My Rheumatoid Arthritis Story: Signs and Symptoms Before Diagnosis

This is my RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis) story. The signs and symptoms that led me to making a doctor appointment, what diagnosis felt like, and how those around me reacted to my RA diagnosis.

#autoimmunedisease #autoimmune #rheumatoidarthritis #systemicsclerosis #scleroderma #lupus #LupusSLE #chronicillness #chronicallyill #invisibleillness #spoonielife #invisibledisability #chronicillnesswarrior #raredisease #chronicpain #rheumatology #invisibledisease #myRAstory #RA #myrheumatoidarthritisstory

[NaidaAri]

There’s no way you’re 44(46 to 47 now)! You look amazing!
I’ve had RA for 10 years now. It took 2 years to get a diagnosis. The worst 2 years of my life. Finally putting a name to what was going on with me was a huge relief. I’m still struggling with pain every second of everyday even with treatment. The treatment just gives me a little mobility. I honestly wouldn’t wish this on anyone, even my worst enemy.

[abd]

Interesting about the sore throat...i had that, then mild nausea, loss of appetite and gradually my joints started hurting constantly with movement. I also have breast cancer and was going through treatment for that, so at first i confused it for side effects. Thank god I had good doctors who thought outside the box. Hope everyone starts to feel better. Prayers xx

[Brookv]

Thank You!!! Thank you for sharing your story, I feel all that you said to the core of my body. I go through the EXACT same thing and have felt alone before seeing this when it comes to pain, not being able to lift your arms and the entire list of what you shared. I'm a jokester too, when I couldn't lift my leg to take a step onto our deck, and said wait to my family that my body hasn't yet responded to my brain and had to talk itself into taking the step. They laughed and said WTH okay. I said no really just pull me up all while pain was setting in. Also, I look like a turtle or rolly polly at times trying to get up off my butt or knees. It's ridiculous really and there are way too many moves involved with just getting up off my knees. The pain is real the struggle is real and we are all in this together. I'm happy you have your family to help get you up. Stay strong and thanks again for sharing it means a lot. 🙌😊

[AltayDagli-yz]

In my early forties, I started experiencing arthritic pain in my arms and hands. Some nights I could not sleep. I have not talked to my doctor, because I knew there was no cure. And one day as I was having a small talk with a colleague at work cafeteria waiting for my turn for the microwave, I learned exercise could cure it. He said he had RA and it disappeared after he started to run every morning. Now, he said, he runs every morning rain or snow. He even runs some local marathons, because he got good at running. He was around 50 years. I decided to try. So, I started to run for 15 -30 min in the morning either in the neighborhood or at the gym. Sure enough, the pain was gone completely after a while. I have lived pain free for 15 years. Then the Covid came, I stopped exercising. Now after 3 years of sedentary life, the pain started to come back. Not as bad as before, but I know it is back. I have developed eczema and Gerd (heartburn) around the same time as my initial RA symptoms started to show. All started with with my new favorite food spaghetti. I would eat spaghetti with Ragu sauce 3 -4 times a week. Spaghetti sauce is an absolute poison for your immune system. It probably destroys your biome (the good gut bacteria) or your stomach lining. I learned the hard way. If I did not spaghetti sauce as much as I did, I am firmly sure I would not have all these immunity related problems. Fresh tomatoes seem to be ok, but I can’t eat spaghetti sauce. I don’t know if it is the preservatives in it or the manufacturing process of the sauce produces a harmful chemical. I am a medicinal chemist in drug discovery. It is surprising how little effort goes into studying the health effects of various foods. Maybe it is not in the interest of the food and drug industry. As long as it does cause a cute adverse health effect, no one cares.
In short, if you are young enough to run and have a healthy knees and feet, try running to see the effect for yourself. If you have osteoarthritis, it is not recommended.

[susiemilligan]

Three years. It took me three years of intense pain and disability to get a diagnosis. In the end I had to beg them to test me for RA. Thank goodness for my rheumatologist, whom I started seeing after that. Seven years later I still have issues, but with the help of biologics I feel MUCH better. Thank you for your story and this chance to vent.

[IqraSultana-xpry]

I was thinking...I am alone but now I realize that I'm not alone in this journey....Life is not same as before....

[MsShellybell]

In my 30's my fingers and wrist would swell so bad that if I left my rings on my hand and slept I have woken up and had to get the rings cut off. Then my right foot and leg would drag and I would trip all the time I first thought I had MS. Previously diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. When the doctor sees this it's a fake disease and in my head. Today I am 50 just got diagnosed last month the best news that it's not in my head. Numbness in hands and feet pins and needles in hand and feet. Loss of my feet working like your hands I couldn't walk several years of falling up the stairs I told all my doctors and specialist and I would cry because I knew something was wrong I even had a MRI on my knee in November that showed nothing knee has been the size of Three large potatoes then the other knee started to swell I prayed to God so hard, cried my heart out then found a rheumatologist who diagnosed me two days later for anyone else like us out here it will take or could take years to get diagnosed I showed symptoms but I think they blamed it on the Fibromyalgia

[kristenh.]

Thanks for sharing your story! I just got diagnosed with RA 2 months ago. For me it was a relief as I had known for 2 years that something felt wrong. My RA is Seronegative so harder to get that diagnosis. Honestly I went to the rheumatologist ready to be sent home with no diagnosis again as I thought it was all in my head (psychosomatic), but it wasn’t. Now I’m trying to navigate things, as a nurse I at least understand how health care works. But very much struggling with my management about accommodations for my job. It’s funny how much we mask what is going on until we just can’t anymore. Your experience was very helpful as you described a lot of symptoms I have had. I will remember to look for the light at the end of the tunnel! 💡❤

[koogle]

Just tested positive for RA. Was seen by a rheumatologist. She says I gave a false positive. Tomorrow is my 1 month follow up with her. For me its bad knees hips shoulders & elbows sometimes. No problems with hands & feet. Right wrist though can get real bad. Hope tomorrow holds good news. I always thought I just beat my body up from 25 yrs in construction. Up until mid 30s I ran 7 miles every day so I just thought it was just aches & pains. The fatigue got really bad. Definitely messed with my clarity of thought at work. Gettin older is no picnic - 57 now. Fingers crossed. I googled RA my advice dont do that. Talk to your Dr. instead who can dispell all of the fears that will come from reading up on it. Thx for sharing. Also in NCal (Santa Rosa😊).

[Leescraftyside]

I’m 40yrs old, I just have got referred to a rheumatologist and he’s almost certain that I have RA. I have very high inflammatory markers, CRP and send rate. I’m the same with all of the life difficulties, no longer being able to do things, normal everyday things. Mine started with bilateral shoulder pain. It’s been over a year and just now getting answers

[chueysmama]

I'm 56, JUST have been diagnosed, I've had the rashes, hand, foot, major joint pain, fatigue, and instability moving. JUST NOW diagnosed.
I am so glad, because EVERYONE was telling me it's "just osteoarthritis", "everyone gets it", "I manage to get up in the morning"
NOW, I know I'm not a wuss, I'm NOT lazy, I have a debilitating disease. I know it will take time to sort out meds and such (I'm in the methotrexate/prednisone phase now. THANK YOU for these videos!

[reeseasbury]

Well, your story sounds almost identical to mine. I just turned 24 years old and this morning I got diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. I have been suffering in severe chronic pain for almost a year. I thought I was alone until I heard your story.

[MrHerks]

Thanks for sharing your story. My rf is pretty high but reactive protein is normal and ANA is negative. First appt with rheumatologist. In about two weeks. I have all the same symptoms as you but add horrible muscle cramps, so bad the almost bring me to tears, and it’s my whole body not just one or 2 muscles. It’s such a horrible way to live. Hope you’re feeling well and getting along ok :)

[elizabeth]

I just found your channel ~ thank you for sharing your story. I’m a cardiac/vascular sonographer who is seronegative so the RA diagnosis didn’t come quickly and after treatment for a few months rheumatologist is now leaning toward psoriatic arthritis. Like many viewers, I was told stress, inactivity, etc while dealing with challenging pain. I was lucky enough to have had an orthopedic surgeon (another wrong direction) take the time to review all my symptoms refer me to my rheumatologist, for which I am eternally grateful. This isn’t an easy journey but when we have people such as yourself sharing, it helps us all tremendously. Many blessings for continued health and kindness ❤

[notasquid]

thank you for sharing your story :)) tomorrow im calling the rheumatologist to see if i can set up my appointment (i have a referral but of course its taking forever for anything to happen). im genuinely terrified bc part of me wants it to be RA and for my valid suspicions to be confirmed bc i have every symptom and sign of it. but a bigger part of me wants it to be something that is easier to live with. I'm 19 and ive had joint issues since i was 12 but it's gotten nearly unbearable since 3-4 months ago. its isolated me physically and socially and i know if i dont get help very soon its gonna start impacting school. i LOVE learning and i love university but it becomes a lot less fun when typing is so difficult because my fingers cramp up every 2 seconds. or bc walking to class is so painful it takes me 30 minutes to even be able to start paying attention to the lecture

[susie]

Your story is my story ...same age and everything. I was diagnosed in 1995 and do the math I'm 65 and I have tried everything and my body couldn't tolerate the biologics and I was just in time for them ...but thru it because I had a my answers to all my swollen joints and fever and a Dr actually told me I just didn't want to work! So I feel for you but are young now and they have developed med that you can take now and you have so many options for you and your Dr to talk thru...and keep moving I was in if you just pour ice/heat on it and rest...good luck on your journey

[RoseHagan-dz]

Apparently I have had RA since I was around 22. I would just crash feeling like I had the flu. Bad pain in shoulders and neck. I would explain symptoms to people, go to doctors and everyone said that there was nothing wrong with me and I was a bit of a hypochondriac. About 4 years ago I had the same thing as you feeling it in my index finger then it moved to my wrist but mostly my lungs. Breathing became laboured. Anyway finally at 59 a dr did a test for RA and from the damage to my lungs and back said that have probably had it since my early 20s. Funny I am a legal secretary too. But Australian.

[justjess]

Thank you for sharing your before diagnosis story! It’s really helpful for those who suspect RA and need to know what to look for. I’ve struggled with fatigue for 4 years now. Been to oodles of specialists and functional medicine, integrative, all the regular PCP people etc with not a whole lot coming out of it. We discovered Celiac disease, I had breast implants removed with little improvement. Now over the last two months I’ve started having joint pains bilaterally in toes, fingers, wrists, shoulders and neck pain. The joints are progressively getting worse. Sore throat off and on. I saw my PCP she ran tests for RA and my CRP came back slightly elevated at 1.5 and ANA really elevated. RF negative, sed rate negative. Appointment with rheumatologist next week finally. I hope I get some answers. 🙏

[shannonjones]

Thank you, that was a really helpful video with really important information. I'm about to see a rheumatologist and it was really helpful for me to hear your story. Please take care and be well! 💖

[BarryMcKee]

You are a brave person. I was diagnosed 2 years ago. I have an awesome Dr and I am on a biosimilar. My RA is in check. I had many of the same symptoms as you described and went through many periods of depression. I am 69. Thank you for sharing your story. I hope you have been able to get the disease in check. You have many good years ahead of you. Stay strong and be kind to yourself.