my diagnosis was fairly straightforward.

firstly i have had Osteo in both knee's for about 8 years now so was used to that pain. i also went on to have trigger finger in my small finger and then Carpel Tunnel which i had the procedure done to correct it.

so looking back wondering if the trigger finger and Carpel were an indication.

in March 2010 i started to get very achy/painful shoulders which went right down the top of my arms to my elbows. went to my GP who is fantastic ( been my GP for 30 years ) he immediately took blood tests and once results were back i was referred to Rheumatology. i think i was seen within the guide lines of 8ish weeks. diagnosed straight away once there although my GP had indicated to me that he thought it was RA, and put on Methotrexate. i was in a terrible state with the diagnosis, and the thought of the drugs that treated RA, and went on to lose 8-9lbs in that week with stress.

but have to say the treatment and care i have received has been wonderful.

Methotrexate and Hydroxy added 6 months later didn't work for me, so had the long process of waiting for funding from PCT to start Humira. started Humira a year ago and that has been successful for me.

the most discomfort i get is with my knee's, but i manage short distances outside and indoors is fine. if i need to venture further Hubby pushes me in my wheelchair.

i consider myself one of the lucky ones .. although luck shouldn't come into it, but having been a forum member for over two years i know how much some have suffered with poor treatment.

i don't work so no pressure's there and i do lead a fairly normal life.

Suzanne x

Hi Jenni and All
I first noticed my feet were sore when we were on an overseas posting in Istanbul in 2009, and I put it down to running around the house in bare feet but I'd also badly twisted my ankle a year previously and just thought that was possibly also to blame. A couple of months later at the beginning of 2010 I went to the doctor in Holland with a swollen finger, and he had the foresight to test for rheumatoid factor which he said was negative. My feet were still sore and my husband and I laughed as I got out of bed in the morning stiff and sore just thinking it was age creeping up on me, but as the weeks went on the stiffness was lasting more than just the first run to the loo in the morning I was tired and depressed during this period. A few more weeks passed and I remember not being able to get up from the sunbed as my wrists were so sore, this went on to develop into a feeling as though someone was pouring acid inside my wrist. I couldn't move the duvet over me, open doors, or do anything that involved wrist strength.
Back to the doctor when I found out the earlier RF test was positive, though I had by this time I'd been reading up and had a pretty good idea what was going on. I was referred to a rheumatologist in Holland but the waiting list was long (the doctor should have apparently fast tracked any suspected RA patient to be seen within two weeks - so minus two points now!) but as I knew speed was of the essence took advantage of private medical insurance we had in UK. First diagnosis without the benefit of blood test results was osteoarthritis, but went back a week later to get the results and the RF of 224 and anti CCP and increasing number of stiff and swollen joints confirmed the diagnosis.
I was fortunate that there was no joint damage seen on my xrays of feet and hands and after a flaky two weeks on my part, bit the bullet and started on methotrexate on 30th august 2010.
My liver tests were always out of the normal range for a good 18 months, teetering on the edge of unacceptably high but these last six months all the enzymes are behaving themselves and my last set of blood tests had everything, including esr and crp within the normal range. I
The fatigue is my biggest problem at the moment and I have been very weepy with feelings of terribly low self esteem and a thumping chest, and whilst I flirted with the idea of anti-depressants earlier in the year, have actually just started on citalopram this week - I can't say I yet feel like I used to (BRA) but am ever hopeful. Just writing this however reminds me of how far I have come.

Hi
Looking back, my RA started when we on holiday 4 years ago. The balls of my feet were very sore but we had been doing a lot of walking, so I put it down to that. Then late last year I got a horrible chesty cough which wouldn't clear. I had to have two different lots of anti biotics to get rid of it. A few days after finishing my second lot of anti biotics I was feeling nearly back to normal, went to bed quite happily and woke the following morning with very sore feet and stiff fingers.
Went to the doctors and she told me the pains were due to wear and tear, I was 52 years old and this seemed a ridiculous diagnosis to me. Anyway she said she would send me for blood tests but added that she would be surprised if anything was amiss.
I rang for my results 10 days later to be told that they were all normal!
Over the next couple of weeks I still had lots of pain, my feet were so sore to walk on and my fingers started to get very sore and swollen, like they were bruised around the joints. Just doing the washing up was so painful and holding a cup of tea really hurt. I couldn't believe how many times during the day I knocked my fingers on something. (I did a great deal of swearing!)
Back to my GP again, this time seeing a different doctor, who informed me that my blood test result was positive for RA factor. This was a big shock after being previously told my bloods were all ok.
My husband has Parkinson's disease and my first thoughts were how I was going to look after him!
I was then referred to the Rheumatology department at one of the local hospitals. My first consultation after diagnosis, which was done by letter was appalling, the consultant said before anything else that she had no time for questions, also no Rheummy nurse, the only person I can phone is the secretary and obviously she doesn't know much! My other half and I were both gobsmacked, we had made a list of things we wanted to ask but didn't get a chance to ask any of them. Came home and got on the Internet and found NRAS. This was all back in Feb/March this year, have been on MTX but my ALT & AST blood results have been out of the range for a couple of months, have had a liver ultrasound scan this week, that all seemed ok, which is good news.
The consultant doesn't want me taking more than 10mg MTX, so is introducing Hydroxychloroquine, which I am starting this week.
Am also in the process of changing to a different hospital.
My feet and fingers are still pretty sore and I do get tired quite quickly but I know I am lucky compared to lots of people on here.
Mary

I was carrying a box and felt tenderness in the back of my right hand. couldn't sleep all night , it was so painful.

By morning the back of my hand was swollen, red hot and completely stiff, could not move my fingers at all.
Went to G.P. diagnosed tendonitis, prescribed ibruprophen and put me on a course of antibiotics, it looked like an infection.

All O.K. for 3-4 weeks, then same thing happened in my wrist.
Went back to G.P. I was in so much pain, remember being in tears talking to him, couldn't move hand at all just sat nursing it, felt a real wimp. He then asked if there was any R.A. in the family and yes my grandmother had it .He thought it might be broken so was sent for X-ray and blood test.

Went back for results, in meantime back to normal. No sign of anything in bloods or X-ray. He then said that if it happened again he would have to refer me to a rheumatologist. and that it may or may not come back.

Sadly the same thing then started to happen in my shoulders as well as my hands, arc tendonitis, so that I could not lift my arm from my side. It was all very strange. But I just could not see how it could be R.A. surely that was joints!!

Referred to Rheumy doc. 6 mnths later got an app. but strangely with a Mr..... not a Doc...... and not in my local orthapeadic hospital as I'd expected. Just so relieved to get an app. at last as things were getting much worse.

He looked at my hands, I explained how it was now affecting all my joints, without looking anymore he told me to go around the corner for X-rays on hands and feet.

Sat waiting, place was deserted, very odd. After 10 mins or so his assisstent came to fetch me, said dep. was shut today! Taken back in to see doc. and he explained that he was not a rheumatologist at all, but an upper body metal man!!! I had been sent to him by mistake. I was devastated, would I have to wait for another 6 mths? He couldn't have appologised anymore and said he would get straight on to the correct doc. a friend of his to explain.

A month later got to see the correct dep. in my nearer hos. More bloodtests, x-rays etc, and diagnosed as sero negative. Guess I was just very unlucky. I had been referred properly by my G.P. but some where along the way someone had not read my notes properly. So it was just one year later from first seeing my G.P.to having a diagnosis.

I find it interesting that so many people just put aches and pains down to over doing things and strain. I also feel it must be a very difficlt thing for doc.s to distinguish between this and R.A. without overloading our rheumy teams dep. not that I am making any excuses for the long waits and" not being listened to" incidents that lots seem to have encountered.

The very sad thing is that so many of us already have damage before being diagnosed!!!

Zena xx