New to Rheumatoid Arthritis. Are these things normal?

I have not been officially diagnosed with RA, but have had symptoms for the past 7 months. I want to know if what I am experiencing is typical such as:

1. Some mornings, I can barely move my hands and yet this morning, while I still had pain, I hardly had any stiffness. Is that normal?

2. I have read that your joints are often warm and that you may run a fever, but I am finding that I am often very cold and my hands, especially my knuckles, turn purple. Is that typical?

3. I have RF factor in my blood but not high enough for an official diagnosis. I have pain and stiffness everyday in my hands, wrists, toes, ankles, knees and recently, my right hip. My hands are swollen in the morning, but settle down by mid morning, and I don't appear to have any joint damage. Is this typical and will my pain increase if the RF levels in my blood increase?

Any answer will be appreciated. I am not getting much information from my doctor since I do not have a diagnosis. Very frustrating.

Hi Xufan.
I am now 51 and was finally diagnosed with RA at 15 after several months of agony. The course of the disease is unpredictable. Firstly you need to get it diagnosed just in case it is something else. I must have had it for about 18 months before the RF factor was high enough.There are many so called text book cases but mine did not follow those either! Yours sounds much more like mine. Awake stiffly and ease up during the day, prone to anaemia and cold. There are drugs that can help once you are diagnosed; but I found to my cost they can have life threatening side effects.
But please do not get depressed about it. The outlook is much brighter now, and there is not the doom and gloom picture given out today. For instance I was told that I would be in a wheelchair before 20, unable to care for myself etc. The truth is as I said I am now 51, only take co-codamol 30/500 for occasional pain, am active and reasonably fit for my age. My secret has been to be as active as I can and equally important to eat the best quality diet you can. Stay positive. Good luck and e mail me if I can be of any further help.