What were your first symptoms of RA

[addies]

Hello all.

Just wondering exactly the title. What were your first symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis if you don't mind sharing?

I'm late thirties with autoimmune hypothyroidism. Autoimmune diseases rife on both side of my family.

Lately I am tired and stiff on waking or getting up from sitting. My hands, fingers and knuckles are sore, but not red or swollen. Dry eyes are driving me mad. Muscle aches and simply not being able to do things in the gym that I was capable of before.

Whilst ultimately of course I'll go to my GP, it's not that easy these days is it!! So just wondered whether I'm just getting old. First step will be getting my thyroid levels checked but I just wondered if I'm being a bit dramatic thinking it might be RA, which seems a lot worse than the symptoms I have currently. Thanks

I was in my early 50s and my fingers were gradually becoming more painful with swollen knuckles. It was a few years before I was diagnosed with Palindromic Rheumatism and that later developed into RA.
I also have osteoarthritis and in hindsight I think that's what I started with. They are different kinds of pain.
It's well controlled with drugs but without them now I would be in huge pain in the morning which wears off a bit. prone to tendonitis and similar. Fatigue.
Flare ups are triggered by stress or illness. I had covid in April and that set it off.

OP could it be hormone related, perhaps perimenopause? My dry eyes, stiff sore and swollen finger joints, and general bodily weariness were greatly improved when I started HRT.

I was late 20’s. I first noticed my knuckles would hurt when stamping things at work and my ankles and feet hurt in the morning when walking to get the bus. It gradually got worse and I would be in a lot of pain in the mornings until I warmed up. I got fed up of being in pain so went to the doctors around 6 months after it started and luckily was diagnosed fairly quickly.

Really stiff and sore joints - especially first thing in the morning. I also felt like I had the flu - high temperature and shivering.My eyes were also really dry .
See your GP asap - the sooner you start treatment the less damage to your joints - Good luck 🤞

Thanks all. Will definitely contact the GP next week.

Yes could def be peri, why not? Think I might have a battle to get HRT though at my age?

I was on long term steroids for another autoimmune condition and was being gradually weaned off. When I got down to a very low dose I had an acute episode of severe joint pain and swelling. At the same time I had very inflamed, dry, painful eyes. This turned out to be uveitis. The eye A&E referred me to rheumatology. It hasn't been easy and I am still not really on top of it.

@Sorefeetbadback I'm really sorry you're going through that, that sounds really tough. I hope you do manage to get on top of it

Sounds more like perimenopause, especially with the dry eyes.

I have autoimmune thyroiditis also and I feel like you too, I think the thyroiditis causes a lot of these aches and pains. Ask doctor to check your inflammation levels and yes get thyroid levels checked again as could be you are over or under medicated. Perimenopause could also be a factor, I am late 30s too and wondering this.

I had terrible knee pain since I was 11 years old. Lots of private doctors couldn't find anything. My parents thought that I'm crazy as I was literally crying from pain from late September till early May (cold weather makes my RA terrible).
Diagnosed at 27 year old. And I have arthritis only on my both knees.
My grandma and my mum are the same.

Hi

Have you had any blood tests? If so what was your CRP (C-Reactive Protein) result?

Hope you are feeling ok.