To those who have Rheumatoid Arthritis: before your diagnosis, what were your early symptoms

2 Comments

1. Nina, BaC says:

   August 5, 2010 at 7:35 am

   I have a friend who had joint pain and swelling. Stiffness, especially in the morning.
2. Audrey K says:

   August 5, 2010 at 7:45 am

   Before I was diagnosed with RA, 3 years ago, I noticed stiffness and pain in my hands and my knees. I was very fatigued and felt weak. I also had morning stiffness sometimes lasting for more than 45 minutes. Occasionally I would ache all over and have a low-grade fever, kind of like the flu.

   Those were my earliest symptoms which escalated into swollen joints and being barely able to walk.

   Once I was diagnosed and properly treated by a rheumatologist, I eventually got the pain and inflammation under control.

   If you or someone you know have any of these symptoms, I urge you to talk with your doctor and have some tests performed.

   A blood test that finds the Rheumatoid factor sometimes isn’t always accurate. A patient’s Rh factor test could come back negative at first and down the road (sometimes years) which eventually show positive.

   I hope you are able to find all the information you need!