Is there another disease that may cause the same symptoms as rheumatoid arthritis?

My doctor has started to run some blood tests to determine whether or not I have rheumatoid arthritis. I have been doing some research on it and I don't think I have RA, but I am not the doctor. I am just hoping that maybe there is something else less severe that I may have.

Symptoms being for about a month now; pains in hands-knuckles and wrists, stiff feeling up to elbows. Back pains, stiffness, knee pains and stiffness. When I say stiffness, I mean it feels like sandpaper in between my joints. Its worst in the morning and when I am trying to go to bed. Doc's suggest I take Aleve, but I have been along with Ibuprofen with no success of pain relief.

lymes

You don't normally have similar pains if you have osteoporosis - you may have backpains and break bones easily. There are, however, many varieties of arthritis and the symptoms may be like those of rheumatoid arthritis. Reactive arthritis may follow even a mild viral infection but the symptoms are very live rheumatoid arthritis. Also, a blood test for rheumatoid arthritis may initially be negative so further tests are needed in the future. See www.arc.org.uk (UK arthritis researcfh council) website for helpful info.

osteoarthritis (Degenerative Joint Disease) and osteoporosis are very similar to RA. Blood test will confirm RA or not.

There are lots of systemic diseases that have the same or similar symptoms as RA. Lupus for one. It would help if you had stated your symptoms. I've had RA and lupus for 26 years. It sux. I'm sorry if you have it. Catch it early, find a good rheumatologist, and take the meds prescribed and exercise(no matter how bad it hurts). There are lots of good sites and bad info online, so be careful and use common sense. Don't buy into the quick cure crap. There is no cure. It's a chronic illness. Hopefully, it's just a flare of your immune system and/or you'll get remission quickly. Good Luck!

Are you able to work out the stiffness, if so, how long does it take to stop? It certainly sounds like RA is a possibility. It's unusual for a man your age to get it, but not unheard of. Aleve is the OTC version of Naprosyn. It's an anti inflammatory. If the Ibuprofen is working for you use it. If this is RA, it will eventually get to were it's not enough, then switch to Aleve. I was on the 'scrip of naprosyn for over 15 years until it finally started shutting down my kidneys. Now I have to take Lortab 7.5.