RA??? PLEASE HELP NEW TO THIS

dinkidi

Hello i'm very new to anything like this. Please be gentle with me lol. I haven't been officially diagnosed with RA but i'm really just after some advice and to see if my symptoms are alike any ones. I'm 32 yrs of age and for the last 6 months have been experiencing stiff finger joints along with wrist joints and elbows and warmth from the knees. No visible swelling. Night times are my worst and early mornings which I suffer, most pain and stiffness coming from my fingers. I get very tired through out the day but manage to cope reasonably well although I have noticed every day tasks like hovering is starting to hurt my wrists. My GP has refered me to a RA specialist and carried out blood work revealing my RA test to be negative, a slight vitamin D deficiency and a positive to some auto immune test. I'm currently on a number of medication and the only other medical problem I have is that I have suffered with lower back pain for quite some years. My symptoms seem to be getting worse each day and I am worried this could be in the early stages of something. So is it possible I could have RA with no visible swelling and these symptoms, i'm worried I will get to my appointment and having no swelling will not believe my pain. What also am I to expect from my first visit?? Any help would be much appreciated and i'm sorry if this is in the wrong section. Also the last few nights I have had a warmth from knees, hot to touch but no pain or swelling, don't know if this is relative to my symptoms. Many thanks Re posted this from another forum :?

dreamdaisy

Hello, it's nice to meet you but I am so sorry you have felt the need to find us.

There are two sorts of arthritis, osteo and the auto-immune types. Osteo is the most common and fairly straightforward to diagnose as it shows on Xrays but the other kind can be far harder. The auto-immune types (and there are many) are linked to an over-active immune system and this makes them harder to define. I have a personal history of an over-active immune system (as a child I was plagued with eczema and asthma, i.e. things that didn't trouble others troubled me to the point that my body 'attacked' me) and that has now carried on with psoriatic arthritis but that took some time to establish.

My initial blood tests were for rheumatoid arthritis, they were sero-negative (i.e. no rheumatoid factor was present in my bloods) but my inflammation markers were very high (I had a very fat left knee to prove it) so I was termed as an 'inflammatory arthritis' case. Many forms of inflammatory arthritis are sero-neg, including RA. Yup, it's complicated.

I also have a foot in the osteo camp as the joint damage from the PsA has led to OA in a number of joints. The OA is manifest in my neck, ankles, knees and recently my right hip. The pain is very different, it feels hot and sharp but my OA joints are not hot to the touch. In the past my PsA-affected joints were hot to the touch and visibly swollen. Yup, it's complicated.

It's good that you have been referred to a rheumatologist, this may be the time to start keeping a diary of pain, tiredness, what helps or hinders, stiffness levels etc because this will help him/her to gain a better over-all picture of you. Everyone's arthritis is different (my PsA was supposed to begin with my small joints and didn't) but we will be here to support you as and when.

I've had a tough day and am now very tired so I will wish you well and hope to hear from you again soon. DD

barbara12

Hello dinkidi
And welcome
DD has given you lots of information, and yes you are in the right place to ask for help...I understand how you feel about the swelling and heat not being present when you see the consultant...quite a few of us have had the same fear...we dont want bad news but we also want them to believe us.
Don't you go worrying, just go along there and take it has it comes, and don't forget you now have us to talk to....please let us know how you get on xx

frogmorton

Hi dinkidi

My bloods are negative, but I am being treated so yes it is possible for bloods to be 'negative for Rheumatoid factor', but still have an inflammatory arthritis.

At my first appt I had (more) bloods taken chest Xrays and a quick physical....(so wear trackies or other comfortable clothes). A history was taken and for me Disease modifying anti rheumatic drug prescribed straight away.

Good luck and welcome to the forums I am so gald you found us

Love

Toni xxx

shandy4greenday

Hi my bloods were also negative I have inflammatory and also am taking Adcal for a vitamin D deficiency which from what it seems is quite common in auto-immune,mine started with my hands and wrists and is gradually effecting other parts of my body but mine is swollen.I am sure you will get a better picture once you see the rhumatology I've only had my 2nd appointment and I am already getting some proper medication now.Good Luck x

dinkidi

Hi so it seems that even having an RF negative and no swelling, I could still have RA. I had a busy weekend and now I am feeling the repercussions from it. It grieves me that I now can't take my children to a play place and play with them without paying for it for the next few days. I feel I am trapped in someone elses body. Thank you for the advice about the first app, I shall wear something comfy and I am going to keep a pain diary from now on as I am quite forgetful and also very shy, so when it comes to speak to the doctors I don't know what to say. I feel I have quite a high pain threshold and I do just get on with things. I don't like to be beaten with pain but it is getting me down a little as I feel I am letting my family down. Thank you all for your advice and sharing some of your experiences with me. I am glad I have found this forum and now have people that understands what I am going through, so thank you all xx

dreamdaisy

You could indeed have an inflammatory arthritis but not necessarily RA. The one thing that you should not do is push yourself too hard: for example take your children to the park but encourage them to play with others whilst you keep watch. Pace yourself with the housework, rest whenever you can because the harder you drive yourself the longer the tiredness lasts. These diseases make demands upon us that we don't like but we have to respect. Keep your diary and also write down any questions that occur to you, either to ask the rheumatologist or us: no question is too silly, OK? It's a bewildering time for you, we appreciate that. DD

stickywicket

You'll find ways of playing with your children. They may not be the ways you play now but, for them, the time together will be just as valuable. You are not 'letting your family down'. I remember thinking on those lines and a wise (childless) friend assured me that 'as long as they get plenty of love and affection, they'll be OK'. He was right.

This is all new and difficult for you right now but the more you can adapt, the easier it'll get.