I agree, the best help at this stage is a rheumatologist as they can assess your level of inflammation via blood tests , prescribe medication but also monitor how the medicines affect you specifically and change meds or adjust dosage if necessary , safer than self .prescribing

Your Rheumatologist should be able to recommend some medications. I've been on Cimzia which is in the form of a shot and it's worked great for me the past 5 years. After some needed surgeries, I don't take any painkillers anymore

Meloxicam is just an anti-inflammatory. Sounds like you need to get a rheumy who is going to treat you for RA. Usually start with a steroid (prednisone is the norm but I suggest Medrol - less side effects) then methotrexate can be added. if those done't work a biologic of some kind can be added and the steroid deleted. If you've just been diagnosed, it can take awwhile for med to work and/or for the rheumy to find the right "cocktail" that gets you out of pain, under control and functional. Talk to your rheumy