Reply to an Answer

I was in complete and total agony for over a year - numerous specialists "couldn't" figure it out, because I was sed negative. I could not dress myself, walk up one stair, and ended up with severe damage in both my feet, as well as hands and minor damage in 75 joints.  I just had my first corrective surgery for my feet.    I finally found an very, very old rheumie, who diagnosed me just by looking at me, although it was several years before I found the right combination of meds and went into remission. (Of course the disease continues, but much slower and without the pain!).  I later read somewhere it can take up to four years to show up sed positive.  During that time, you suffer horribly, as well as destroying your joints.  So be aggressive if you have red, swollen joints, that are hot and hurt so badly you can't move.  Iritis is just one form of the disease - my cousin lost an eye to that form, so make them take you seriously. I just read about a man who had a whole family of severe RA patients - mother, grandmother, sister, etc.  He had no sypmtoms except very bad hoarseness - turned out he had a nodule in his throat.  Although he had no other symptoms, they treated it seriously.  Be glad you don't have full blown RA, stay away from triggers like abuse, and get some meds so that you don't lose your eyes.