Negative Bloods in RA
Posted , 11 users are following.
Hi all.
I've been struggling with joint pain for about 3 years. 27 year old male.
The pain is mainly located across my knuckles, wrists and ankles when it comes. The latest lot of pain was enough to almost reduce me to tears. All the common signs are there (my mother has RA so I've seen first hand). Very stiff in the mornings etc.
I've seen a rheumatologist twice over it who isn't convinced it's RA as my bloods keep coming back normal.
My latest GP visit was last Friday, who gave me a week of prednisolone to take, on the logic that, if the pain and swelling dissappears, there's obviously something wrong. So I had a blood test before starting them to check for RF etc, all of which are normal. The Prednisolone has gotten rid of all the pain completely (it's blissful!) The swelling in my hands has come down. Only swelling that remains is a puffy tendon in my wrist.
Has anyone had a similar experience? I'm waiting on a call back fron my GP but I'm getting fed up of not knowing what's going on.
Thanks
Ollie
1 like, 28 replies
Alamode oliver45760
Posted
I've been battling to find someone to listen to me about the pain, swelling and stiffness. My GP finally did. Did all the required blood work, convinced I have RA or some other autoimmune disease and referred me to a rheumatologist. Told me to take 2400mg of ibuprofen a day for the pain.
All my blood work is normal...the ibuprofen isn't touching it. I scheduled another appointment with my GP since my rheumatologist appointment isn't for another 4 weeks. She then tells me she doesn't think I need to see the rheumatologist because my labs were normal. I lost it right there in her office. Broke into tears and shoved my red, hot, swollen hands in her face and said "look at my hands, something is obviously wrong!" She decided to keep the rheumatologist appointment and prescribed prednisone.
I know about seronegative RA. Why doesn't she? I am 38 years old and I am struggling to work, drive, bathe....my fingers and feet are changing shape. No one has ever taken an xray of any joint to see if there is damage. I am angry and I will no longer be dismissed.
ihavenonickname Alamode
Posted
max007007 Alamode
Posted
Dear Alamode i find that when i worry about something large are small i can watch my self flair up its not nice driving the same i don't no why but it there RA even food ,. my advice would be see your rheumatologist see what he as to say and go from there it take time there are some really nice people on this site and the advice they give is good sometime they need to talk as well when sometime deaf hears around you seem like your moaning all the time people on this site will listen i am in the same boat it not nice at all if you need to talk loads of people on here really nice just ask all the best loads of love goes your way max
Alamode ihavenonickname
Posted
I've been taking ibuprofen forever. The pain and inflammation have remained persistent. I've dealt with this off and on as long as I can remember, but the last 3 years have been horrible. I've gone to numerous docs that tune me out as soon as I say pain, assuming I am a pill seeker. The appointment with the rheumatologist is a light at the end of the tunnel. I hope I get some answers. In the meantime I am taking prednisone that my GP prescribed and it's starting to work. It's just utterly frustrating when you've known for years something is wrong but you
max007007 Alamode
Posted
i don't no how long they will keep you on prednissone for they took me off after 6 weeks got to go and see the main man again on the 21st of this month see what he says i think he is adding to the mix of what im on now don.t get low when the start droping the dose of prednisone i no it will be hard other wise make yourself worse honest they start you off on a high dose then drop it down every week until you are off them if someone else out there would like to add to the mix would be good all the best to you max
Alamode max007007
Posted
She put me on it for 5 days since the ibuprofen wasn't working to hold me over until I make it to the rheumatologist in a few more weeks. It's working like a charm. The swelling has gone down so much that my skin looks baggy on the bones of my hands a feet. I know it will get bad again once I stop taking it, but to even a week of relief is worth it.
ihavenonickname Alamode
Posted
If only we had a dollar or a pound for each time a person with RA was shrugged off...We could...
Remember one thing...someone had to graduate from the worst medical school at the bottom of their class..
I gotta say this, we did not create the prescription drug problem in the USA, physician's like Conrad Murray created the problem! And the number 2 physician over prescribed problem is handicapped parking privileges!
Ibuprofen is just one of many NSAIDs, non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs. Consider that one of the other NSAIDs may be preferred by your body.
You are on steroid now. Steroids are double edged...they are marvelous at bringing down inflammation and they can cause so many adverse effects that they need to be used judiciously. And they need to be withdrawn carefully so that the adrenal glands will go back to work producing steroid.
You might telephone the rheumatologist and request to be called if a cancellation appointment becomes available earlier...
hugs
mary76396 Alamode
Posted
Good for you Alamode, it's good to stand up for yourself. The days are long gone when we presumed Doctors knew everything. When I told my Doc I now have pain in my elbows he dismissed it as more RA because 'you only get it in hands and feet' I burst out laughing and said I'll tell my Sister in Law who has a very deformed elbow through RA. He is also the one who decided to take me off my atrial fibrillation meds altogether when I asked if I could reduce it as it was a very high dose and caused a few problems. I ended up at the hospital with my pulse and heartbeat going haywire. I was lucky I didn't get an embolism!
Luckily I have a great Rheumatologist and I will find another Doc.
merry Christmas to you all xxx
ihavenonickname mary76396
Posted
a new doc....quickly
hugs
max007007 Alamode
Posted