Heather...all I can say is been there done that. My xrays never showed the arthritis until lately and now its really bad. My osteo doctor was amazed that I had as much damage in my knees until he actually opened me up and then he was apologizing all over the place for not believing it was that bad. Now when I say something hurts, he believes me.
I also cannot walk or stand up very long. I have had the swelling of the hands and the numbness though mine is in my legs.
It can take way too long to figure these things out because they seem to want to rule out everything else first. It gets so depressing that jumping in front of something seems like a positive step. I wanted to drive my car under a tractor trailer. I think that is when they started to believe me that something was really bothering me.
Keep going and believe that eventually something will be figured out. It has to be.
