can you share your first experience sign or flare from ra?

Hi my first inclination was after I had two really stressful shocks. I got up one morning and simply could not walk my ankles were both weak and would not bend so painfull. Went to doctors thinking it was plantar fitallis. Was diagnosed with RA from there went into knees .hands and cervical neck. Took 3 .5 years trying lots of different meds that either sent my blood cells low. Or spiked my liver. I am lucky just started benepali hoping for good things. The key is to catch it early

It has caused lots of damage to my ligaments just hoping this helps everyone. If in doubt go to your doctor as you do not know how aggressive it can be to some it's minor for me my inflammation is though the roof. Like everything catch it at the beginning don't keep thinking it will go away. Good luck everyone should not wish this desease on my worst enemy.

Hi Mark,

When my RA started 12 years ago I would wake up with pain in one shoulder, the next day it would be in my right knee, the next another joint.  It just jumped around!  At first I thought I was sleeping wrong and this was causing the pain, eventually the pain was everywhere!  I could hardly walk up the stairs in our house, I had a hard time getting my arms raised to do my hair it was so painful!  My primary care doctor put me on prednisone which made me feel great but raised my eye pressure, now have glaucoma.  That was just a temporary fix while waiting to get into a rheumatologist.  After many months and many tests, I was put on Humira, methotrexate, leuflonomide and still on prednisone.   I am just on Humira now and still doing well!  What a blessing!  

Hi I was diagnosed about 10/12 years ago, I had had about a year of pain and swelling in all knuckles/wrists/elbows and feet for about a year, decided that as it was getting worse and was struggling to grip things and walking was becoming really painful I should see GP he said straight away it was RA and not my osteoarthritis.

I decided he was nuts, to be honest I think I was in denial, two months later I went to see a rheumatologist, he ran bloods, loads of xrays and confirmed the DR's diagnosis RA. It was quite aggressive he said, he offered me some heavy duty medications and I said I would consider whether to take them or not, I decided to change my diet do more exercise and see how it went, I had hot wax treatments and took some supplements, I have never taken any specific medication for RA but I have regular checkups with my rheumatologist and he is happy with the route I have chosen. She has just finished a barrage of tests two weeks ago to see why I'm coping without meds, I will see her as soon as she has all the results including the bloods etc.

So that's my story and I'm still OK if a little pain which I have learnt to live with.

I spent several hours working on a ladder and the next morning both of my feet hurt at the base of my big toes. I blamed it on the ladder which will happen even when healthy. Within two days, my knuckles on both hands hurt and were swollen. About the same time, my shoulders and neck started hurting. Two days later, I could barely get out of bed and when I did, I could only shuffle along in great pain. This was late January 2017 and I immediately started calling R.A. doctors. The wait period for an appointment was 4 months plus. I went to my primary doctor and he gave me prednisone and it helped for the time being. By the end of March, with help from my primary doctor, I got in to see a RA doctor. I was put on methotrexate injections, folic acid, vitamin d, and a moderate dose of prednisone. Within two weeks of injections, I felt great. I am now off the prednisone and am relatively pain free. My knuckles are stiff in the morning, but feel almost normal as the day goes on. Overall, I feel almost normal and leading a normal life. I wish everyone could respond to treatment like I did.

Hi Mark, my first indication that something was awry was stiffness in my ankles when I got out of bed and a burning sensation in my feet that spread up my lower leg. I had overwhelming exhaustion and I sometimes my arms were like lead weights, driving the car felt as though my power steering or tyres were down and I couldn’t dry my hair easily. I developed brain fog and then my fingers started to feel funny as though I didn’t have joints in them, just skin and tendons. I went to many drs, rheumatologist, neurologists, etc. they did a biopsy on my temporal artery all with no answers until I eventually gave up work and moved to a cooler coastal area. By this time standing for even short periods would make my ankles feel like I had glass in them, walking was difficult and my new dr took bloods that showed a high RF and high inflammation so sent me to another Rheumatologist who diagnosed RA, put me on Methotrexate and Plaqunil and after a bone scan still showed very high inflammation in my hands, wrists feet and ankles put me on a biologic. I am now off MTX because of liver damage, Plaqunil didn’t work and the biologic has been changed twice and I’m due to start on a new one. I take Predisolone for a few days when I have a flare and I have Tapentadol if the pain gets really bad but I don’t like taking it.

one thing is that my Vit D levels keep going down despite taking supplements daily and I’ve now been told to up them to 5000iu per day.

thanks guys for sharing i too can feel your hardships. i sometimes cry because of the pain. almost lossing everything including my job. but my family accepted me in open arms

i quetion myself why me as i am healthy but learn to move on. and accept that it is part of life. hope we all can find our relief.

btw let us all stay away from stress. lets not make this disease conquer our life. goodluck on our journey and may God bless us all

btw i still dont know if i have ra as i am still scheduled 2 months from now. it started about a year and a half a go. i woke up with my right ankle so painfull i could not walk it is so painfull that i thought my ankle broke. i went to my gp and prescribe me with nsaids. after 5 days the pain subsided

3 months later the same thing happened same right ankle it subsided more easily like 3 days. 2 months later it went on my right knee cant bend it cant walk. it subsided in about 3-5 days

in seven months i feel the pain in the samw foot but bot that noticeable. now a month and a half ago it started to be more noticeable and cant walk. it shifts from toes, heel, ankle all in my right foot. it will subside sometimes and just when i taught it is getting better it will flare up again. i could also feel sometimes pain in my right wrist not that noticeable but it is still there also pain in my left knee. now still cant walk properly i have been taking nsaids non stop hope my diagnosis wipl be done to take care of the root problem. i also have high levels of uric acid which might sudgest gout but not this long and not this much joints.

Hello, 

Very new here. I’ve been diagnosed with “ INFLAMMATORY ARTHRITIS “ , about 4 years ago I had my first symptoms. They lasted off & on about a year & 1/2. 

Then 2 months ago, another flare. This time the main pain is in my elbows & neck. 

Nights are the worst, it starts in the evening, the stiffness. Then while sleeping, I’m awakened several times by the pain in my elbows. They first felt like bone pain, now it feels more inflamed & muscle/tendon.  It doesn’t matter if my arms are bent or straight. 

Apon waking, the pain & stiffness is all over, feet, ankles, hands, neck. 

Does this sound familiar to anyone? 

I’m on methotrexate 10 pills /1x week. 

I was kinda hoping for prednisone..., thoughts?