Could I be Ra without a positive blood test.

Hi everyone.

Three months ago I woke up with a sore thumb and wrist, I thought this was Carpal as I have suffered with this previously, I wore my strap but the pain didn't ease, The pain was ridiculous, like someone was trying to pull my thumb off. topical creams didnt help.

Two days later I got what I though was a cold shoulder ( same arm as thumb) , exact same pain, in the space of a week, I had shoulder pain x2 and thumb pain x 2 .

I called my dr and she said I sounded like I was having a flare up of RA , but as there was no familial history she wasnt sure. She arranged for blood test and put me on Pregabalin.

My blood tests came bk negative for Ra.

Since then I have painful finger joints ( the knuckles mainly) , intermittent shoulder pain,, neck pain and this last week my knuckles in my toes have started to hurt. My dr says she wont refer me as the Ra blood test was negative and she wants to get my pain meds sorted first.

I am now on naproxen and Pregabalin, neither of which make any difference.

I wake up some days and cant get out of bed as the hand pain is so bed, I cant pull on the light switch and I have small bony lumps under my first finger knuckles. Because my toe knuckles are so sore I cant wear 'proper' shoes and if I do squeeze into them its so painful and my balance is all weird.

Add that to the tiredness like I haven't ever slept and I am at my wits end.

Called my drs again today after both my hands were so swollen that I couldnt move them and was told that the dr I had been dealing with was away for three weeks.

I know you are not drs here but if Anyone could tell me anything that might help?

I am based in the uk ( not sure where this forum is based)

Thank you in advance x

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