severe shoulder pain in back of both shoulders

Hello Clarssa. That's exactly how my RA started, shoulder pain and feeling generally unwell and very tired. It will be 3 years in February since the shoulder pain started and I had a blood test in August that showed a raised Rheumatoid Factor and Serum Protein. I have an appointment with a rheumatologist in February. This year I've started to get pain in other joints with stiffness particularly on a morning. You need to see your doctor and request a blood test. I waited far too long.

Hi, yes I can relate to that too, my shoulders go through periods of dreadful pain, that luckily, fingers crossed, ease after a xouple of months for a while. My worst pain is in my hips, prticularly my right one and it is constant! Nothing eases it accept complete rest makes it mor pe bearable. Wheni am walking the pain is dreadful and sitting is dreadful, so I am lying on my bed most of the time. I take oramorph and even that doesnt help. Rheumy is still unsure of exact diagnosis as blood tests reveal auto immune disease only but no raised RF. Scans, however, definitely suggest rheumatoid and my fingers are lumpy. Knees have started now though, vut for years i have been treated as having fibromyalgia. I am hop ing that she will prescribe dmards at my next appointment on 9 th jan so I can return to work and some normality. My parents came today to help with housework as the place has been such a mess for over a year now and I just cant do anything! Getting the tree ready was such a chore, I normally enjoy doing the christmas decd but just coukd not summon up the energy nor inclination! The tree I finally bought on Saturday and only managed to decorate late last night with the help of my daughter. I always get it on 12th! My son was getting concerned as I hadnt put it up. He is 20 and my daughter 18 but rarely help around the house. Today they felt they had to thouh cos my parents were helping! lol shamed into it! Haha He even cooked tea and I managed to do a bit of cleaning and a dew more decs in the living room but it still isnt finished. ONE GOOD THing though when I dropped my oarents at the station we popped into Aldi for a few bits and ended up getting all the food for christmas day, so I feel a lot less pressure now. Just need to do a load of wrapping still - about 80 presents! Kids still have stockings and sacks! I have to take a lady I used to care for to bingo to orow night and I am dreading the drive, its quite a distance for my hip to stand and we have to visit family in christmas eve. Eerything seems like such a chore si I cant wait till Boxing day. Srry for spelling mistakes its my ipad its didficult to fet right. 

Ayway sorry for rant! BAck to you! do you have any other symptoms, hand or wrist pain, feet? Mine started in my hands many years ago, they just swelled over night and my feet soon followed. I get chest pain a lot too. I also get tennis elbow in both elbows periodically. Blood tests help with diagnosis but are not definitive as about 25% of people with RA test negative for rheumatoid factor. Would be much easier to diagnose if that was not the case! There are other similar diseases though, but for a diagnosis you would need to have pain and/or swelling in 5 joints or more. Hope this helps x

 

Hi ladies thank you very much for you help. It sounds like you are both also really suffering. Christmas can be really hard can't it with the extra pressure to do this when in pain. 

I don't have many other pains other than the shoulders at the moment so perhaps it isn't RA. I've had very painful shoulders for the last year however on and off so really eat to find an answer to it all. 

I hope manage to enjoy Xmas Sandy67  and you have a relaxing day on boxing day. Hopefully you will get better meds in the new year and the pain can be kept under control. 

Thanks Matron I will definitely request a blood test tom my GP next week. Best wishes to you both xx