Severe joint pain and stiffness all over, horrible fatigue, and mild swelling on my hands, When I woke up it felt like I had been run over by several simi-trucks. Followed by Scleritis. I wasn't "diagnosed" until this past April, but have had all of the symptoms for about 10 years.

I went thru most of last winter spending my days in bed. The extreme fatigue was the biggest complaint until my wrists and fingers became stiff and painful in the mornings. Then the joint pains would move around my entire body. Sometime symmetrical but certainly not always. No redness yet. Minimal swelling in hands.

I was having overlapping flares of joint swelling and pain, fatigue, general "feeling like crap" :). I've bumped up a post by wrechead called real world symptoms - it might help.

Tort

Hi. I had stiffness especially in the hands. Pain in joints in my hands, elbow, knees, toes and as it got worse in my shoulder joints and chest. I never had much redness the swelling too was barely visible but it hurt like mad! I hope you can get some relief soon. Take care.

I was just diagnosed last week. I've had redness and swelling in my hands for about 8 weeks. I've had pain in my hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck, hips, knees, ankles and feet for 7 weeks. I've had these symptoms in the past but never for this long...usually only lasting a day or two and w/o the swelling in the hands.

My rheumie, while not what I'd call a people person, was quick to get moving on treatment which I am grateful for. I hope your Dr. is proactive for you too.

blessings,
Missy

hi - thought you already diagnosed - gosh it is slow - this disease needs prompt action! On off symptoms over a few years eg sore knee - GP put down to overexercise then nothing for two years, sore elbow - again went away for two years etc. Last couple of months before diagnosis sore feet with swelling on leg above ankles, couldnt raise arms and trigger finger. This worried me and I started splinting it at night to stop it triggering as I realised I probably had one of the disfiguring diseases. It worked although before I tried this the "triggering" would go away naturally half way through the day; I was afraid the time would come when it didnt. OK once into drug regime. good luck

This is how mine all started last year. Had flu (influenza) shot, 2 weeks later got virus & sore throat then a few joints got sore (toe, finger & knee). Then one night very sore & swollen foot (thought it might be gout). Then month later knees very stiff in mornings affecting my walking. Developed mycoplasma double pneumonia during this time (went undiagnosed for 2+ months) & started Prednisone & hospitalised & arthritis symptoms went away. Then stopped Pred & severe joint pain (everywhere & mainly symmetrical) & stiffness (no redness) then crippled (for all but 4 hours each day) & couldn't move & then diagnosis. I never had any of these symptoms prior to last year. Everyone was hoping it was 'reactive arthritis' due to virus & mycoplasma but no.

Even though joints can be extremely painful I haven't noticed any redness.

Take care, Anna

Hi Renne,
I hope your answers come soon.

This is a great thread! My feet were swollen to 2ce their size. No swelling or redness anywhere else. Pain, stiffness, weakness, and loud noises from joints in perfectly symmetrical pattern. I described it as "dominoes" since the joints would seem to fail one after the other. Didn't have fatigue at first that I remember. But the pain & disability were so great, maybe I didn't notice.

This thread seems to confirm again, that it's not the same for everyone.

I've been doing some research on this because I think this may lead to clues about causes or treatments. Here's a list of what people have told me so far: http://rawarrior.com/2009/09/what-is-the-first-symptom-of-rheumatoid-arthritis/

If you'd like to see more stories of how RA started for a few more folks: http://rawarrior.com/onset-of-rheumatoid-arthritis-stories/#c1
Hoping you will be able to get relief soon!
Kelly
http://rawarrior.com

I started with Palindromic Arthritis. I would get a flare in one joint in my wrist for 24 hours and then it was gone. Then another in a toe joint and then gone. I was told it wasn't serious, and wouldn't cause much damage and given no further information or treatment. It gradually morphed into morning stiffness everywhere, and being tired. Then I was diagnosed with hypoactive thyroid, and the Synthroid helped the tiredness for a while, but not the stiffness. I decided the best approach was to join and gym and get in shape, and started working out 2 hours 6 days a week. The elliptical cross trainer was brutal on my feet. I used to fall off on the floor and take at least 5 minutes to get up and get on with the work out. (My feet started to become very damaged at this point). I kept "pushing through the pain", and working out. One day I went in on a Friday, and I could do the leg press at 80 lbs. On the weekend, my left knee got swollen, hot and red. Monday I went back to the gym, and the swelling was so bad, on that leg I couldn't even push the bar with 0 lbs, although the other leg could still take the full 40 lbs. My knee looked like a balloon. I went home and never went back, because my hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders etc. started to swell. I remained sed negative for another year, and was put on prednisone, got a cane, couldn't walk up one stair, and had to go on disability for mental illness, because I could not get a diagnosis for the RA. (Between the prednisone and the losing my health, I WAS pretty depressed.) I had always been so active, I craved salt on the prednisone and gained 80 lbs. I went to 4 rhuemies who told me I couldn't have RA although it looked like it, because I was sed negative. It was nearly 2 years from the point where I started getting the individual flares to when I saw an old rheumie who said he didn't need blood tests, I was an example of severe RA, and put me on mthx. That wasn't nearly enough, and after trying Naproxen, I finally got on a biologic, which turned my life around.

I also had a trigger finger in my pinkie R hand, which eventually resolved, although my middle finger has one now, which I treat by stretching the tendon, along with the hammer toes in my feet. When I was bad, I was in a wheel chair, and could not bend my fingers at all, although that was quite a while after the initial stage.
I was given all kinds of possiblitiies, from lupus to fibromyalgia. However, the only one that ended up fitting, was RA, and the treatment is now quite successful, except for the damage done before I got proper treatment. I urge you to be aggressive when you get your diagnosis, and you will feel better when you get on the right combination of meds. Also eat well, and exercise and stretch as much as you can.

For me, Renne, it was parallel pain in both of my hands that was very painful. I had been in splints for over a year, had carpal tunnel surgery and then the parallel pain hit.

Lynne

Small joint pain in hands and feet, occasionally ankles. Also several bouts of teit'z syndrome, lower back pain was extreme. I had swelling (minor), heat and redness in hands and morning stiffness sometimes all day stiffness. I was in a pretty bad place. I also had numbess in my hands and face with my hands staying from shades of purple to bright red which is now raynauds.

I went to bed healthy and normal one night and woke up the next feeling like I had a bad flu but no respiratory symptoms. Over the next few days the pain kept increasing until it made me cry. My hands and feet were swelled. My joints were red and so hot they sweat. Blood tests of every kind were performed but only my sed rate was through the roof and my CRP. I was and still am sero-negative for RA. However that was my DX based on other factors. I got a lot worse before getting better. I didn't sleep at all for 2 weeks due to the pain. That caused me to become so weak I could not even sit up unassisted. I had to be carried to the bathroom. OH! I remember hating having to sit down on the toilet and pulled back up. Everything in life was pure torture. I had to be fed and my pills had to be put in my mouth. I just felt like a buden in my house because no one is cut out to be a care giver...

Then I made a Dr. change and the new one increased my prednisone to 40 mgs. I went to bed and I woke up the next day almost 100% better! So as quickly as it came on- it subsided.

Not that I feel healthy, pain free and strong but when you have onset to compare life to....well it takes alot to make you feel bad.

My first symptoms were pain in both hips and my neck. Then my hands swelled up and the fatigue hit me like a ton of bricks. All my bloodwork came back normal except for the ANA. I did a trial of prednisone to make sure that inflammation was the problem (it was). My first rheumatologist wanted to start treatment with MTX but didn't diagnose me. A year later I was officially diagnosed by a different doctor based on erosions that showed up on xrays.

I went to my primary's office and was diagnosed by one of her colleagues that same visit almost 8 yrs ago. I had been having pain and stiffness in my hands in the afternoon and having difficulty writing notes. In the middle of the night it would take me about 1/2 hour to turn from one side to another. The diagnosis of RA was at that visit and I was sent to Rheumatologist right away.

Hi RenneG! Mine started with trigger finger in both thumbs. At first I thought it was funny, kinda interesting, but it progressed to real stiffness in both hands and aching in the knuckles. I was "used to" the stiffness in my feet and legs, figuring that was due to my running 3 or 4 miles a few times a week interspersed with sitting for hours in my chair ( I am a psychotherapist/RN). My ankles have swollen for eons and my back aches and knee pain seemed "normal". I have had only a borderline RA factor. No deformities. No terribly obvious swelling other than my thumbs. I started treatment last January and I think I am finally onto something with Arava and Plaquenil. I have refused Prednisone due to the side effects and long-term damage. I STILL question the diagnosis but it is the only one that seems to fit. Hope that you find out soon. Seems like such a mystery diagnosis, huh? After 35 years in nursing, I thought that I understood most chronic illnesses but this has been a whole new chapter!! Enjoy your training!