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Rheumatoid blood results

Posted , 9 users are following.

amy93876
amy93876

Hi I'm 31 and I've been having a lot of pain in my joints, docs ordered blood test results were rf 10 and anti ccp 1. Doctor has refereed me to a rheumatologist even though the blood result aren't a positive. Is it likely to still be rheumatoid arthritis?

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • mary76396
    mary76396 amy93876

    Posted

    Hi Amy, it might not necessarily be RA but could be Poly myalgia rheumatica, or Fibro Myalgia, one has inflammation and pain (per) one has pain only (fm). It’s good that you are being referred, when you get there Try to remember all of your symptoms (even write them down), even if you don’t think they apply as it’s amazing what you forget to say and some things might not feel as though they apply to RA. I felt as though I was wearing stockings even when I wasn’t and my feet felt like they were burning on the inside, I found afterwards that it was inflammation! 

    Good luck and take care. Mary

    • amy93876
      amy93876 mary76396

      Posted

      Thank you for the reply. Thanks for the suggestion to write down everything as i do tend to forget things when i get there.
  • Gloria814
    Gloria814 amy93876

    Posted

    Hi Amy

        That was good advice from Mary.   Unfortunately RA and the other diseases mentioned do take awhile to sort out and having low #s on your lab tests doesn't rule out RA .   It often takes time for the correct diagnosis and treatment. But early treatment for RA is impt.   Deflintely write down your symptoms daily to take that and questions for the rheumatologist.   I found it helpful to read up on RA symptoms and treatment both on internet (medical sites) and info in books from  the library.  Although the books there were a bit outdated

        Good luck

  • amkoffee
    amkoffee amy93876

    Posted

    It's really highly unlikely for you to have polymyalgia rheumatica because of your age. A quick blood test to check your inflammation markers would help identify PMR although even that's not a definite diagnosis. What is a definite diagnosis is for you to be put on prednisone and if your symptoms disappear or lesson considerably then it is PMR. Not to say that it's not impossible. and I am someone who had a negative RA test and yet when they did an MRI on my right hand it showed inflammatory arthritis. So my rheumatologist is treating me for RA. Of course I also have polymyalgia rheumatica. So it was no surprise that I have RA.

  • blair97497
    blair97497 amy93876

    Posted

    Hi Amy. Noting specifically which joints, the duration of the pain, ie whether it comes and goes away, whether some things hurt for example in the morning but then ease up... These are things I ignored for some months as I thought I was just oddly stiff from time to time. There are other odd things I never paid much notice to as they built up over months, such as scratchy dry eyes, a dry mouth. 

    It’s a fine line though between assuming too much about what you might have, and “noticing” how you’re feeling. It wasn’t until my RF and anti CCP tests came back wildly high that I learned what RA is and all the previously incidental irritations became apparent to me as symptoms. 

    Good luck with diagnosis and treatment. 

  • carol303055
    carol303055 amy93876

    Posted

    Hi Amy, it’s really good you’ve been referred so promptly.  Early diagnosis is so important in RA and ruling  out can be just as important for your own peace of mind. I agree that writing symptoms down is very useful. When, where, how long for and what relieved it.  You only mentioned pain so it may not be relevant but I also took photos when mine were red and / or swollen. Sods Law they won’t be when you go!  

    For some background reading you might want to google CG79?  Best wishes. Carol

  • amy93876
    amy93876

    Posted

    Thanks everyone for the replies. I'm suffering with pain in my hands, fingers, elbows, knees and feet. I'm always stiff and swollen on a morning. I'm also unusually tired. The pain comes and goes and it's not always in all the places just some. I'm hoping it's not ra and something else. My doctor seems to think it is. Also my blood results are showing low kidney function which I don't think is related. I'm wishing this was all just over with and the pain would go away..

  • lyn1951
    lyn1951 amy93876

    Posted

    Two extra tests the GP can do, regular tests for somebody with RA or the like, ESR and CRP, your Dr will know about these and can order them up, they show the amounts of inflammation in your system.

    ​My recent ESR and CRP dropped finally to near normal for the first time in 1 years, even the Dr commented what have you been doing, that has caused this change, nothing other than eliminating ALL WHEAT from my diet as and experiment, to my amazement it worked, why had I not thought about this previously, well I had, but not been very serious about it, so had no real results.

    • lyn1951
      lyn1951

      Posted

      ESR to normal after 14 years, sorry 
    • amy93876
      amy93876 lyn1951

      Posted

      Hi Lyn I spoke to my doctor yesterday and my crp and esr are raised. Not seeing the rheumatologist until March so it's a long wait. I will try the wheat thing and see if it helps. I'm in quite a bit pain I'm taking ibrophen but not having mich of an effect. Is there anything else you could suggest. Thanks

    • lyn1951
      lyn1951 amy93876

      Posted

      Suggest to your Dr a friend is on Metrotrextrate, starting off on 5mg to see if I could tolerate, then to 10mg, and slowly over the years was on 35mg, that's a high dose, but I am a big girl. 

      You take it only ONCE A WEEK.  

      Don't know if they would be a good idea with lower kidney function. 

      You MUST also have liver function tests to see if your body is coping with these tablets. 

      ?If it works it a great old drug that does help, BUT you also MUST take folic acid in tablets as the MTX wipes out a lot of available vitamins and this replaces some, I also took multi vitamins, I believe they did help.  I took Paracetomol for pain in joints only, as recommended by rheumo, DO NOT OVERDOSE on this tablet.

      ?Oh  6000mg of odourless fish oil, again recommended by rheumo, that's six 1000mg capsules, 2 for breakfast, 2 at lunch, and 2 at dinner, available at our local chemists shop and or health food shops, don't buy junk, buy the better brand names, with food otherwise the reflux which is not to bad for me, but it is there, became maddening. 

      One thing about the fish oil, your skin will improve, micro lines disappear, but you will find your hair becomes extremely greasy, aka teenager again.

       

  • carol303055
    carol303055 amy93876

    Posted

    Hi Amy, March is a long time when you're in pain. There are other anti inflammatory meds that your GP could prescribe though I didn't find them terribly helpful. I did get relief from ice packs and my hands were very stiff, almost spastic, in the morning so I made myself some very simple splints with rolled up socks in the palm of my hand gently held in place with an elastic bandage. A bit makeshift I know but it kept my hands in a functional position in the morning. You may not like this suggestion but your doc might consider some oral steroids in the short term if you are in a lot of pain? Hopefully you will get some more useful suggestions on here. Best wishes  Good luck. Carol

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