My 23 year old daughter has experienced moderate joint pain for years. About 5 weeks ago she was afflicted with what we thought was a severe allergic reaction. It manifested itself in a horrible case of hives which evolved into severe joint pain and swelling. She was treated for an allergic reaction although the cause was never determined. She was subsequently hospitalized to get the symptoms under control and was given tests for lupus, lyme, and RA. It has taken almost a full four weeks for the hives to cease coming back, but she still experiences joint pain and some swelling. The tests all came back negative.However my other daughter was diagnosed with RA when she was 18 yrs old and her first RA test also came back negative. She is now 32 and has suffered disfiguration and bone erosion to to delayed treatment.We went on an RA forum where a few people said their RA initiated with what appeared to be hives and/or yeast infections in their mouths. My daughter also experiences frequent yeast infections, the latest one occured in her mouth and throat at the time this puzzling list of hives and pain took place. Can you let us know if these less frequently occurring symtoms could all be part of a reumatoid flare up?
Q: Can hive outbreaks that turn to pain and swelling be reumatoid symtoms?
My doc, online materials, and my own experiences indicate that hives are sometimes associated with RA. With it running in the family, it's critical that she gets an accurate diagnosis and treatment right away if it is indeed RA.
Hi Momof2,
How nice to have a mom like you. Concerned emough to try to help.First, even if I were a doc the first thing I'd have to say of course is : can't diagnose online.
However, I'll tell you what I've seen. My first year of full blown RA was filled with a recurring mysterious rash. It was large and symmetrical (2 arms mirror images). None of the docs could be certain to connect it with RA, but I have since found several people online who had something that sounds similar. But that is only my story. I did get moral support from a lady pharmacist who's daughter also had an unusual onset. She told me this: these are all immune responses. The immune system is obviously gone awry.
If you think she has RA, here is the important thing: keep getting tests and seeing docs and asking for answers until she is diagnosed and treated. Whatever it is, sounds like you feel it's serious.
Hope some more answers come. Good luck.
Kelly
ps; you said you have another daughter who does have RA: it can "cluster" in families where the RA-related genes are present.
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