Do these symptoms sound familiar to anyone?

Many diseases fit those descriptions, which is why you need a board certified rheumatologist to sort it out.

RA can feel like this at times.

Hi,

I'm sort of where you are, i've been to the rheumatologist twice now, no answers yet! i'm back again on weds so hoping to find out whats wrong with me.

I too get aches and pains, shooting, stabbing in hands, fingers, wrists, feet, ankles, knees, hips, elbows! i'm having alot of trouble with my first fingers now too. I don't have much swelling, no redness.my RA factor was neg.  When i'm having pain in a particular area my bones are tender if i push on them. It comes and goes, sometimes my hands will be bad, another time it'll be my legs!  I also have mouth ulcers constantly.

Not sure how helpful i've been but i know whats it's like to sit wondering whats going on with you!

Welcome

  Low iron is often found in RA.  Fatigue also can be a factor on RA.  When mine started I remember it being aches and pains with little to no swelling. ..then the swelling in my hands raged on.  I could not make a fist.  Not even half a fist because of the swelling and pain.  Then pain in my elbow.  Now to my ankles and toes.   I am 54 and I truley felt like a 90 year old.  The stiffness in the morning was horrible had a heck of a time getting out of bed and the stiffness lasted for hours. 

Hope u get your answer soon.   I am now on injectable humira and prednisone.   Good luck

Hi, I've had RA for 7 yrs now. When first diagnosed the RA factor was positive but I have never had swollen joints or signs of redness etc. I have stiffness and a variety of painful areas...elbows, ankle, wrists,toes, fingers etc, at different times. The tiredness when it hits bad is like nothing else. I call it feeling zonked! Its extreme tiredness and my head feels so heavy like a bowling ball and I have no option but to lie down and rest or go to sleep. From what I know and have read of RA I know there are people far worse than me because I can function well enough on a daily basis but sometimes I do get depressed and I think that is a symptom of RA...sometimes. When I saw my rheumatologist last he was pleased with how I was doing, said the meds were controlling it well and I could actually be in remission. That was amazing to hear..but...I still have the same pain and as you described sometimes the pain feels like its in the bones more than the joints. Good luck with getting a diagnosis and on the right treatment.

I think this is quite interesting and perhaps from the responses you can gauge how RA a isn't at all straightforward. My feeling is that over time they will realise that RA is incredibly complex. Some people just get is very bad immediately - my dad just got hit with RA, lost a ton of weight and was ill from day 1, while I am told I have it, but I. AM feeling better every day and certainly nowhere near as bad as last month when the flare up peaked. Now I just feel as I always did - which is why you need proper blood tests to establish what is happening.

Rheumatologists specialise in all forms of arthritis currently I am undiagnosed but with fatigue, couple of week long episodes of joint soreness, that progresses to being unable to bend the joint, lots of tummy problems too, negative for ra factor. However they have found high inflammation in stools, so seeing gastrologist who said to keep my appointment with rheumatologist as I'd need their help too (very criptic but until he give diagnosis he won't tell me what he suspects) anyway getting to the point he spent a long time asking me about mouth ulcers, looking inside my mouth etc. just thinking if you have those coupled with any gut problems you may need to be referred to gastrologist as well, inflammation in the gut can cause arthritis, you can can get the inflammation in stool test from your GP so may not even need to be referred

Thanks everyone! One other thing - did anyone experience dizziness/fuzziness with the fatigue, hard to describe but a little like being tipsy? Also effects my concentration and memory at times. It might just all be to do with the fatigue.

That sucks, it could be a number of things. Only way to really find out is going to a rheumatologist. Could be RA, fibromyalgia alot of these autoimunne diseases have the same symptoms. Hope you find out soon so at least you get some comfort in knowing.

People with RA can become anaemic,as did my wife,with the symptoms you mention.Our GP prescribed iron pills,they didn't make one iota of difference.My wifes consultant said that she would be better if she flushed them down the loo.About twice a year she would have to get two units of blood packed with red cells.You should have your blood tested.

I get the fatigue and the dizziness and the inability to string a sentance together - last week I just had to be put to bed for a couple of days (over did it with Christmas stress). Today I over did it at hydrotherapy. One day I'll learn my limits!