Arthritis already?

[twowhat?]

The joints in my fingers in both hands have been really achy. It seems worse at night (so I'm not sleeping as well) and better during the day. This just started happening in the past few days...I'm almost (but not yet!) 40...can arthritis start so early? It's only my hands, nothing else, and for now they just feel achy and stiff (not painful). Sigh. I'll talk to my doctor about it but just curious if anyone else has had symptoms so young.

[Philly Mom]

Those are the symptoms that I have. Not what you want to hear, but for me it is autoimmune. My rheumatologist is not sure if it is RA or psoriatic arthritis. Do you have psoriasis? I was just diagnosed in early February. I would see a rheumatologist.


Sent from my iPhone using Baby Bargains

[ArizonaGirl]

What kind of work do you do?

I work in hospital pharmacy and draw up hundreds of syringes of drug per shift (pediatrics) since I was 18.

All that hand manipulation and I'm "only" 32 and I have had arthritis in my hands for a couple of years now.

It's sounds like my experience so far. The more hands work I do the worse it is and the colder it is the more they hurt.

[NCGrandma]

Another thing to add to the mix: a family member had very lax joints ("double jointed") as a kid and delighted in grossing people out by how far she could bend fingers and thumbs. Now in her mid-40s she already has quite painful arthritis in her hands (especially thumbs). She started noticing it in her late 30s.


Sent from my iPad using Baby Bargains

[Melbel]

RA and PA are often undiagnosed Lyme disease that is missed by doctors who rely on faulty laboratory tests. "Lyme arthritis" is a common disease presentation. It is critical to figure out whether there is an underlying infection because rheumatologists tend to use steroids and other biologic immunusuppressants that will only make things worse in the long run (even if they provide temporary relief).

Here is a great symptom checklist to determine likelihood of Lyme: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&p...zM2MjM1NTMxYmI

Natural anti-inflammatories such as turmeric/curcumin may be worth trying. I hope you find answers OP!

Lax joints may be the hypermobility variant of EDS. In the EDS/Lyme population, the joints are particularly vulnerable to infection.

[Philly Mom]

RA and PA are often undiagnosed Lyme disease that is missed by doctors who rely on faulty laboratory tests. "Lyme arthritis" is a common disease presentation. It is critical to figure out whether there is an underlying infection because rheumatologists tend to use steroids and other biologic immunusuppressants that will only make things worse in the long run (even if they provide temporary relief).

Here is a great symptom checklist to determine likelihood of Lyme: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&p...zM2MjM1NTMxYmI

Natural anti-inflammatories such as turmeric/curcumin may be worth trying. I hope you find answers OP!

Lax joints may be the hypermobility variant of EDS. In the EDS/Lyme population, the joints are particularly vulnerable to infection.

Thank you for reminding me about Turmeric. My Rheumatologist suggested I take it and kept forgetting to pick it up. Just did!!


Sent from my iPhone using Baby Bargains

[Philly Mom]

RA and PA are often undiagnosed Lyme disease that is missed by doctors who rely on faulty laboratory tests. "Lyme arthritis" is a common disease presentation. It is critical to figure out whether there is an underlying infection because rheumatologists tend to use steroids and other biologic immunusuppressants that will only make things worse in the long run (even if they provide temporary relief).

Here is a great symptom checklist to determine likelihood of Lyme: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&p...zM2MjM1NTMxYmI

Natural anti-inflammatories such as turmeric/curcumin may be worth trying. I hope you find answers OP!

Lax joints may be the hypermobility variant of EDS. In the EDS/Lyme population, the joints are particularly vulnerable to infection.

Thank you for reminding me about Turmeric. My Rheumatologist suggested I take it and kept forgetting to pick it up. Just did!!


Sent from my iPhone using Baby Bargains

[gamma]

I had sudden achy joints and I had Fifth's Disease. It seems that is the symptom in adults. Have you been exposed? Now many years later, I occasionally have swollen achy joints, which I usually notice when I don't eat a healthy diet of fruit and vegetables, but is high in carbs. Once I focus on eating right, it seems to go away. I do have arthritis in my hip and Tumeric has made an amazing difference.

[twowhat?]

I do a lot of computer work. Previously, lots of lab work (pipetting, etc). I am prone to repetitive strain injuries, so it's possible my finger are overworked!

Lyme - possible but not likely. I went through the symptom checker and it's really unlikely that I have it. I've never found a tick on myself, or any of the dogs I've either grown up with or currently have. We're not outdoorsy people, and neither were the dogs, LOL.

Fifth's disease - possible! Didn't occur to me as a possibility but it could be...DD2 has a "cold" right now. Impossible to tell what it is unless she gets the telltale facial rash later. And tonight I'm feeling achy all over, so that fits in with a viral infection.

RA or other autoimmune cause - also possible. I hope that's not it though

[twowhat?]

duplicate post