TW, MOST OF THE WOMEN I HAVE SPOKE WITH THAT HAVE RA SAY THAT THE BEGINNING OF THE DISEASE STARTED IN THEIR FEET AND HANDS. GO TO A RA DOC AND HAVE YOURSELF CHECKED. THEY'LL DO BLOOD WORK, ETC.
I HOPE IT'S NOT RA. FIBRO IS NO PICNIC EITHER.
GOOD LUCK
OLGA

Hi Nativenewyorker, the clinic I go to dx me with fibro around March and have been constantly doing bloodwork. Last week results came back positive for ra. I'm trying to distinguish between the two. I hve always described the pain as a crippling pain and this is the part that scares me.
I have no insurance and the clinic I have been going to does not prescribe pain meds. I have an appt. the end of Oct. at another clinic with a pain doctor. My dr. told me Fri., when she called and put me on Prednisone, to check and see if they have a rhuemetologist at the clinic.Will call in the morning to see.Thanks TW

Native is right, RA starts in hands and feet, and you described the pain perfect! There were days for me when I would rather crawl than walk. (Sigh) Air conditioning, wow, pain. My husband like to put it on floor and vents in the car, I wear flip flops! I finally talked him into vent only.

Now, Fibro and Ra. I have both, it's no picnic. The best way for me to distinguish between the two is with the fibro, a light tough hurts and causes my muscles to spasm. The RA is more of a throbbing aching pain. It's really hard to tell which is which most of the time though. Alot of people don't know that RA is not only in the joints but soft tissue, tendons and ligaments as well. Especially for those of us with a RA factor, it travels in our blood and if the blood can reach it, so can the RA. It makes it hard to tell what's what.

I will say this though. I started muscle toning excersizes for the Fibro and it works wonders. I don't have near as many flares. Fibro actually forms rutts in the muscles from the signals the brain sends. The pain signal keeps following the same rutt making the pain more frequent and more intense. Muscle toning reforms that muscle not allowing the rutt form. It honestly works and helps with the RA as well. It is so important to keep moving.

Hope you feel better soon.

I don't have fibrobut I have lived with RA since 1997. My feet appear to be the worst for me. I suggest you see a foot doctor. My rhuemie says their are so many bones and joints that the feet are a specialized fireld of there own. Recently I had unflappable unyielding pain. x-rays were negative, but an MRI showed a partially torn tndon in my ankle and I had to wear a boot for a month. Your feet are nothing to play around wiith. Talk to a doctor instead of trying to figure it out on your own. Eithe way, pain is pain and I hope it subsides for you soon.

Thank you guys so much.I'm sorry for your pain but for you to say I described it perfect,Tanyan, I feel assured I'm dealing with RA.
I'm scheduled to go to a Chiroprator I think the 26th of this month, I go back to the Free Clinic were I was diagnosed I think on the 30th and then Oct.26th to the pain doctor. I have been on 5mg. of prednisone for only 4 days. The pain at the base of my toes. has not eased up in 4 to 5 days. Do I try to see someone sooner?

Two years before I was diagnosed with RA, even with RA blood testing done, I was told I had plantar fasciitis. I had cortisone injections in my feet about once every 6 to 8 months. I was exhausted all the time and couldn't find a solution. Finally, when my feet were so sore that I could hardly walk, I was diagnosed with RA. Now on the medications, even though I'm not great, my feet are better. I wonder if I even had plantar fasciitis too or if that was the beginning of the RA.