I was diagnosed with possible RA just over a year ago I went to a rheumatoligist he looked at my hands and told me that since I was an exsmoker thats why my RF showed so high and that I did not have RA. Now a year later and a whole lot of pain. swollen knuckles, wrist, shoulders, knees, ankles, and my little piggys. My gp sends to another rheumatoligist who this time runs the test again and does x-rays says I do have RA. So now I have started treatment I am on my 4TH week no improvement yet. But, I would still like to know if this number is high or can smoking or being an exsmoker make this number high? also is it normal for say your shoulder to wake you up at night and hurt extremley bad for days without easing off. I had to go to the ER and at that time did not know what was causing this extreme pain.