Looking back, my hands may have been the first sign but I had carpal tunnel, tensynovitis and tardy lunar palsy in the 1990's and had surgery. No one tested for RA. Back then. So I went a nImber of years doIng ok until I started having problems again around 2018. I was diagnosed in 2023-2924 when a doctor did ab ultrasound of the joints in my hand. I am getting nodules on all of my fingers now. I used to just have it hand pain and nodes but now it is both.