Two other things - hydration has a much bigger effect on joint pain than you can imagine.
Also have your doctor check your Vitamin D level when he/she does your blood work - most people who work indoors have a deficiency, and the symptoms of a deficiency include joint pain and fatigue.
The pain and swelling really doesn’t lessen as the day goes along. and OMG! Going up a flight of stairs! The worst! No matter how much I walk to how fit I think I am. I get so tired I have to stop half way up the stairs and breathe.
I have a water bottle that holds 32 oz of water. I try to drink at least 2 of those a day at work in 8 hours. As well as a glass of water before work and 2 to 3 after work. As well as green teas.
I am making notes to discuss with my Doctors when I go this week and next 
Thank you all so much for the help! If there is anything else that I should ask, do or try please let me know!!!
That does not sound like arthritis, but anemia or some other problem, potentially a bleeding ulcer due to all that ibuprofen you have been taking…I say that from personal experience with a bleeding ulcer where I could not go up a flight of stairs…and I’d also been taking a fair amount of Aleve.
I have a lot of arthritis, but mine is worse in the spine, but my hands have a fair amount (based upon an xray looking for a possible broken bone a couple of years ago). Motion is lotion for me.
I take one 75 mg diclofenac sodium (Voltaren - another NSAID) most nights, 5 mg flexeril, 5,000-15,000 iu of Vitamin D, Vitamin B complex and Magnesium daily.
I try to go every other night on the NSAID, due to potential liver/kidney damage and also can skip the flexeril some nights.
Heat is wonderful IME. Since my back is worst, I sleep with a heating pad.
I also have a great pain mgmt doc, I get joint injections where it is worst (I’ve had my SI and facet joints done) and have done radiofrequency neurotomy (ablation of the nerves to a specific joing) to help, that has done a lot to allow me to take minimal meds.
Starting exercise always hurts, but I always feel better afterwards.
The other thing that helps, my morning coffee, for some reason, there seems to be a slight analgesic effect from the coffee, not sure if it is the caffeine, but I don’t drink it all day, just first thing in the morning.
Good luck finding the right combination for you, and yes, cold weather definitely makes it worse.
I was told by a rheumatologist (sp?) that RA involves the large knuckles joining the hand to the fingers, while OA does not.
I have OA. I take Celebrex, also use topicals (voltaren, aspercream/gel, etc.). I sometimes wear Back On Track gloves under chore gloves. My hands seem to be the most afflicted + one of the toes on my right foot. I get a steroid injection in the finger joint that´s the worst–maybe once or twice a year.
My right knee is bone on bone thanks to its hitting the ground first every time I get dumped or trip and fall. I occasionally get an HA injection there, but usually it doesn´t hurt unless I´m walking with my toes out. (Like a duck.)
I think I realized that I was stuck with it, so do what it takes to work around it. I give you that it IS hard to tack up. 
[QUOTE=SaddleFitterVA;8478953]
That does not sound like arthritis, but anemia or some other problem, potentially a bleeding ulcer due to all that ibuprofen you have been taking…[/QUOTE]
Common misconception, actually! There are different types of arthritis, and the inflammatory ones, do not always loosen with movement or time. I have RA (Which I’m all for the name change from Arthritis to Rheumatoid Disease, because it’s attacked my eyes, airways and throat, and I’m high risk for it attacking my lungs and heart as well!) and it’s much worse at night! (And not activity related)
Am I stiff in the morning? Yes, but it’s not painful, things just don’t really have much bend, and it gets better mid-day (but that’s when the pain starts to get worse) and then gets stiff again (+ more pain) at night.
It’s fairly common as well, based on recent studies, but many doctors and people still have the misconception that Arthritis will get better with movement or time. For OA this is true, but not always from RA (Or Lupus Arthritis, or JRA).
OP I hope maybe you’ve found out more from your doctor? Good luck, I hope you find the cause!
As someone with RA I would highly recommend seeing a rheumatologist. Especially with the swelling. Stop taking so much NSAIDS. If you go into kidney failure you will have bigger problems then joint pain. Also visit an orthopedist. They can give you other options for pain besides oral medications.
Just want to mention again the NSAID impact on kidneys…please be careful. The damage is not reversible. I find myself with a very restricted diet, both sodium and potassium, and you can’t believe how challenging that is
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