Could this be RA? What else could it be?

[Guest guest]

I'm hoping somebody here can help, because my doctors can't agree on what's

wrong with me [or what treatment(s) to pursue]. I'm a 48 year-old white male,

and about 4 months ago was folding laundry when severe pain struck my left hand.

In just a minute or two, the pain increased to the point that I could not even

hold up a small towel. Over the past four months (while seeing doctor after

doctor) a number of joints in both hands and feet are experiencing the same kind

of pain, though not all as severe, and even muscles in my forearms and calves

ache a lot.

Does this sound like RA? My father's mother had RA, but that's it for family

history of any significant arthritis syndromes. One of my cousins has lupus, so

this is also a possibility.

I'm very frustrated at this point! Over the past year I've finally found some

decent relief for occipital nerve pain (after a 10-day stint in the hospital

because of an overdose on my oxycodone medication), and now I have THIS pain to

deal with. Thank goodness I'm generally an upbeat, easygoing, and optimistic

person; otherwise I'd have blown my brains out years ago. I get great support

from my family, but they can only do so much.

I'm getting desperate for help. I need to figure out what's going on, as well as

how to treat it.

Oops, I almost forgot to add that because of my occipital nerve pain meds, I'm a

svelte 250 pounds (6 feet tall), and I've also been blessed a few years ago with

type 2 diabetes, but luckily this is being managed solely by diet.

If anyone has experienced a similar pattern with RA (or whatever disorder fits

the bill), I'd love to hear your story, including diagnosis and treatment.

Thanks SO MUCH for anyone's help!!

Jeff