Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Hi all! I was diagnosed with JRA at age 9. I'm now 21 so I guess it is RA now. I had no signs or symptoms when I was real little and then I got really sick with a 105 fever and was in and out of the hospital until after many tests was diagnosed. Does anyone else have a similar story? How did you know something was wrong and how were you diagnosed?

Thanx

Ouch. Jra at age nine. I'm sorry. I didn't have JRA, just regular RA. I had general symptoms, morning stiffness. I'd wake up and my feet would feel like I walked 30 miles barefoot.

As for diagnosis, my mother made me go. She was concerned because my hands look exactly like my grandmother's (who also had RA.) So I went, and the rest is history.

I too was diagnosed with JRA, age four. I've had it since I was baby, but apparently some sort of change in the environment brought it out at full force.. (I only had swollen joints as a baby)

I got up one day and couldn't walk because my ankle was swollen. Was rushed to the ER, and after seeing how much inflammation I had, the doctor instantly diagnosed me with JRA, lol. Of course they did blood tests too. My Rheumatologist diagnosed me with polyarticular and systemic-onset. Because I have it in all joints, and I have it in most organs, but since systemic was so new at the time apparently he couldn't make a full diagnosis (though I have the fevers, rash, etc. of systemic).

I'm 25 and was diagnosed with JRA when I was a baby and I don't really remember the tests. I do remember the flair ups and trying to deal with the pain.