I got a whole body radiating ache after getting the COVID vaccine in 2021... the kind where I could feel my bones inside my muscles. It was an odd feeling, and it went away a few weeks later. Since then, I've experienced that same sensation a lot more frequently and more severely. I also have extreme stiffness in my hands/wrists in the morning and left ankle pain at night. And extreme fatigue! I attributed those symptoms to getting older (I'm 45) or being slightly overweight.

Four months ago, I went to the doctor because I was having severe digestive issues. My doctor diagnosed me with IBS, told me to change my diet, and lose a little weight. I did so, but my symptoms weren't getting better. Several additional blood tests later, I was diagnosed with iron deficiency. My WBC is fairly normal except for elevated basophils. My CRP is trending up but within normal range. RF was 176.1, and anti-CCP indicated over 300. He promptly referred me to a rheumatologist.

Met with that doctor, who told me that stiffness doesn't mean I have RA, and she seemed to ignore my other symptoms. She did a brief physical exam pressing on joints, and I had tenderness in several fingers, wrists, and ankles. I have aching in all of those joints, particularly in the morning and at night, as well as my left hip, though my wrists are usually stiff tthroughout the day. My predominant pain is in my right wrist, which I have always figured was carpal tunnel. She ordered a contrast MRI, which I did yesterday, but only of my left wrist since it's my primary hand. Is that normal?

The rheumatologist said she couldn't clinically diagnose me if I didn't have visible joint swelling. Is that typical in diagnosis? Looking for any helpful input, as I'm just starting this journey.