongly that it is. I hope not. She is only
25.

I was only 22 when I was dx'ed. Mine could have started like that.....but I didn't complain or see a doctor for close to a year after the worst symptoms started. They were so off and on and so random at first I didn't think too much about them.

I hope their wrong and it's not RA.....but if it is; she'll get through it just like the rest of us have. She'll be luckier than most though because she'll have your experience to help her through.

Keep us updated as things develope.

Mine started with 3 widely sapced incidences of my wrist swelling up so I
couldn't close my hand, and plantar fasciitis. But I would have described that
as pre-RA or warning signs. I hope that doctor is wrong.Thats how mine started...I originally went to my ortho dr and he initially thought it was carpal tunnel but ran blood work just to rule out anything else and sure enough it was RA.  I hope it isnt RA, but if it is at least she can get treated quicklyOh Lorster, what a shame.  I feel so bad for these young people that have their whole life ahead of them. I am hoping that the doc is wrong. At least she has a good Mom with lots of experience to guide her.

I was a Jr in college when RA became a chronic problem for me. Now 30 years later she has a good chance of getting it under control early and not having her joints ruined. And a Mom who won't let her live in the land of denial!

Still drs are wrong a lot. I sure hope he is wrong this time. 

Mine started as headaches, terrible body aches, stiffness, sore feet and
ankles and terrible fatigue in the afternoon. I didn't get the swollen joints
until like 5 years later. If this is RA, hers has a very different onset than
mine.as is often the case for many of us here. None of us are alike. Oh Lorster I'm so sorry if that is what she has. I see you wrote she has a two year old, other than that, how is she fatigue-wise? Mine started in shoulders feeling dislocated and then my wrist swelled up and looked like i had a walnut on it! Then my legs went....

I'm so sorry she may have RA-I hope she doesn't have it. Mine started with a joint in one foot, then started in the same joint on the other foot a month later and spread to other joints on both sides after that. But I am seronegative and the dr thinks the RA is secondary to vasculitis so I don't know if that is typical for the start of RA. Let us know when you find out...

Laker

Oh lorster hugs to you and your family.  I know exactly what you are going thru and what you are feeling.  PM me if you need to talk.  Lorster - sure hope those drs are wrong - they often are.
You have a good sensible head on your shoulders and will be guiding your daughter through your belief in diet etc which I am sure will be of help even if it is the dreaded RA. As we are all different with our RA even if she is diagnosed with it then she may have a milder dose like many people do - it must be a mother's nightmare for you, I know it is something I worry about constantly for my daughter so my thoughts will be with you.
Kind wishes and fingers crossed.

Lorster- I am so sorry about your daughter but she wll have some good advice from a great mum like you.Keep positive and stay strong

 

Any news Lorster?

Mine started mostly with swelling in my hands, than my eyes, than the whole body fatigue and pain and so on.  I hope the doctors are wrong.
They only run RF on Thursdays at the clinic she went to so she will not find
out till Friday. Her hand is still swollen and painful so I hope it is tendonitis.
She does not have other classic signs such as fatigue, bilateral involvement
and stiffness. She does not think the Aleve is doing her any good though. I
know tendonitis can take a long time to heal though. Does anyone know if a
splint would be a good idea for her? Dear Lori, as the other's have said, "please let it not be so'! I'm sure this is a terrible worry for you, and hope it is just something normal. lol, sarahI just don't understand why this disease is so widespread.

Oh crap, Lori.....I'm really sorry to hear this.  Are they testing her for Lyme disease?  It's a thought, especially with children.  They're out and about a lot more than adults and sometimes the symptoms mimic one another. 

If you feel it might be some really bad tendonitis try a splint.  Resting it sure can't hurt it.  Sometimes aleve doesn't work and she may need a cortisone injection followed by prescription nsaid for tendonitis.  gramma, where can i get a splint? are you talking those ace wrap looking
ones or is the splint different?
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