I don't think I've ever had a hot poker feeling. When my joints hurt it's generally with movement. If I keep the affected joint still it either doesn't hurt at all or just has a dull ache. If I have to move the joint the pain can range anywhere from bad to horrible. They usually swell up and turn red too. That's when I get the ice packs out.

As far as deformity goes, I have a few fingers that are going that way. Mainly, the affected joints are just bigger than the others, but I have a couple "swan necks" on my pointer and middle fingers of my right hand.

Hope this helps!

Hope you can find a good doctor. A rheum can help you find the right meds

Thank you for your feed back. all info helps. I am on MTX and Actemra but it's thru a research. I can't afford to be under the care of a rheumy until I get my disability. I am treated for fibro thru a free clinic. Thanx again for your replies.

I hae a hot poker feeling in my cervical spine and sacum. With the C-spine, it is usually very brief and if I move my head it goes away.
With my sacrum, it may last for hours. My rheumy is sending me to a neurologist about this, and leg and other issues.

My point is, these most likely are nerve pains. If you have a PCP, he might be willing to give you gebapenten, which is for nerve pain (if I spelled it right). Typically, though, they will want to do a nerve conduction tet first. This is not a lot of fun, as they send shocks down your nervs and time them to see how long they take to arrive, but its not too bad and all you have to do is lay there.

It is best to have this looked at asap, but I know you may not be able to do it right now If you can't go to a Dr and the pains are short and not frequent, moneywise, you may have to wait until they get a little longer so you can go to the ER, which will see you even if you can't pay. But I don't know if they will do a NCT, they will probably just want you to see a specialists later.
It is very possible that your RA is compressing nerves. Let the people in your study know this, I would think that they may treat this, since the idea of their research is to find out how there meds are effecting you...wouldn't hurt to ask.
The problem with nerve damage is that it is often not revesible

Hope you can find out something, or a way to see somebody.

I was under the impression that once you joined a study, they took care/paid for everything relvent to your condition. Is this not so?
I know when my grandpa had bone cancer, and they could not afford his care anymore, he was enrolled in a study, and they paid for pretty much everything.

Hi Inkjoy, thank you for your feedback. A Neurologist, at the Free Clinic I go to, is the doctor that referred me to the research clinic : ) With the research I am in they are studying the possibilities of com-binding 2 meds actually reversing some damage, The doctor I see with the research only comes in on certain visits, looks at my joints,cracks a joke and signs my forms. He is only allowed to answer questions directly involving the investigation, He is a fantastic doctor but is booked solid . On next Wed, visit for my infusion I get a joint assessment, The lady that does this and the one that gives me the infusion are both wonderful. They have given me advice to take back to my reg. doctors regarding test results or meds to take.I will definitely talk to them about it. I will let yall know their replies. Thank you again, you got me thinking. Love and hugs, Terri

I get that hot pokerey feeling you describe when my joints are deforming. I noticed the correlation twice now, pain like that for a few weeks and then at the next set of x rays, bone erosion at the site of that pain. I agree, a good rheumatologist is your best defense against this stupid disease.

Hope you feel better.

Hot pokers! Damn! I can't even begine to imagine what that would be like! I hope you don't have actual experience with real hot pokers to know its the same kind of pain, but i think if you imagine it's like that, it must be pretty bad. I sure hope you can get rid of the pain because that sounds bad. Don't know if theres a cinnection to get crippled joints. Mine aren't pink and bloated. Just crooked and fat and hurt like the dickens. Good luck for you.

thanx again for everyone's feedback . Khewes, I am sorry you have this terrible disease but in a sick sorda way it makes me feel less alone with my nightmare. Oh yes Oscar, the pain is very bad at times and that is the best description I can give it. Speaking strictly from imaginative not experience : ) I have Fibro as well as RA and I experience a wide variety of pains all throughout my body. I try to be prescriptive the best I can. Such as the one that feels like a rubber band being twisted until it burns. I don't get that one in my hand. I do get the feeling that bones are cracked in my fingers and wrist. Also, if I shake my fingers or snap them or tap them on the table I get little electric shock feelings shoot thru them sometime all the way to my elbows. The problem is I don't know whats RA. Now can you describe how the dickens feels when it hurts! : ) Love and hugs, Terri

Electric shots feelings are usually nerves (not to be repetative or anything!)

I have a book on Fibromyalgia and the tingling in my fingers is described as a symptom. I also want to correct the misspelling - I like to be descriptive not prescriptive. Thanks TW.