1. Community
  2. Bones, joints and muscles
  3. Rheumatoid Arthritis

Titer is high

Posted , 6 users are following.

Guest
Guest

Hey everyone, Doc put me back on MTX in addition to Enbrel. I had CBC and metabolic panel done today and would you believe it has already reached the doctor? AND she called me personal. HAHA. I've never had a doctor to personally call, I've always had to go through the nurse. It was a pleasant surprise. I do have a question tho, Doctor said my titer was high. It is not supposed to go over 35 and was 39.  Slightly elevated and nothing to get excited about, but she said to cut the MTX back to 3 pills instead of 4. 4 pills equal 10 mg.  Can someone give me a very basic lab 101 of what this means? I know there is ANA, CRP and other alphabet soups to learn about. I have messaged the doctor but I find that sometimes it's better to get a lot of answers so I can better understand it. Thanks and a Merry Christmas to all smile

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • ihavenonickname
    ihavenonickname Guest

    Posted

    Titer is a blood test for the presence and amount of antibodied in the blood. Both the amount and the diversity of antibodies correlates to the strength of the body's immune response.

    I am guessing that you have rheumatoid, but any autoimmune disease will do.

    Remember that in autoimmune disease, the body mistakes itself for a foreign invader and mounts a defense. In effect, that defense fights agaibst itself...friendly fire. In autoimmune disease we like to see low titer.

    ANA is antinuclear antibodies, also a blood test. In most cases, a positive ANA test indicates that your immune system has launched a misdirected attack on your own tissue, friendly fire. This attack on self is an autoimmune reaction.

    CRP is c-reactive protein, also a blood test that measures the amount of c-reactive protein contained in the blood. The higher the value, the greater the inflammation in your body.

  • lyn1951
    lyn1951 Guest

    Posted

    More alphabet soup

    ESR - ethrosite Sedimentation Rate, spelling may be a little off.

    and CRP - explained above

    both of these tests are my regular tests to see where I am at with imflammation, slowly slowly dropping recently.

    The rheumo and I have been using these two tests to judge where I am at and she shares with me what my readings are, and then asks about what tablets she has me on, and has the local GP adjusted and or have I adjusted myself my strength of dose, I am self regulating to some extent, as I have been over ten years now with problem arthritis, has not responded to alot of different meds.

    3 months ago took myself off MTX 35mg once a week but was having alot of night sweats, told her I was going to stop taking it, she feared for my joints, but haven't been too bad thank goodness.

    I am still taking leflunomide 10mg dosage as thats all I can tolerate, 20mg wiped out arthiritis but blood pressure went soo high it was dangerous, apparently only about 2% of the population have problems with high blood pressure.

    Disadvantage with leflunomide is it gives you diahorhea, I have worked out that if I take it late at night, just before bed, the loose bowels can be dealt with shortly after rising early, family know to keep toilet clear for me, and after going twice I am OK for the rest of the day.

    Rheumo specialist amused but said she would pass on my hints to other leflunomide patients as that is one of their major bugbears.

    Enbrel is not on the list of what I can take along with lists of other biological medications having had cancer some years ago and also having a positive TB tests, rheumo said OH damn, as she planned to put me on one of the bilogicals she felt it would help, but ruled out because of TB.

    My positive TB tests come from a preventive TB I had when I was 15 years old.

    • Gloria814
      Gloria814 lyn1951

      Posted

         I guess they don't want to give you 6 months of medication for the TB

      Perhaps since you are on the other drugs.  I was worried I would have a positive TB test cause I worked in a TB hosp 40yrs ago and also had a BCG shot that was used to add some TB antibodies to prevent one from getting active TB.   Probably not exactly how the BCG worked but I don't recall exactly the mechanisms of  why it was used.   .  My TB tests this year were negative.  The doc ordered a more extensive test to check for TB which I had to pay for and I recall it was expensive

    • ihavenonickname
      ihavenonickname lyn1951

      Posted

      ESR Is erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Erythrocytes are RBC, red blood cells. The test is to measire how many erythrocytes sink to the bottom of a test tube in one hour. An elevated ESR can support a diagnosis. Therefore it is used in conjunction with other more specific tests.
    • Gloria814
      Gloria814 ihavenonickname

      Posted

        I did have the chest xray and the blood test I talked about.   The doctor did know my concerns about pervious positive skin test so hopefully that one test was sufficient.   Just took my second humira shot tonight--very anxious about it.   Iced the site  before and after so hoping the redness/ pain/ itch won't be as bad over the next few days.  

    • ihavenonickname
      ihavenonickname Gloria814

      Posted

      just keep the ice handy...remember you are injecting medication to modify disease.

      You should have TB test until it comes up negative

      You are doing great, it takes time to become completely comfortable

      hugs

      judith

  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    Ok, I have it clarified now, It was a level of AST. I have been researching this afternoon and I guess it's just a result of taking MXT.

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.