What are the odds of misdiagnosis and something else being wrong? Is it just wishful thinking on my part?

I still feel like I don't really have a diagnosis. Swollen / stiff hands / wrists / ankles / feet. Pain in joints where my legs meet my body, pain in knees sometimes that wakes me up from a dead sleep.

6 days on meth pak and these symptoms went away. 1 day without it and the symptoms worse than ever !!

To the RA who looks at my blood work (all is fine), looks at my x-rays (looks very good) and tells me she THINKS I have anti-inflammatory arthritis. Here take 6 weeks of prednisone and take plaquenil. We'll see you back in 6 weeks.

Huh? So, do I or don't I? Is it this or something else? I've been on 3 weeks of prednisone 15mg per day and am now dropping down to 1 1/2 pill (7.5mg) per day. However, I'm worried. I fell asleep Sunday night and forgot to take my evening dose (1 pill 5 mg) of pred and forgot to take my night dose (200mg) of Plaquenil. Woke up Monday and also left my meds at home, so didn't take them again. My 3:00 my fingers were swollen to the point you couldn't see any wrinkles in my knuckles. I took 15 mg of pred and the plaquenil as soon as I got home from work (6:00 pm) but by 8:00 pm I couldn't move my fingers and my joints in my legs were already sore. This morning my fingers are still swollen / stiff, however, getting better.

Forgetting to take a nightly dose of 5mg pred and a morning dose of 10 mg pred made the symptoms come back THAT FAST? Or could it be the 2 doses of plaquenil I forgot? ........What's going to happen now that I'm dropping down to 1 1/2 pills of pred per day? What's going to happen when I go completely off the pred considering even while taking the full 15 my fingers still swell at times?

Do I even have this or is it something else? I'm very frustrated !!!

It sounds as though something is definately wrong but that you are responding to the medications to a degree (which you noticed when you missed a dose).
It is my understanding that with RA there can be times when it is misdiagnosed. It may take a bit of time for you to get the correct diagnosis or it may come to the point you might be better to seek a second opinion on the situation.
There are many many types of Arthritis and it may very well not be RA, it could be something obscure that may take a long time in finding. I know that's of no help but unfortunately it does happen.

Prednisone has many undesired side effects, especially kidney damage, which is why many doctors will not keep you on it for long term usage (some do however). It can also cause heart failure if stopped suddenly which is why you get weaned down over time.
When that time comes and if your symptoms are still as severe or worsened I would hope that your doctor would work with you in helping you to find some sort of relief.

I wish I could be of more help. I can understand your frustration as I have been there in waiting many years for a correct diagnosis not for the Arthritis but as to why I was riddled with it at such a young age.
Barbie