Misdiagnosed? RA with NO swelling or hot joints???

[Guest guest]

I have an appointment with my Rheumy on Thursday and I am going to

talk with her about what else could be going on with me. I started

Plaqunil generic about six months ago and my symptoms have only gotten

worse. Let me start at the beginning...

Ten months ago I went to my family doc because I was having SERIOUS

fatigue. Granted I had a 12 month old, a 2 1/2 year old and a 5 year

old at the time, but I felt that my fatigue was unusual (my kids are

good sleepers thankfully). A few tests came back out of whack. Liver

enzymes were mildly elevated, Vitamin D levels were low (long time

breast feeder no wonder) and Esr was mildly elevated. Cortisol levels

and thyroid levels were all within " normal " limits, ANA neg, EBV neg.

It's important to note that after my first child was born I started

to experience sausage like sensations in my fingers and stiffness in

my feet. No swelling ever. These sensations have been with me for

over six years now. The family doc then ran the Rheumatoid Factor and

that was BARELY postive. So she referred me to a Rheumy and the

Rheumy did a chest xray to rule out sarcoidosis. Surprise! I had

pneumonia - with no symptoms (other than exhaustion) - no fever, no

cough and four different docs could not hear it with a stethescope.

My lymph nodes were painful at the time also. Was treated with a very

potent antibiotic (terrible side effects) and started plaquinil

generic about a month later for " early " stage RA.

So here's my question. What else could this be?? I haven't had any

swelling or hot joints. My energy level is ten times better than it

was six months ago and my lymph nodes no longer feel inflammed but

since starting the RA drug six months ago, the sausage sensation is

worse as are my feet. I have some burning sensations occasionaly but

not the horrific pain that so many of you experience.

Anyone else have RA WITHOUT swelling???

Another thought is possible neuropathy... as I had untreated

gestational diabetes during my last pregnancy ( I had a ten pound baby

that needed glucose and my A1C showed Type2 levels at my 6 week post

partum check up) LONG STORY...

Thank you all for your thoughts and experience.

Amber in , CA

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I haven't had any swelling with my RA. My biggest symptom was exhaustion. I did

have achy joints. Over time my hands have become more stiff. The pain has

become  slowly more constant but it is minor. I think I'd be " cured " if I didn't

have side effects from the meds. But, I also think that RA is often progressive.

Caught early, I understand, it can go into remission. There's a couple of

different diagnosis that I asked my doctor about and her reply was that  all of

them would be treated the same way as they were all autoimmune diseases.

I would think that the sense that one's fingers are like

sausages might be an indication of  some swelling, but maybe it means

something else to you.

I like http://symptoms.webmd.com/ to get an idea of the types of illnesses that

one might have, but only a good doctor can diagnosis for sure.  For " stiff

fingers " (sausage fingers?) it says: broken finger, pseudogout, rheumatoid

arthritis, scleroderma, and CREST symdrome. Then you can check out the other

symptoms for these illnesses.

Its all so interesting but I wish it wasn't happening to me. : ) Hope you feel

better.

ez

 

[Guest guest]

Oh, another thing.

My rheumy checks my joints by gently squeezing them and asking me if they hurt.

So even though they are not red or swollen, they hurt. At least some of them

some of the time.

ez