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Is this Reactive Arthritis or early Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Posted , 3 users are following.

john816
john816

Hi all,

I am male aged 31. 3 months ago I started to have joint pain and popping in my lower limbs, my knees, ankles, and toes were burning and painful but not reddish and swollen. The burn and pain feeling soon spread to my both arms, elbows, wrists, and fingers although the right side seems more severe in pain. Sometimes there is stiffness in my right heel especially after sleep and sitting. I am in agnoy and went to my GP and did some blood test revealed that my liver show high globulin and a high RA factor...He referred me to see a rhumey and did more blood test which indicated more abnormal findings:

RA factor: 19 iu/ml (0-12) H

ESR: 11 mm/1st hour (0-10) H

CRP: 1.1 mg/L (<1) h

globulin: 38 (20-35) h

neutrophils: 7.51 k/ul (2.00-7.50) h

lymphocytes:1.38 k/ul (1.50-4.00) l

anti-ccp: negative (cutoff 5u/ml)

hla-b27: negative

as i have problem of prostate infection for almost 3 years, my rheumy currently diagnosed me suffering from reactive arthritis. however, i am still very worry and stressful it is actually early rheumatoid arthritis rather than reactive arthritis. he is now put me on arcoxia 90 everyday and it did able to relieve my pain temporarily. he also recommended me to start taking dmard asap to control the disease.

i heard that some infection may cause an falsely elevated ra factor and i wonder prostatitis could make this happen? i did a lot of urine and semen tests and all come back normal and no bacteria found.

besides, is my symptoms rea or ra? if it is any of them should i start the dmard now? 

thank you for your advice in advance!! h="" globulin:="" 38="" (20-35)="" h="" neutrophils:="" 7.51="" k/ul="" (2.00-7.50)="" h="" lymphocytes:1.38="" k/ul="" (1.50-4.00)="" l="" anti-ccp:="" negative="" (cutoff="" 5u/ml)="" hla-b27:="" negative="" as="" i="" have="" problem="" of="" prostate="" infection="" for="" almost="" 3="" years,="" my="" rheumy="" currently="" diagnosed="" me="" suffering="" from="" reactive="" arthritis.="" however,="" i="" am="" still="" very="" worry="" and="" stressful="" it="" is="" actually="" early="" rheumatoid="" arthritis="" rather="" than="" reactive="" arthritis.="" he="" is="" now="" put="" me="" on="" arcoxia="" 90="" everyday="" and="" it="" did="" able="" to="" relieve="" my="" pain="" temporarily.="" he="" also="" recommended="" me="" to="" start="" taking="" dmard="" asap="" to="" control="" the="" disease.="" i="" heard="" that="" some="" infection="" may="" cause="" an="" falsely="" elevated="" ra="" factor="" and="" i="" wonder="" prostatitis="" could="" make="" this="" happen?="" i="" did="" a="" lot="" of="" urine="" and="" semen="" tests="" and="" all="" come="" back="" normal="" and="" no="" bacteria="" found.="" besides,="" is="" my="" symptoms="" rea="" or="" ra?="" if="" it="" is="" any="" of="" them="" should="" i="" start="" the="" dmard="" now? ="" thank="" you="" for="" your="" advice="" in="">

globulin: 38 (20-35) h

neutrophils: 7.51 k/ul (2.00-7.50) h

lymphocytes:1.38 k/ul (1.50-4.00) l

anti-ccp: negative (cutoff 5u/ml)

hla-b27: negative

as i have problem of prostate infection for almost 3 years, my rheumy currently diagnosed me suffering from reactive arthritis. however, i am still very worry and stressful it is actually early rheumatoid arthritis rather than reactive arthritis. he is now put me on arcoxia 90 everyday and it did able to relieve my pain temporarily. he also recommended me to start taking dmard asap to control the disease.

i heard that some infection may cause an falsely elevated ra factor and i wonder prostatitis could make this happen? i did a lot of urine and semen tests and all come back normal and no bacteria found.

besides, is my symptoms rea or ra? if it is any of them should i start the dmard now? 

thank you for your advice in advance!!>

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • chrissie72261
    chrissie72261 john816

    Posted

    hi john ive had rheumy for most of my life I would be best thing to start medication I would before it get hold of you
    • john816
      john816 chrissie72261

      Posted

      Hi chrissie, thx for your reply and i am sorry to hear you are suffering, hope you will get well soon...I saw another rheumatologist yesterday he did another blood test, my ESR and the globulin level fell as below:

      Globulin: 33 (0-35)

      ESR 10 (0-10)

      This rheumatologist insisted I don't need DMARD medication at the moment as he didn't see any red and swollen joints and all my joints seemed functioning normally ...He asked me to go back to his clinic only when I saw a red and swollen joint and after 2 months. Should I go for him??

  • tammythepotter
    tammythepotter john816

    Posted

    Hi John. My RA flares don't always show swelling and redness. I think the disease can be very different for each person. I am currently having a flare up in my left knee and there is no redness but I can hardly walk on it. You are young and not everyone with a high RA factor gets RA. I hope you don't have it but only time will tell.
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