Over the last couple of months I've been getting pain in my fingers and toes, it happens several times a day but only lasts a minute or two at a time at the moment.
I have autoimmune thyroid disease, and suspected autoimmune cause for my early menopause, and I'm acutely aware that autoimmune diseases seem to beget autoimmune diseases!
I also had a difficult time with my GP so I'd rather not bother them until I have to.
I'd just be really grateful to hear how it started for some of you. ❤️
Fingers toes and wrist but constant stiffness and pain you would need blood tests
Hi
I first noticed it in my fingers and one of my knees was quite painful.
With my fingers it got to the stage where it was difficult to open them up and I remember struggling to get stuff out of a pocket in my jeans - almost as if there was a magnetic force working against them.
A blood test done at the GP surgery was inconclusive, though showed rheumatoid factor. But a second test done at my first rheumatology appointment a couple of weeks later, showed it had developed quite rapidly.
I was a child and could have had it a while before I was taken to the GP. I can remember having swollen knees, aching feet, stiff neck, and bent little fingers on both hands.
Stiff fingers, pain in a feet (felt like I was walking on peebles), sore arm like muscle pains. This went on for about a year, went to GP as my nan had RA and was told no.
Then when someone in my family was dying and I was very stressed I woke up one day and my whole body was stiff and on fire!
I'm seroneagtive so my GP wasn't convinced I had inflammatory arthritis but she referred me, consultant took about 5 mins to diagnose me , gave me 1 course of steroids which was weird because it took all the pain and swelling away. Then I started on my journey of finding the correct DMARD for me.
I learnt with rheumatology matters everything is slow! Plus you've got to be true to yourself and not take people saying no (unless they know what they are talking about! For example.my GP was wrong). I would keep a diary, take photos of anything is swollen , I'd also ask your GP now for blood tests and get the ball rolling.
Hope you get the all clear x
Around my 60th birthday mine started suddenly with a stiff,, swollen knee although I had had some twinges for months before (later found to be osteoarthritis). When the pain etc switched to the other knee overnight I decided this was a different pain.. In the next week or so (over Christmas 2015) the pain in knees, hands and shoulders continued and I had blood tests in January which showed rheumatoid factor, CPP and high CRP and ESR inflammation levels. Diagnosis confirmed by rheumatologist in Feb 2016 so all very quick.
I got up one morning in 2021 and thought there was broken glass or tiny pebbles on the carpet next to my bed. it just went downhill for the rest of me from there basically. Get seen as soon as possible is my advice and take the meds offered. X
Several bouts over a period of three years of feeling like I had the flu but without a temperature
if you read back on this site you will see that there are as many symptoms that have turned out to be RA as have not….so I’m afraid you will need to go back to your GP & very firmly ask for some blood tests….these days it is very unlikely your GP will refer you to Rheumatologist without some evidence,& even then it could be a long wait for an appointment.
So be brave, note down all your symptoms……& make that appointment.
I experienced pain initially in my feet - similar to above - like walking on pebbles and struggled to wear heals and then increasingly even flats. I saw a podiatrist initially but who then sent me to RA consultant. I had just begun to experience some stiffness and slight pain in wrists a day or two before the appt so they sent me straight for an x- ray and blood tests and diagnosed me pretty quickly. I’m lucky to have some small level of insurance cover for diagnostics so was able to make a private appt with a consultant and get on meds very quickly and then switch back to nhs as it’s important to tackle RA quickly to avoid/limit joint damage. Good luck
Mine started in my jaw 34 years ago. Couldn’t open my mouth to talk (my husband thought that was a bonus…..🤨) or properly to eat breakfast. Got sent to dentist who had no idea. Way back then it took a while for doctors to twig what was going on.
In last spring 2018, I had started having tender fingers on waking and, on morning, Googled it from bed. That was the first time the notion of RA entered my mind.
I had been dealing with months of severe shoulder pain in both shoulders; pain that prevented me from raising either elbow (chicken dance style or even just to put on my jacket).
Still, it took a long time for me to think that maybe my shoulder pain (which was not seeming to get better despite the best physical therapist and months of seeing her) was another sign of RA.
Despite a slightly positive RF test and a wildly positive, over-the-upper-limit anti-CCP test, my (most excellent) first rheumy didn't think I satisfied enough of the physical exam (hardly any swelling) to get the diagnosis. One year later, I did.
So, was the shoulder pain the first sign or was it the tender fingers? I haven't had either since starting mono-therapy on MTX, so definitely possible that the shoulders were the first sign.
I first noticed that my fingers hurt when doing breaststroke in the pool. I used to swim 60+ lengths, twice a week, at the time so couldn’t for the life of me understand what was wrong with my hands. Within six weeks I couldn’t dress myself and my whole body was affected. The thing I have learned on this forum is that whilst we are all similar, no two people are exactly the same and I suppose that’s why there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution or medication. If you continue to be concerned, then I suggest asking your GP for blood tests and see if that throws up anything obvious to begin with. Good luck
I've only recently been dx'd with RA following on from a tertiary referral by my Haematologist last August. For years I've had sore, swollen and stiff fingers, knuckles , wrists with weakness which he commented on when I last saw him. During the wait to see the Rheumatologist I became lame for almost 4 months, both knees swelled, upper neck and lower back pain set in, together with what I describe as paralyzing fatigue.
While negative for RF I'm positive for anti CP antibodies which is a more reliable test, ask for this to be included in any blood work. A thorough Rheumatology examination would be ideal as well, but with backlogs there are long waits for appointments.
Hi I too was sero-negative a d my gp also refused to accept it said it was osteo arthritis finally l insisted that l wanted to see a private RA consultant as l had progressed to the stage of needing a stick to walk. As soon as the RA consultant saw me walking badly even with the stick she told me it was RA and transferred me to her NHS list as she felt that l would need expensive drugs . Within a few weeks of treatment the RA became positive . I was so relieved l am still on her list see her annually at the hospital . I am not suggesting you go privately but l do suggest you ask to be referred so you can be treated as it will not get better without treat and longer you wait will not help good luck
I’m seronegative and it took about 15 years for diagnosis . Feet pain like standing on pebbles swollen knuckles but for me fatigue was the worst symptom. Bloods clear Gp convinced it was depression then hormones. Eventually a young pre reg Gp thought I had seronegative RA. It’s taken another 7 years fir Rheumatologist to diagnose inflammatory Arthritis as I cross over with other Arthritis.
Hi there
For me it happened very suddenly. I was sitting at the kitchen bench eating lunch and when I got up I was surprised to find my knees were quite stiff. I did , however, have groin pain which got very painful but then went- but this was quite a long while before the stiffness in the knees appeared.Then my feet got very weird. Then basically ALL over. Think I would get a referral to a Haematologist as they know what to look for in tests. Then that goes to the Rheumatologist.(This was the way it was for me) Good luck with all.
My first symtoms were my fingers. They were stiff improving with e exercise. If I keep moving my finger but as soon as I stopped moving my fingers they would stiffen. My blood test for rhumatroid was ok. I had a scan and it showed I had rhumatroid arthritus.
So my advice to you is ask for a scan.
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