Is redness normal?

[Fluffontoast]

I'm new to RA, still on waiting list to see rheumatologist in order to get proper diagnosis and treatment after several months of hobbling. The latest challenge is a very swollen warm, red ankle, very sore to walk on. Is this redness normal aswell as aches and swelling? GPs just prescribed NSAIDs.

[Madmusiclover]

Sadly yes. Hope you get seen soon.

[Fluffontoast in reply to Madmusiclover]

Thanks

[Rusticgarden]

Clinical observations,swollen red painful joints and inflammation markers with your bloods will give a diagnosis.

[Fluffontoast in reply to Rusticgarden]

Ok, thanks

[Beata0102]

Hi Fluffontoast. That's how I had . I have psoriatic arthritis. My GP made an urgent referral to a Rheumatologist because the waiting time was very long and the Rheumatologist saw me within 10 days. Maybe you should ask your GP if they could make an urgent referral.

[Fluffontoast in reply to Beata0102]

Thanks, the rheumatology booking dept said urgent is 2 months, non urgent is 6 months. My GP called them last week to try and get me seen sooner and they said maybe 3 or 4 weeks. I've had this for weeks already and just had blood tests and MRI etc. I almost can't walk. Total nightmare trying to carry on working!

[Yuzubreeze in reply to Fluffontoast]

😥 That’s awful. Feel for you. I was somehow seen by a rheumatologist in the same clinic days after the GP I saw strongly suspected an RA flare. I hadn’t experienced anything like the severity of that flare in decades. (RA since childhood, but I had been ignoring flares for years.) I think I was just very lucky that the GP I happened to see was very aggressive in insisting I be seen by a rheumatologist as soon as possible. I was in such bad shape and terrible pain that I hadn’t even thought about an RA flare.

[Fluffontoast in reply to Yuzubreeze]

That's great that you got seen quickly. Rheumatologist seem to be like mythological beasts. I'll believe they exist when I meet one. I thought seeing the knee surgeon last month would be like meeting Santa Claus but he saw me for 5 minutes and sent me away for blood tests. Wasn't the gift I was hoping for!🤣

[welsh12 in reply to Fluffontoast]

That is mad I was seen within 2 weeks and started on treatment

[Fluffontoast in reply to welsh12]

That's great, I guess it's a postcode lottery

[welsh12 in reply to Fluffontoast]

Yes I think they have guidelines on times if it's RA the sooner they get you on meds the better Naproxen seems the choice prior to this through GP and steroids

[HeadInASpin in reply to welsh12]

Before the pandemic my local hospital trust had two week turnaround for urgent RA referrals. My GP referred me in February last year but I didn't get seen until May (despite her asking for appt to be expedited and having blood results of high CRP and Rheumatoid Factor). As a private appointment would only have saved me about ten days or so, I waited for the NHS one.

[AgedCrone in reply to Fluffontoast]

Covid really affected rheumatology….a lot of staff were moved to Covid duty…& for one reason or another….never returned .

But as everyone here says….be Proactive & get that initial Rheumy appointment & start taking the meds asap.

You will not feel better overnight …possibly not for months…but as you have read here…those of us who stuck it out…no matter how many nights we spent on the bathroom floor with our heads down the loo. ….are all leading good lives now.

Good luck hope you are one of the lucky ones!

[Beata0102]

I hope you will be seen by a rheumatologist soon. I've been on medication since December and I still need one crutch to walk, it's a terribly long process. I was diagnosed on the first appointment because I also have psoriasis and I had psoriasis on my body, so the diagnosis was very quick. I hope they see you soon and give you medicine. Good luck

[Fluffontoast in reply to Beata0102]

Thanks

[Vixen2]

Hey Fluffontoast. It’s definitely ‘normal’. I was diagnosed in 1993, when i was 21. I have Reactive Arthritis. I caught an STI off my then husband. (That was nice of him). (I hadn’t slept with anyone before him).

One day i started to feel exhausted. Totally fatigued. At 21 that’s not normal. Then i had the most awful pain in my left shoulder & my right big toe. It was really swollen & bright red. (Plus i could hardly open my right eye. It was as if it was glued down. It turned out to be Iritis. Which is a very serious eye condition. I’ve had to have loads of steroid injections in my eyes & other procedures). My lovely mum was a nurse. She took me to her a&e. They kept me in for 5 days. Did tests. The Consultant sat on my bed & said we know what’s wrong. You have arthritis young lady. My mum’s jaw dropped. I was just relieved, that they knew what was wrong.

I was desperate to get home. The staff knew i wasn’t up to it. But they let me go. Along with a load of serious medication. Steroids, Indocid, Sulphasalazine, Co-Dydramol, Co-Codamol. All very scary drugs. (Especially for someone so young). Within a day of getting home. The inflammation spread to every single joint. I was like a 90yr old. 2 sticks. Looking back. I still can’t believe what’s happened!

All these yrs later. I have an infusion. (Infliximab every 6 weeks). I’m so grateful. I always say this. The NHS is fantastic.

Good luck with the start of your ‘journey’. The meds are alot better these days. Hopefully you should be seen soon. In the meantime. If you have a heatpad. That can help. Or put some ice in a teatowel. Voltarol gel’s quite good. Failing that. A couple of glasses of wine can numb the pain & a chunk of cake! 🤣x

[Fluffontoast]

Sorry to hear about your condition, did you stay with hubby? Also, did you stay on meds all your life?

[Deeb1764]

there is a wealth of info on the NRAS webpage too all the info you might need too, so worth a look plus they are great if you need to talk something out and can point you in the right direction.

[Rupert2001]

Hi, I have had RA since 1977 but although I have had episodes where joints have been hot and swollen, slightly pink I have never had a red joint. It could be RA but infection and other types of arthritis like gout are possibilities. You didn’t say if you had any other joint symptoms for which you were referred to the rheumatologist. In this area we are lucky in that the hospital has regular early arthritis clinics where patients with new onset of arthritis symptoms are seen within 2 weeks. I hope you get to see the rheumatologist very soon and get a proper diagnosis.

[Fluffontoast in reply to Rupert2001]

Thanks, tbh it's more pink than red. Had blood tests and ultrasound to rule out other things. Pretty sure now it's the RA.

[GordonEdin]

Likely to be the RA. Swelling, pain tend to flare up and die down for no obvious reason when you have active RA.

I would suggest that you take photos of particularly "interesting" symptoms like this and keep a diary of anything else that is happening and when. Your RA appointment might happen on a day when things aren't quite so bad and it can be very useful to be able to show the rheumatologist exactly what has happened and when it happened.

[Fluffontoast in reply to GordonEdin]

Thanks, yes I've been taking photos of my knees and bad ankle. My photo album is starting to look a bit repetitive!

[Sarmita50]

l am afraid these are symptons of RA. Please be assertive and see your rheumatologist asap. Good luck !