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Sue, tell your doctor that the pain medication is not working and you're concerned that the joint pain may be something more serious.   If you need some background information on Rheumatoid Arthritis Causes, Risk Factors and Symptoms, click this link.   You can also try this Symptom Checker tool here. It will provide you with information based on the information you click.   Next, you may want to ask about specific tests to look for the possibility of Rheumatoid Arthritis. This link has a list of tests doctors use to help diagnose rheumatoid arthritis. Ask your doctor about these and talk about what tests you should take.   Your condition may not be due to rheumatoid arthritis, but it's best to check and be sure. Tell your doctor your concerns. If your doctor is uncooperative or unhelpful, then you may want to consider seeing someone else. Soem of the members on this site waited years to get a proper diagnosis! The bottom line is to see someone who is concerned about your health and it eager to help you figure out what's going on and help you figure out what to do.   Good luck!