Were Your Symptoms Like This?

PenJ

Hi there,

Have only just read your post and thought I might add my experience to try and help you..... Well sort of anyway.....My onset of RA was unusual compared to the norm, but did have a few 'red flags' as they call them in the trade. Im 30 and just had my second baby. I had no pain, redness or tenderness at all on squeezing fingers, toes etc. but looking back at my warning signs they where there for months before. I had lost a lot of weight following the birth of my daughter, 10-15kg without dieting, I woke up most nights with bad night sweats, like someone had dropped a bucket of water on my head, I felt tired constantly, even after a week off work and a 3hr lie in I would still be tired. Everybody said it was stress and having a new baby. Happily you dont seem to have any of these red flags. i next had a sudden onset of a massive swollen knee when I bent down one day (Also unusual as its normally hands and feet). I saw a private consultant, who did knee surgery, thinking it was orthopaedic, when in there they saw an odd joint lining so took a biopsy and then referred me to a top rheumatologist and bone specialist, who did bloods, all of mine where normal.
They started me on anti inflammatories and gave me a steroid injection into my knee. They still had no diagnosis, other than hypermobility syndrome?Then, after a further 2weeks my elbow suddenly swelled up and became restricted so I couldn't touch my own head anymore - but still no pain.
After this the diagnosis came of sero negative RA.

I think what I'm trying to say,in a very round about way, is that firstly just cause you are going to see a consultant they might not be able to give you a diagnosis straight away, it's a very complex situation, so please try not to get fixed on anything that will only add to the already frustrating and slightly scary situation. Secondly, this 12week window you have read about, nobody has ever mentioned it, and when I asked my consultants about chemical remission, stopping the disease in its tracks etc, they don't think it works like that anymore.
Finally, by reading your symptoms through, it doesn't seem like you have any of the normal red flags that a rheumatology condition would bring and so hopefully for you it won't head down that route. I have all my fingers crossed for you. It's much role likely something else, post viral things, vit deficiencies can show as a more sudden onset, they did for my brother who thought he had a nerve problem but is now symptom free following vit b treatment.

Try if you can to take it one step at a time, because hopefully it won't be something longstanding so you don't want to have worried yourself prematurely, or if it does turn out to be something, you'll need stamina and patience ( a quality that deserts me regularly I hasten to add) when you begin on the long road of treatment with its associated often very long timescales

Good luck Wednesday and keep us posted, we're all wishing you well x

Michelle63

Hi I am new to this forum. I have a strange variety of symptoms, some worse than others. I started about 20 years ago with a strange flare up in my left elbow. It seized up completely for 4 days, gradually resolved with medication and not further problems with it. 8 years ago I had a similar flare up in my right hip, excruciating pain and lack of mobility for around 4 days, this had a slower resolution and my hip remained not quite as it was before. Last October a similar flare up. It started with a mild ache in my hip on the Monday, by Wednesday I could not lift my right leg and driving home was a tad difficult, trying to use the accelerator was positively dangerous. Again around 4 days to settle down. When I had the first incident a blood test showed a raised white cell count. I saw a consultant but was totally symptom free and being quite a sporty and flexi person passed all the stretching tests!!! I fractured my scaphoid in my right wrist 30 years ago and have ridden motorcycles all my life as well as being a trampoline and gymnastic coach so I expect a fair amount of wear and tear on my points. However in the last 4 years I have been experiencing pain, swelling and loss of function in my right thumb. Several injections and an X-ray later I am left with the option of a trapeziectomy. Several other joints are painful but not debilitating, right big toe, thumb, hip, left shoulder, elbow and thumb.

dreamdaisy

Hello, it's nice to meet you but I honestly don't know what to say about your symptoms. Mine were very different (and lasted for years rather than days) but I do know that we are all different in how our symptoms present and develop (and in my case don't resolve )What kind of medication were you given and what ilk of consultant did you see? DD

Michelle63

Hi, I saw a Rheumatologist about 20 years ago. I tend to use Voltarol as it is fairly effective, I am allergic to a few others. I was pretty symptomless when I saw him and the arthritis has been slowly creeping up on me. I am very fortunate so far that I am able to go about my daily life with few problems except for my thumb which needs to be sorted. It is just weird really, some days I can have pain for an hour or so then it goes away. If I am unwell I do notice an increase in symptoms. Bizarre

dreamdaisy

There is an auto-immune arthritis called Reactive Arthritis. This flares during or after illness and basically clears in between-times. I wonder if this fits your 'profile'? I'm lucky with mine, it's constant so I know where I am. DD

Michelle63

Could well fit my profile for a lot of my symptoms. Had my X-ray result today....advanced Oa in my thumb so trapeziectomy looks probable.

ELAINE55555

Hi Mrstiffy,

My sister has just been diagnosed with PALINDROMIC ATHRITIS. It is quite rare. Would it explain any of your symptoms?

Michelle63

I will need to do a bit of googling on that one done it.....aside from swelling, the rest of the symptoms do also appear to fit. Def Oa in my thumb but the other weird comings and goings could well be palindromic. Interesting.

maria09

Hi
How did you get on? Do you have a diagnosis yet?
Maria

Michelle63

Not really, I will have to wait for my consultation appointment. On a miserable note I am in a fair bit of discomfort today, must be the blooming weather!! Either that or having Ofsted in has upset me lol

maria09

Michelle63 wrote:

Not really, I will have to wait for my consultation appointment. On a miserable note I am in a fair bit of discomfort today, must be the blooming weather!! Either that or having Ofsted in has upset me lol

Definitely Ofsted

trepolpen

hi MrStiffy ,
did you have any luck with the rheumatologist , they can take some time to come up with a diagnosis , with me they took two years even with positive RF but that was a long time ago .

alot of the symptoms are the same for other arthritis , my RA the first was heat & redness of a knuckle , would not worry to much about the 12 weeks for DMARD only a guide & be careful what you read on the internet , not everything is true & stick to the main sites , some like Arthritis Care & NRAS have phone lines if needed & hope the doctors can help you soon

dreamdaisy

Hello MrS, I've been wondering too about how you got on. DD

frogmorton

The appointment was yesterday I think. I hope you got on ok Mr Stiffy

Love

Toni xx

dreamdaisy

Hello again MrS, I hope all is as OK as possible with you. I am still wondering how you got on. DD

maria09

Hi
I think he's gone AWOL
Hope alls ok
Maria

woodbon

Hello I do understand your frustration and desire to get some treatment underway. I've had to wait a long time for my diagnosis - several years!!! And its driven me mad! I used the internet too, but although it does help it also can frighten me to death - I've had the lot, according to me!

I have fibro, which causes a lot of pain and stiffness and also. Its taken the docs several years to come up with the answers. I also carry a gene for a spinal condition, AS, which my mum had, but having the gene dosn't mean I'll get it, just that its something that might flare up.

Many things have strange symptoms and its easy to think you have all sorts of things, I know, I've had almost athritic and nerve disorder on the internet!!! I can talk to my GP as an equal, she's very understanding. Have you tried doing this? Showing respect for your GP, but at the same time telling him all your symptoms.

I've no idea about private medicine, or the cost. I did have it once when in hospital for an emergency op, I transferred to private when I was well enough. I know in my case every test and drug and proceedure was listed and the cost was huge. That was a long time ago though and not an arthritic problem.

Best wishes Sue,

maria09

Hi
It seems a long time since Mr Stiffy was on here
I am hoping his absence is a good thing and he does not have any form of arthritis but I'm also thinking maybe the outcome is worse than he thought
I hope not
Maria