Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

For the longest time I had now external swelling. My shoulder was so bad inside I couldn't even hold it still on the pillow for the MRI. It wasn't till I finally had my first RD appt my fingers started getting all red and swollen.

I also have had little external swelling. I did have swelling in my hands that was noticable before I went on any treatment. I also had severe pain in my shoulder with no external swelling. I think it is common to have joint pain without swelling. Blood tests showed that I had RA and my RD started me on treatment right away. If you have been diagnosed with RA, it's important that you get on an aggressive treatment as soon as possible. Best wishes to you...

I went through a period like that, for a year, where swelling was virtually non-existant, redness on some joints was random and I was basically worthless, physically, with pain in just about all my joints. That was a year or so after RA started, until methotrextate started knocking down the pain. Since then, I get swelling occasionally, and I get pain occasionally, but neither are much of an issue any more.

I have never had much swelling, but at times my joints become burning hot to the touch. I am disabled by excruciating pain and stiffness...in the mornings, it takes 4 hours before I can get my body to cooperate. My rheumy, who works at Mayo Clinic, and whom I just saw yesterday said, "your joints look good as there's very little swelling. There will be no changes in your treatment plan, and you should try to start working again full time." My complaints of severe pain and stiffness went totally unheard. I am beside myself, and even though I'm a NURSE for heaven's sake, I can't seem to get through to my doc that I CANT GO ON like this!

I ahve had swelling in my right knee for the longest now,going on about 2 mos. I was going to ask a question, but since we are talking about it here i'll ask too if that's ok. My knee hurts in the back and when I bend it it feels like I have a cramp or are about to get one and it pulls down all the way to my ankle. it hurts alot when I bend it so I avoid it when ever possible. Does anyone have that too. I've had my 6th week of mtx and hope it goes away soon.
bigi

I have never had any swelling..but the pain and tiredness has been awful....my doctor tells me its because R.A affects muscles as well as joints.....I also had fire red hands that felt like i stuck them in a campfire to roast..lol but no swelling. I have joint pain all the time..but again no swelling.

Kim

pain is pain with or without external signs in my book. sometimes my joints are not at all hot or res or swollen., But i have gotten coriston shots because they HURT and my reg treatment isn;t helping one particular join.t

Thank you all for your help!

If you have (or had) no external swelling and you are still getting treated, please consider giving me the name of your doctor. If you like you can put it here or message me. I also have an email rawarrior@att.net where you can send info more privately. Like santa claus I guess, I am making a list.

Kelly aka rawarrior :D
www.rawarrior.blogspot.com

"DeathWarmedOver
There will be no changes in your treatment plan, and you should try to start working again full time. My complaints of severe pain and stiffness went totally unheard."

I hear you!!! I’m new here but I agree that a lot of the time my outward visible symptoms did not seem to match the pain. Even the blood work didn’t seem to match up. I stopped going to my Rheumy for a whole year because I got tired of being ignored and told you don’t look that bad and your tests have been worse. I started to develop RA nodules everywhere so clearly my disease is progressing. Just had an appointment last week and now he says he doesn’t like the look of the inflammation and my CRP was back up to 33 (was 10.7 one year ago). He’s starting new treatment on Enbrel as soon as I get approved by MSP (Canada). But guess what… I’m in less pain than I was a year ago but somehow clinically worse? I noticed in February for no apparent reason that my muscle pain, stiffness, tendonitis/ bursitis was calming down. I only get occasional tendonitis in my wrists now and I’ve been able to lift my arm (shoulder) consistently for the last five months. I had severe weakness in my muscles too… and not for lack of use… I’ve been working the whole time. I think at this point that 50% of my pain was actually coming from the tissues outside the actual joints which may be why it doesn’t show outwardly as much. I think inflammation of the tendon or ligament or muscle isn’t as easily seen by the doctors… well at least not until the damage is actually done and you develop scar tissue.
Well that’s my theory anyway. Anybody else who posted in this thread still Rheumatoid Factor negative?

Thanks so much . I am working through this list, but please message me if you can give me the name of any dr. who treated RA without external obvious swelling.
Kelly