Yes and yes. Dr thought it was carpal when I was 8, 20yrs later we find out it's RA. And the RA caused Hashimoto's. The blood attacks the thyroid so I gained a ton. Currently working on both.

Weight gain, yes, I've put on at least 5 stone over the last 12 years, most of it I think is due to lack of hard excerise,. tablets Galore, yer, got to admit it, over eating, especially at the beginning of RA, I also have Osteo, I didn't realise this until my sister pointed it out, that I was eating more when in more pain, once I realized this I stopped it but I haven't lost much and I have now developed a sweet tooth!, I've never had a sweet tooth, and God's honest truth I don't know how to stop it. I can cut down on food even excerise, but so far I haven't been the sweet tooth.

Hi. I was actually misdiagnosed for the first 2 years. I went from running on a treadmill and being so healthy to one day getting out of bed and went to stand and couldn't put weight on me feet. I went to my pcp and she said it was my shoes so we went through sooo many pairs of shoes. Then she sent me to a orthopedic and he gave me insoles and nothing worked. My pcp up and quit because of so many complaints against her. When the other pcp (who is now my pcp) took me over, my hands were so swollen. I thought it was from the dogs leash on my hand but my pcp looked at me and said he knew right away what I had. He did blood work etc and I was on vacation in Florida and he called and said I had rheumatic fever, strep and my ra. Apparently when you have rheumatic fever you don't know you have strep. So I was put on ecotrin (coded aspirin) and a heavy dose of antibiotics and had to have a ultrasound on my heart when I got back to see if they rheumatic fever got to my heart yet. Thankfully it did not and it had gone away with the meds. Then it took another 6 months to see a ra dr. My first ra dr was horrible. She never knew what to do with me. I was eventually sent to where I am now for a study ra med and I ended up staying there as a patient and I get so much better care there. My pcp said to me not to Google ra at all and what's the first thing I did lol. I was 20 when I was diagnosed. No one has it in my family. It's been a long journey. I've Been on every single ra med out there and I either have severe reactions or they don't work.
Hugs. I know it is scary. I would love to hear your story if you want to share

Yes I have gained about 75 in the last 8 years. My pain will awake me up in the middle of the night so to the Prednisone bottle I go take some more. Prednisone help me more than pain pill.

I am the same way! I have gained so much weight and I crave chocolate!!!