What were your first symptoms of your RA?

Hi Alexandra. Yes. My first signs were locked shoulders and excruciating pain in my hips. Neither bother me since diagnosis 10 years ago. Hands and feet to start with, now just hands and wrists. When I was at my worst the fatigue was major. I had brilliant advice.... Rest your body when you feel this way, never ever feel guilty. The relaxation you allow yourself is really important. Listen to your body. With time it will pass and you will feel stronger. Take care

Hi Alexandra, I went with a strange rash all over my chest and arms plus severe fatigue and feeling so achy I wondered if I was coming down with the flu. Had painful hands and shoulders for years but not until the rash was RA considered.

Exhaustion and foggy brain was the first symptoms I took notice of. My job at the time was quite stressful and I felt so low even getting to work was an effort. My shoulders ached and using a dryer on my hair and turning the steering on the car was almost impossible. My fingers felt loose too and my ankles were stiff. I didn’t know at the time that all these random symptoms were connected. I was sent to different specialists, neurologist, even a Rheumatologist but I always came away feeling they thought I was a hypochondriac. It took a new Doc who did blood tests and found my RF was high and sent me to another Rheumatologist who thought I had RA but wasn’t sure, put me on Methotrexate and Hydroxycloraquine and the next visit after more blood tests showed high inflammation sent me for a bone scan which showed massive inflammation in my wrists, hands, ankles and feet. I’m now on biologic but had to stop the Methotrexate and Hydroxycloraquine due to liver problems and I’m now starting a third biologic as the other two caused problems.