What is It? First Signs of Rheumatoid Arthritis

It was the summer of 2005, when I was 25 years old, the first signs of this awful debilitating disease hit me.
My right wrist was flared one morning. (aching, red, and simply stuck)  There was limited mobility and initially I thought, I must of sprained it somehow.  A few days past and the pain got worse to a point where it was not possible to drive (manual transmission).  Dreading to go to the doctors, I went. He then sent me for  blood tests and my RA Factor came back at 300 when it should be around 90 and so there it was, on paper, my initial diagnosis.

Next step was to visit a Rheumatologists who then recommended AGRESSIVE treatment since if treated early there is a slight chance that it can fall into remission. He explained that my left wrist did not show signs of the disease yet, and RA is an auto immune disease that affects joints symetrically, so there is a possibility to send this disease into remission.

The next half a year involved mulitiple doses and combinations of medications including:
Methotrexate (oral & injection)
Sulphasazine
Plaquinil

The disease progressed and continued to spread to both wrists, shoulders, and knees.

Sorry to end here; but there is HOPE and more.. Please stay tuned....