Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Thank you so much to everyone who reponded! I was beginning to feel like I was nuts! I went to see a new Doc yesterday and he is wonderful! He increased my Methotrexate and may start me on biologic... somethingerother! Know anything about these? Thanks again everyone!

I agree with everyone. That is EXTREMELY pathetic and cruel for your Rheumatologist to tell you "you look fine" I have seen doctors like this also and you know what those little 3 words mean? They mean "Your just a whiny, hypochondriac baby so shut up and take some damn aspirin and call me when you REALLY have something wrong with you!" I am serious when I say that. i just switched doctors because my other one I saw for 5 years was not accepting my insurance anymore. the one I see now is 10 miles away from me but he is an Internal Medicine doctor but I have to see him because there is no rheumatologist within 30 miles of me. It doesnt matter though because I was tested for RA years ago and tested positive. I went to one of those "far away" rheumy's and he actually laughed at me and said that lots of people get false positives and since I did not have any redness or swelling I was perfectly fine and probably had fibro. Well I do have fibro but I also have JOINT pain and it does not take a medical degree for me to know that consistent joint pain with the formation of nodules equals RA. So anyway I just spent 3 years without a diagnosis and no meds to help. Because of this I now have a few small joints that are completely disintegrated and several that are very crumbly feeling. My advice is DEFINITELY see a new doctor. Good luck!

I am happy for thatyou found a new one. Sometimes it takes a while before you get that one Dr. that really understands you.
My flare in my hand had gotten so bad that I begged my Hubby to just chopp it off. The burning and swelling was very bad. I have RA on both sides, but for some reason the only symptoms I experience are on my right side of the body, which means the activity is in my left hand also, but no redness , no swelling. So there.
bigi

Oh and by the way my right knee has been in a flare since June. Redness and swelling.
bigi

I too rarely get swelling or redness in my joints. My right knee is swollen a bit all the time - once in a rare while, my ankles. My hands are affected right now, with just a little swelling in the first two knuckles, but this is a first for me. But the pain is everywhere - seems to travel. The last few days in my shoulders, AND ELBOWS!, and hands. Other times it might be in my knees, hips and ankles, but generally there is no swelling or redness. I'm glad you found a different doc to go to - someone who hopefully knows their stuff better than your other one did!

sometimes the pain would move so much that I told my Rheumy that the RA gets to go on Trips more than I do.
bigi

I have had a lot of flares without redness or swelling. Pain and fever in my joints have been my major symptoms.
I had to find a new doctor a few years ago. This new doctor has been very agressive in the treatment. I have more good days since I changed. I wish I had done it sooner...