The first question in the series asks about when you first discovered your diagnosis.
How long have you been diagnosed with arthritis? What was the trigger for diagnosis? What made you seek an initial opinion?
Share your experiences and interact with other members in the comments below!
Symptoms started in spring 2008; confirmation in early 2009. Swollen hands and wrists.
Why seek a diagnosis? Really? Chronic pain and swelling.
Diagnosed in June 2017at age 37. I had what I thought was a broken toe for 2 years so Dr sent me for an x-ray which showed bone erosion. I have had various symptoms for the last 5 to 10 years and had psoriasis since age 25. Also had a swollen knee and hip pain which I put down to injury and having kids. I didn't see a Dr about those because I was feeling like a hypochondriac already!
I was diagnosed 2 years ago with sero positive Rheumatoid Arthritis. I first approached my GP ( 18 months before diagnosis) with continued pain in right arm ( wrist to elbow) with some slight swelling causing great trouble sleeping as couldn’t move around in bed. I had tests such as RF, CRP ( neither too high), x-rays, ultrasound, then finally anti-ccp blood test as well as visual joints check by Rheumatologist and my description of pain and joint use issues together with swelling and hot to touch. By the time I got to see a rheumatologist ( 18 months) I had very little use of my right wrist which had become destroyed by the severity of the RA!
Diagnosed 5yrs ago. Went to my GP with swollen & painful feet kept getting flu like symptoms & so so tired beyond tired. She knew what it was straight away. I had never heard of RD or any of the other immune problems. I got an appointment with a rheumatologist very quickly loads of tests were done meds were given. My bloods have always been ‘borderline’ so my consultant treats me for the symptoms my body displays. I must say I’ve had excellent care.
About three years ago I woke up with pain & swelling in both ankles - swelling so bad shoes/boots I normally wore caused great pain. I saw a GP - not my usual doc - who did blood tests and said she thought it was Systemic Lupus. I mildly freaked. She sent me to Rhuematologist who looked at me & my tests and said I had Sjogrens. I took Tramadol for a while and symptoms subsided so I switched to naxaproxen.
Soon after, I developed pain in the right shoulder - long story short, I was diagnosed with frozen shoulder - - - months and months of P/T, Norco, and NO sleep. I went back to the Rhuematologist thinking Sjogrens might have something to do with it - he claimed he never said I had Sjogrens and said I should exercise my neck.
I absolutely could not sleep - Norco did not help - it kept me up. Got a referral to a pain doc who told me to look up Parsonage Turner's syndrome on my phone and left the room.... He did prescribe a pain patch - which I discovered was just the Norco seeping into my flesh. I could not finish the treatment - I felt miserable - tired (still not sleeping), irritable, barely able to work.
Meanwhile, I was working with an Ortho doc on the shoulder. No one had explained to me what frozen shoulder was. He drew a timeline showing that it usually resolves of its own within one to two years. I cried. He said, well, at least it's not cancer....
I walked into P/T one day and my therapist said, "you look awful." I had pain everywhere - ankles, knees, elbows, wrists - and shoulder (which I eventually has surgically "fixed").
On to a new Rhuematologist. This one did ultrasound, diagnosed RA and started me on Methotrexate and the usual supplements. I hated the MTHX - fatigue, mouth sores, thinning hair at times sleepless...
I finally tried to take control. Went from vegetarian to vegan. Got rid of gluten. Upped my exercise as pain allowed. Found new supplements: papaya, devil's claw, ginseng.... Started eating raw walnuts and dried tart cherries everyday, and added herbal Kratom for relaxation, pain management and peace of mind. I cannot do anything in the am until I have a cup of green tea and Kratom.
I talked my doc into cutting back the MTHX when things began to become more manageable. I added an SSRI - also treatment for inflammation. I am not out of the woods. Just keep working on it....
Mine started during my nurse training with pain in the long bones of my right arm. This developed to pain which moved from my arms to my legs, but alway in the long bones and never in the joints. It took me hours to be able to move in the morning before going onto 12 shifts. And I didn’t know wether to laugh or cry when I would start my ward rounds helping numerous patients to get out of bed with them saying “you don’t know what it’s like”. This was around 2012. Numerous visits to gp, bloods all the tests but nothing conclusive. Treat with naproxen and this effected my liver so much I got the “alcohol” talk from my gp post abnormal blood test for elevated lft lol 😂😂😂👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻. I was diagnosed with palindromic rheumatoid due to symptoms first as bloods were inconclusive. I also had carpal tunnel left and right. This was operated on while I was awake around 2015. The Adrenalin rush from that experience sorted me right out, plus probably the prednisalone, for approx 2-3 month and I was symptom free. However it returned with a vengeance !!!!! I couldn’t move, I couldn’t sleep - my duvet felt like a ton of bricks in a cover. I couldn’t get Down the stairs and had to hold down a full time job. How my family put up with me I’ll never know, but how I put up with them also because having no diagnosis I was deemed a hypochondriac (family of forces and nurses 👊👊👊👊👊👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻).
Finally about 2016 bloods came back positive for ra. Treated with sulfalazine successfully for around two years and felt like I was cured. Been up mountains and started back at the gym. However it’s raised its ugly head again and back to the drawing board.
But I am NEVER going back to that god awful stage of chronic pain because it’s pants !!!!! And I have pleanty left on my bucket list to do yet.
My symptoms started in Jan 17 with a painful foot and toes. I was referred to a rheumatologist in June 17 by which time my shoulders, hands, elbow and the tendons in my legs were affected. The rheumatologist asked if I had any rashes, I replied I did have a bit of eczema behind my ears. I was told the rash was psiorisis and received my diagnosis of Psioratic arthiritis.
was first diagnosed about 9 months ago. I went in to my primary care physician with a whole host of complaints written down. He immediately sent me to a rheumatologist who performed a lot of testing and sent me out to another physician for testing. I was given the diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis and put it on Methotrexate. The Methotrexate was compromising my liver and therefore am now on leflunomide. This drug has helped me to get rid of some of the symptoms in severity, but I still am not home free. Every day is different. And with it brings a new challenge.
Diagnosed May 2017 with seronegative ra, by the rheumatologist. Only symptom I had was one joint on my middle finger was hurting for weeks as if it was broken. I went to GP for x-ray, he ordered both x-ray and blood including RA. RA came back positive of just 15, the borderline mark. I saw the rheumatologist within a few weeks. She did futher blood tests and wrist ultrasound. I got put on Plaquenil. Now looking back it also explains the fatigue I felt and occasionally joint tension in areas like the ankle or elbows. Just thought it was age related, although I'm only in my 30s. I even felt a sensation of resistance or heaviness in movements I made with my arms or legs, like being pulled back by something. I've read RA can feel like you're wrapped in rubber.
Symptoms for years.
Depression and brain fog 2013 ~ pains worse ~ "it is your depression".
2015 tried a different GP ~ referred to Rheumatology because inflammatory markers had been raised throughout. Sero-neg RA diagnosed by ultrasound and started on Sulfalazazine. Also have osteoarthritis areas diagnosed by xray.
Luckily I lived in Canada in 2005 and was seen very quickly by Rheumatologist received all tests had high Crp and also blood showed positive for RA and received about 6-7 drugs including methotrexate I walked lobsided was told to use walking stick I had swellings of all major joints looked like a witch and could only walk very slowly some days I had to crawl found it difficult to dress etc was a complete invalid took about 2 hours to get out of bed and get joints moving very slowly
1st diagnosed 25 years ago. Wrists and fingers unbearable and also feet. Diagnosis after 18 months wait to see specialist. Spread all over body by that time need I say more?
Arthritis & Running
Seronegative rheumatoid arthritis 
What would be your first piece of advice to someone newly diagnosed with RA?