Comments on: What Is the First Symptom of Rheumatoid Arthritis?

By: Lisa

Lisa — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:18:25 +0000

My RA first presented itself in my feet too! All of a sudden I could hardly stand the pain to stand on my feet. The pain hung around for a couple of weeks, I went to the Doctor and he prescribed orthotics (did not help one bit). It disappeared again for about 5 months and then I had a full blown flare, was diagnosed with RA as it had taken hold of almost all joints including my hands.

By: ashley

ashley — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:39:44 +0000

Mine started out as JRA when I was 16. fingers were stiff one morning and soon nodules in both wrists. This was in 1988. Went into remission two years later and I had thought no more about it until last year (2011) my right shoulder and knee started swelling and painful. Had MRI of shoulder and rice bodies were revealed.

By: Kelly Young

Kelly Young — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 04:10:09 +0000

Diane, I would believe you and I’d like to hear more if you feel like telling me. You can email me if you don’t want to share here. kelly@rawarrior.com

By: Diane

Diane — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 04:06:45 +0000

People probably will not believe me but I can pinpoint the incident that led to the beginning of Rheumatoid Arthritis for me. And it started in my toes. By the time it was in my hands and fingers I was walking with a walker.

By: Debra Hollar

Debra Hollar — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:49:59 +0000

OMG! The post about RA starting in her feet is exactly what happened to me. I have just been diagnosed with RA but it all started in my feet about 6 months ago. It started feeling like I was walking on balls. And then the swelling and sharp pains in my toes. Then 2 of my toes just separated on my left foot and I now have a big gap between them. I had to give up wearing all the shoes I love so much. But I refuse to get rid of them. They are all in my closet but I know I can no longer wear heals or not even my favorites…flip flops! I stopped going bare foot at home. The hard wood floors were killing me. I have to keep shoes on my feet all the time. Then about 4 months later it spread to every joint in my body in a week’s time. My family doctor has put me on prednison until I go to my first appointment with Rheumy next month. I have no idea what is ahead for me.

By: Fi

Fi — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 02:56:43 +0000

My arthritis first hit my hands, during the night I woke up and they felt as if they were being run over buy a steam roller.

By: Jennie

Jennie — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:27:37 +0000

My first symptoms of RA was in my hands… I thought I had gout since I had severe swelling of my finger joints. I would apply heat and that would loosen the stiffness I was experiencing. I would feel stiffness in getting out of bed prior to that now that I think of it… my ankles would not bend and I walked as if I had lead feet… it would loosen up in a couple of hours and return in the evening if I was not as active, in walking or doing things… relaxing made me stiffen up faster for some reason. The only reason I remember this is because my daughter came to visit in July and she asked me if I was okay, I told her it would all go away in a few hours. She was concerned since I live alone and live over 2500 miles from my family.

By: naomy

naomy — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:50:03 +0000

I am seronegative and my CRP is never over an 8,oh joy!I must be fine. Hips at 12 years for months, then hips and shoulders at 15. The hips stopped after a few months but not my shoulders. At 27 my knees gave me a lot of pain and lasted for 4 years. At 35 my hands started to fall asleep very easily,and then- Everything went down hill fast. Important to tell everyone that I had almost always been so tired I couldnt make it the whole day without a nap,and was starting to be very worried about that, but as always the doctors said that nothing was wrong. Never give up or give in! WE KNOW OUR BODIES! WE KNOW WHEN SOMETHING IS WRONG!
Pray and in time someone will listen.

By: Josie

Josie — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:20:44 +0000

Hi…I am thankful to have found your website! I am new to RA. I was having pain and trouble walking for a few years and finally went to a foot doctor…OsteoArthritis…but he did an RF test and it was positive but he didn’t see any deformity in my feet. So, I asked my GP to redo the RF just to be sure and that came back positive as well. She referred me to a RA doctor. This all happened beteen May to August 2011. In September-October my hands felt very tight, like I was wearing gloves that were too small, all day. That was uncomfortable but not too painful. By November, my pain in my hands had increased but still not bad. The RA doctor ordered all sorts of lab work and checked me over and said she suspedted RA, but wasn’t sure and gave me material to read on a couple of medications she was thinking about putting me on for November. By then I had moved to another state and found a new RA doctor who felt I had a mild case of RA and suggested methotrexate. I asked for an MRI of my hands to before starting the drug because he seemed hesitate about the diagnosis..I had pain but the inflammation seemed less. By then, my fingertips became very sensitive and painful, but still tolerable. MRI showed some inflammation. So have been on methotrexate for two weeks at a low dose with Folic acid (prescription level). I am hoping to feel a lot better in a few months…

By: Kelly Young

Kelly Young — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 23:55:54 +0000

Yes, I hope it does too, Beth!