I am 3 weeks post knee replacement and, if I had ever had any auto-immune issues, I was unaware of them and they were not severe.  I have a family history of osteoarthritis.  My knee recovery was goint extremely well when, after 2 weeks, I began to have severe joint pain everywhere.  Each day, there were new sites, with some of the old improving and some still painful.  I had trouble using my hands and arms, particularly.  My doctor put me on a 5 day course of prednisone, did blood work, which "shows high markers for RA" and referred me to a rheumatologist.  I have an appointment in 4 days and am on my last day of prednisone.  I am much better, but yesterday was worse again after 2 days of being almost totally clear.  I just downloaded your book on Kindle and also Adamo's bood type guide and am starting with some of the food ideas.  I had eaten some things Thursday night that seem kind of wrong and am thinking that may be why I was worse yesterday.  So far, today is good.  My thought is that my body got confused or angry regarding the surgery or medications following surgery and started attacking itself, but the timing could be a coincidence.  I wondered whether anyone has experienced anything similar timing wise.  I am also hopeful that whatever it is may be a temporary reaction and that I am not beginning a permanent fight.  If it doesn't go away on it's own, I am hopeful to be able to work out food issues and to not use medications, but my immediate concern is that it will come back with a vengeance in the next few days without more prednisone and that is why I am trying to get going on some nutritional issues right away.  I am 62 years old, female, and recently retired.

Hi Lynn,
Wonderful that you are just at the beginning of this, and like me have a very good chance of taking your RA - if it is RA - into your own hands in some way so YOU stay on top of it.
Mine also started after a specific incident: I had an intestinal inflammation, and I am sure that triggered it. In my case and other success stories I know of, diet has been of the essence, as well as exercise. Barbara Allan´s book is an excellent study of same. And as she says, you have to find what is right for you. In my case, flour (ahhh, bread, pasta and the like!) white rice, regular potatoes, eggplant, (interestingly, tomatoes in sauce are ok) sugar (but nowadays with agave syrup, that is easier), red meat, seafood from sea-farms, corn, any kind of processed foods are out. My diet is strictly 70% organic raw everything, and yet I eat well, am slender and fit, can go out anywhere and not call attention (grilled fish and veg are always an option). I have got used to it and actually mentally recoil from the kinds of foods I cannot eat (bar fresh white bread). With the help of a professional, go for supplements that are ok for you, with me these are things like curcumin, boswellia, 6000 omegas a day, L-glutamine, alfa-lipoic acid, tons of vit C, etc. And exercise - lucky you are retired now, so you will have time - also find a hobby or activity that makes you move and stay outdoors in natural daylight for a few hs a day - a huge difference I found, when I took over the home vegetable gardening, even my eyesight improved!
I am now experimenting with apitherapy ( not using the bees, but the venom of same injected sub-cutaneously) for my right hand that just started showing signs - in your case too many joints for now. Hope to hear that you are on the road getting better really soon!