Hi all,
I was here about 5 years ago with symptons, which I was told was not RA. Been struggling ever since. For the past few months I have had pain in both ankles, feet, knees and hands. My shoulders were hurting, now they don't seem to bother me. I have stiffness in the morning. My 19 year old son tells me I walk like a 90 year old woman and I said that is how I feel!
Thanks for listening and I will keep intouch to let you know how things turn out. I know I received much support when I was here last.
Cristal
I hope you are heading back to the rheumatologist
Thank you for the reply. Yes I hope that is where after a visit to my Primary. I just hope I am not overreacting, because I don't see 'lots' of swelling??? It just seems like I hear of the very bad symptoms and I don't fit that, but I feel something is going on. I hope I can get some answers.
Inflammation may be present and cause pain, yet not be visible to us as swelling. I think you are on the right track by asking to be evaluated for RA or some other form of arthritis. And if it's ruled out, then they can focus on other possibilities.
My RA began in my hands. After 5 surgeries the hand surgeon sent me to my RD. Dx came fast. I still have trouble with my thumbs, my wrist that was broken a few years back, my right elbow and my right hip is not showing much improvement.
Go get to an RD, learn what you can about RA and remember that there are a lot of people in your same situation.
Glad to see you back!
jode
Hi Cristal, I'm sorry to hear you are feeling so bad. Like you, I haven't had much swelling or heat in my joints. But I do have RA. My rheumatologist said there is no doubt. It's just that some of the usual symptoms aren't there.
However, my inflammation numbers have remained high since I was diagnosed 1 1/2 years ago. Both CRP, Sed rate are high and got no better with methotrexate, which I had to go off of due to severe cough. My rheumy said the cough indicated an allergy to MTX. Also my anti-CCP was 250+. Currently I am on Plaquenil. So far, there has been no improvement with it. She wants me to keep trying it til July. Because of my unusual symptoms, she says I am "a puzzlement". But she doesn't give up on me, thank God.
I, too, look in the mirror and see a little old lady. Well, I kind of am, but I'm very bent over, I limp and just move slowly in general.
If your doctor won't give you a referral to a rheumy, why don't you ask him/her if you can, at least, get the rheumatoid factor test and CRP and Sed rate. That would at least give him some indication. Of course you could always be sero-negative, but I think it is worth a try. That's what I did with my primary. It had been 4 yrs since I had a RF test and I knew how I was feeling. He didn't even hesitate to order the tests.
I hope you can find out something soon. I know the fatigue, alone, can be debilitating. Oh, and just because you were told before it wasn't RA, doesn't mean that you can't have it. I had been tested twice before over the years and was told the same thing. Now my RF is 658, which is very high.
Good luck, Sweetie. Please let me know what the doctor says, okay?
Hope you feel better soon,
Gentle hugs,
Nini
Hi, I'm sorry moving around is so painful. Honestly, I doubt anyone notices when you get up and down and move. I hope you can get some answers as your symptoms do sound all too familiar, but who knows. Your doctor will surely give you the right guidance. I'm glad you are back to this message board as it has been such a comfort to me. Let us know what the doctor says. Good luck, sarah
Hi Cristal,
Your symtoms sound something like mine. I also have little to no swelling. My RA factor is negative. Most of my pain is in my wrists and thumbs and large knuckles. I've never had the swelling that lots of people here do, maybe you've seen the pictures of their hands. My MRI however shows the joint deteriation and that, along with the physical examination where the RD could see the obvious signs in my hands, is how my rheumatologist diagnosed me. I hope you're seeing a RD because if this is RA you really need to start the medication to slow the progression. Mine wasn't caught when my symtoms first started 5 years or so ago and I'm sure that's why it's as bad as it is now.
Oh, and welcome to the boards!
Thank you all for your support. I talked to my boss today, who has lupus. She is very supportive and she noticed the joints on my fingers and the knuckles on my hands were larger than normal. She gave me the Pittsburgh Magazine today which has the 2007 top docs in it for Pittsburgh and I am going to call tomorrow and try to get an appointment with one of them. She said that if I can get on a wait list to do that and if they call in the morning and tell me they have an opening to go and not worry about work. She just wants me to be seen as soon as I can. She is so nice and I'm glad to have the support at work too. She is about 10 years younger than me and I feel for her for all she goes through.
I will keep you all up to date with what is happening. Tonight at dinner I had a hard time holding my fork and this typing is very difficult today.
Have a good evening.
Cristal
I am so sorry you are not feeling well. I hope that the doc sends you to a rheumy and they take a serious look at what is going on. Please let us know what the doc said.