MegHurts

Hello! Im hoping someone on this message board will be able to help me. Im a 27-year-old female just diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. And was just ruled out that I dont have a hand disease called Dupuytrens (Thank God) but they do think I have some bad arthritis. Im eagerly waiting to see a Rheumatologist, but in the meantime I thought Id do some research on my own to see what I could find out. Here's my situation:

About a year ago, I started noticing some symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. I didnt think anything of it until around fall of last year when I started noticing my hands becoming very weak. At the same time, my feet started hurting very badly. It hurt to stand on them for very long and they were tender to touch. The pain went on for months. I just assumed I was wearing bad shoes or was working on a very hard floor or something. My hands though became my major concern. After they started getting weaker, I started to notice that I couldnt draw my fingers into my palm. I literally cannot make a fist now at all because Ive lost so much use of my fingers. I also have some nodes in the palm of my hand which seem to be causing my middle and ring fingers to not straighten out completely. My knuckles have become swollen and quite large. My feet still hurt quite a bit. Mostly the pain is on top of the foot, in the boney area. Range of motion movements are painful. My knees are also becoming affected now. Going up and down stairs and walking on uneven ground is so hard. Im literally taking one step at a time. Sometimes its so painful, Ive often cried. Ive tried Celebrex, Vioxx, Naproxen, Amitriptyline, etc. Nothing seems to help yet.

My question is does this sound like arthritis? If so, do you know what form? Im trying to find out as much as possible so I can ask the right questions when I go see the Rheumatologist next week. Please let me know what you think. Thank you!

Meg
27/Female