Onset Symptoms Question

KN62

Hi,

5 months ago on waking up I would have stiff sore feet, when quickly disputed after a few steps. One one later achilles tendonitis started in both legs (still an issue). Next month tennis elbow in one arm. Next month constant stiffness in forearm muscle in other arm. During that time I twice has CRP and ESR body inflammatory tests and each time received normal results. August started with random brief shooting pain in fingers which over the last 10 days has changed to waves of short lived intense pain in multiple finger joints, both hands hands, worse when at rest. This pain moves after a minute to other finger joints and this pattern continues on/off all day. There is no swelling, no redness and no tenderness. I have bit of a lump appearing at the base of my thumb but not sure if this is the start of a nodule or not. Can find the right information.The first rheumatologist appointment I can get is one month away. Pain and lack of sleep beginning to get to me. Is this story familiar and does it suggest likely RA diagnosis.

KN

anneb82

Hello @KN62

Welcome to the online community and thank you for joining us. I hope that you will find this a helpful and supportive community to be a part of.

So over the last 5 months you have been developing different symptoms that are currently unexplained. These include stiff sore feet, constant stiffness in a forearm and random shooting pains in your fingers which is the most recent development. Over the last 10 days the shooting pains have changed from being brief to waves of short lived intense pain in multiple finger joints in both hands. During the last 6 months you have had your CRP and ESR tested twice and they have both come back normal each time. You are waiting for your first rheumatologist appointment which is over a month away. You are wondering if this is the start of Rheumatoid Arthritis and if anyone had similar symptoms before they were diagnosed.

Gosh it sounds like you have been really going through it the last 6 months and it must be very frustrating for you as well as painful. From my own personal experience, my introduction to RA was not at all similar to what you have described but we are all different. I'm sure once other members have had the chance to read your post, you will get lots of different opinions and stories on how others were diagnosed and the symptoms they had.

In the meantime, I'm attaching some information from the main Versus Arthritis website that I think may be of interest to you so please do have a look when you have the chance.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis/

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/hand-and-wrist-pain/

Please do let us know how you are getting in and good luck at your rheumatologist appointment. Please do also continue to keep getting involved in the community. We are a friendly bunch and are always looking to make new friends.

Take care

Anne (Moderator)

KN62

Thank you Anne for your kind response and links to further information. The sudden arrival of intense recent pain and the apparent randomness of early symptoms, takes a bit of adjusting to. I hope to be able to contribute positively within this community in the future.

KN

stickywicket

It's so long since I started with R.A. (over 60 years) I can only remember painful and swollen finger joints. I've no idea whether or not yours are early symptoms but you should know that not all forms of inflammatory arthritis show up readily on the blood tests that GPs do. Some are 'sero-negative'. Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) is one. Even RA can be sero-neg. Have a read here https://nras.org.uk/resource/seropositive-and-seronegative/

KN62

Thank you for this information. I have learnt to understand, an autoimmune diagnosis is quite complex. What puzzles me on the RA front is, for me, the absence of swelling, stiffness or obvious visual inflammation. I seem to be bombarded with random joint pain. I can't work it out, maybe it's early days. Anyway, thank you for giving your time to respond. Much appreciated.

KN

KN62

Azzak

Hi KN62

I understand where you are coming from. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder about 3 years ago, I also have Osteoarthritis in my upper and lower spine diagnosed in 2007, I recently have some swelling in finger joints. Had my blood test for inflammation yesterday so waiting for results and for my appointment at RA Hospital Clinic. I too have had pain in my knees over the last few years, this escalated randomly to hands, ankles, hips, arms etc. during the recent hot weather, sorry, my point is that prior to recent escalation I had periodically over the last few years pain and heat in my knees but no swelling. I hope that you can soon sort your pain management with medical support. Take care now.

scotleag

I don't think there's any set pattern of symptoms. It varies from one person to another. I know in my own case (in retrospect) the first symptoms were what I thought was a crick in the neck that wouldn't go away. I had problems looking in either direction when crossing a road. It was a minor annoyance and I did nothing about it.

That persisted for well over a year then I developed pain in my shoulders and arms which I attributed to carrying heavy luggage and rucksacks on a particularly wet touring holiday. It was only when the pain became agonising and my wife was worried it might be my heart that I was persuaded to go to the GP for blood tests which led to RA diagnosis. I was shocked. I was 38 years old and the possibility of rheumatoid arthritis had never crossed my mind. I'd probably had it for two to three years before formal diagnosis.

Bleu

I have had a similar kind of experience as yourself. Mine started with very sore hands. After a bit, not sure how many months, my knees and feet were more sore. In between those periods, the pain went away. It wasn't until I had very sore hands, sore ankles and feet and one shoulder that gradually grew in pain. After about a month, blood tests were done. All neg. I had no swelling, redness, fever, etc The only thing was my fingers and toes felt like squishing a hot dog. Doctors like to call it bogginess. For a while, the pain came and went. Then, it decided to stay in my fingers the most, but still have intermittent pain in different joints. Exercises seem to help, so does a warm bath. Good luck

KN62

Thank you for sharing this. Every person seems to have their own personal journey with a wide and varying variety of symptoms. Things seem to come to a head when pain management is required. Well, no one said life would be easy. We carry on regardless!!! Thank you.

JenHB

Interestingly, for me my left knee suddenly became very swollen so even walking up stairs normally was impossible - but was bizarrely pain free. Booked into see a sports physio (as it was a few days after a weeks cycling holiday and I was meant to be doing a half marathon a month later). She was stumped so wrote to my GP telling them to do bloods - this resulted in a referral to rheumatology. Initially for about 5 months it was 'watch and wait' as it was just my knee and a steroid injection calmed it down. Then, in February this year the knees were getting grumbly again and now the middle knuckle of one hand decided to join in on the being swollen act and been on methotrexate ever since. As you said, everyone's story is different.

KN62

Thank you for sharing this. My GP voiced the 'watch and wait' 5 months ago after two esr/crp blood tests came back normal. Increasing finger pain (along with a lengthy list of pains and muscle stiffness), has got me seeing a consultant next month. I am however my own worst enemy. With 60 years of good health and fitness behind me, I still believe I can to anything. Today, first day of our holiday. Carrying two cases has agrivated the tennis elbow issue (this I should have expected) and done in my shoulder joint (this I was'nt expecting), which is now sore, stiff and making lovely grating noises on movement. What can you do, other than just keep going!! Thank you again for taking the time to respond.

KN