Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Well, your doctor clearly doesn't know the whole story. A lot of us here have RA activity without redness and swelling. Most inflammation comes with those symptoms, but not ALL. I hope your doctor will address your pain, despite her incomplete understanding of RA activity.

Best wishes,
doug

Thanks! I'm switching Dr's... but this is just frustrating. I just saw her this past week and she told me I looked good even though I told her about my foot, knee, and hip. She told me I could go off of my sulindac and try just ibuprofen with my methotrexate... 2 days off the sulindac and man are my foot and knee whorse. Back on the sulindac for me! Thanks for the info. Tif

Oftentimes, I experience flares without redness or swelling. I very rarely experience swelling. It doesn't mean the pain isn't there it just manifests itself in a different way.

o that just makes me so maddddd what does she mean you look fine evidentlly your not. im just get so po when people say that its irritating as he!! i start going to doc appointment looking like bull. i dont dress (jogging suit) hair not done no makeup and with both knee braces on my shoulder in a sling my wrist wraped in ace bandages then they start taking me serious. i would find another doc im sorry but that statement just burns me up

I have also experienced docs being vague about my RA.
I usually only get redness and swelling in my hands but I find when I flare up the pain is most agonising in my hips,knees and feet although my rheumy just seemed to brush off the pain because there wasn't much swelling or redness.

I am going to have to disagree with your dr. At my worst I had alot of pain with very minimum visible swelling. You couldn't tell my joints were swelling unless you touched them. As for redness I didn't have any at all.

just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not there. simple as that.

I have had bad flares in the past and I am unable to get out of the bed, Ecerything hurts from my eyeballs all the way to my toes and not missing anywhere in between. I have had neither redness or swelling at the time of the flare. I agree with the others time for a new Rheumatologist.

Just joining in with the "sometimes I flare with no redness" group. When I first started my RA journey there was definite redness and swelling - now there is less "visible" stuff but I actually have more joints that hurt. My dr. is very much into treating what I tell her, not what she can "see" or what the lab reports tell her. Not that she just jumps at everything I say but anything I tell her that she can't see right away, she moves the joint, listens to it, etc.

Unbelievable! Is your Dr. a rheumatologist?
You say your pain is worse and she decreases your meds? What sense is that? Dumb. Glad you're seeing someone new.
"You look fine" sounds like a comment from a totally uninformed member of the general ignorant public, not a doctor!