Does this sound like RA?

[Alissa88]

Hi, everybody.

I wanted to know whether it sounds to you like I might have rheumatoid arthritis or not.

I just turned 21. The summer before last (summer 2008) my feet started to hurt a lot, especially in the mornings. My knees and ankles were really stiff after sitting or being still for a while. Sometimes other joints hurt. I saw my normal doctor, who referred me to a rheumatologist. She asked me lots of questions, took lots of blood, and gave me x-rays. She mentioned rheumatoid arthritis as a possibility as well as other things. I think my results were all normal. We had a follow-up appointment scheduled for three months later, but my joints started to feel better, so I canceled the appointment.

Then a couple of months ago my joints started hurting again. My hands and wrists bother me. Sometimes the knuckles and sometimes other parts. My knees hurt the most, I think. They hurt the most in the morning, while going up/down stairs, and after being still for a while. The hand and finger pain comes and goes, but it's really annoying when they hurt!

Sometimes I have trouble squeezing bottles or gripping my comb. In the morning the bottoms of my feet hurt. My big toe hurts when I walk. The pain is on both sides, but both sides don't always hurt at the same time. Sometimes my right hand will bother me but not my left, sometimes my left knee will hurt more than my right, etc.

Sometimes my joints feel mostly OK. They're worse when it's cold and rainy, I think. I don't have any swelling that I can tell. Sometimes if a finger joint hurts, though, it will feel tender if I touch it.

I just wanted to know whether this sounds like RA to you. I'm young, so I feel like it would be unusual for me to have it. The pain seems to fit RA, but I don't think I have swelling or redness. Should I be worried about RA as a possibility, even though my tests before were OK?

In a couple of weeks I have my annual physical, so I can mention this pain and see what the doctor says.

Thanks in advance!!!

[JohnR41]

Alissa88,

It sounds like RA to me but I don't understand why your tests were normal. Well, perhaps it's because you're in a beginning stage? And maybe you were tested for (CRP) inflammation and that was normal; but I have heard that it can be normal even though you have lots of inflammation.

Don't think because you're young you can't have it because people younger than you have had it. When I was in high school I had a friend who was about 17 and he seemed quite normal to me. Then one damp and drizzly morning I saw him getting out of his car and he had a cane. He began walking very slowly toward the school like an old man. At first I was sure that it must be a joke, but it wasn't. I went up to him waiting for him to say, "ha ha, I fooled you", but he didn't. He told me he had problems with arthritis on damp days.

Also, I used to know an older man who had RA and he said he ate peanut brittle one evening and was in terrible pain all night. That makes sense to me because RA is an inflammatory type of arthritis and peanut brittle contains a lot of sugar. Sugar is just about the worst thing, as far as aggravating or causing inflammation.

There are books on this subject of how to reduce inflammation. One of them is, "The Inflammation Free Diet Plan" by Monica Reinagel. If you haven't already done so, I think it would be very worthwhile for you to check it out.

They claim there's no cure for RA but I suspect it might be because most people are not willing to make permanent (what they see as drastic) changes in their diet. Like my older friend, as much as he suffered, he kept indulging in things like cakes, pies, cookies and ice cream.

Whatever you decide to do, I wish you good luck and hope you do well.

[BeHappy2]

HI Alissa and welcome to the boards here.

Good thing you are seeing a Rheumatologist. Wondering if your Rheumatologist explained to you that 10% of people with RA show no positive RA Factor.

Then again there are 100's of different types of Arthritis.
Since you are seeing a Rheumatologist which again that's very good.
May i add this. Always get your copies of your blood test and any kinds of tests ordered. You will find this to become a great importance to have for future needs. Many reasons to Always get your test results at place of where you had these performed. They are yours.

So sorry you are having all this and so young.
This is a great place to come to as so many can relate.

Live Life Well
BeHappy2

[Alissa88]

Thank you for your responses, John and BeHappy!

I'm not really sure what kind of tests I had before. The rheumatologist gave me all sorts of blood tests, and as I said I think they were all fine. That was last fall, which was a few months after my joints first started hurting.

When I have my check-up with my normal doctor in a few weeks, I can get a referral to a rheumatologist (probably a different one than last time because of insurance issues) and see what he/she says.

[sndvsnlfe]

Hi Alissa, I'm not sure if your still following this thread or not but I found it extremely interesting. I am 22 years old, female, and I was recently diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritus about 2 months ago. When I read your Thread, I thought to myself, wow...This is EXACTLY what I would say when I describe myself. I am obviously not a doctor. But it sounds to me like you definately have RA also. When you went through a stage where you didnt feel any pain, it is called 'remission'. I havent yet experienced a remission in the 8 months that I have been experiencing symptoms. It also started for me in my one foot, and gradually spread throughout my whole body. I work as a cashier, so I am constantly getting Tendonitus is my wrists which my doctor said is related the the 'auto immune difiency.' If I can make a suggestion, I would go back to your doctor and have him/her make another referral to a specialist and make sure you go this time regardless if you are feeling pain or not. I am going to see a specialist in London for my first time in about 3 weeks, and I cannot wait. As much as I'm not into perscription medications I have tried many other remedies which have not worked for me. You have to keep in mind, That you are very Young, as am I. If we dont get this condition looked after now, where will we be in ten years? Some mornings, I cant get out of bed because the pain is so excrutiating. I'm sure you know exactly what I am speaking of. I'm hoping that with medication some of these disadvantages of living everyday with RA will/can change. I have hope. I know how you feel and I hope that all your future endeavours help you through the pain you are feeling. Good luck with Everything! I will post a message after my first appnt with the Specialist if your interested in knowing the process.