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waiting for a formal dignosis

Posted , 2 users are following.

gradel
gradel

Hello,

Im new to to this so bare with me. for about 2 - 3 years I've had achy joint and stiff hand, ive put it down to my job being very phyical. over the past 12 months my stiffness has got worse. in the past 6- months Ive been getting thei left sided chest pain theat starts before I start to feel poorly. once I get this pain, my hips and knees are so sore, my hands hurt worse than normal and i find myself falling asleep at the drop of a hat even after 8 hours sleep. my hands cramp up a lot and so do my toes .Ive been back and too to my GP a few times who told me it was viral. This time when ive been Ive asked for bloods and the only thing its showing is that  My ESR is 25 and my CRP is 25. I know these arent raised much but with the symotoms getting worse my GP has refered me to a Rheumatologist to see whats going on. Im 29 and I have raynaud's which i know can be a risk factor.

waiting time for an appoinment is currently 64 days so Im booked in for may. in the mean time im on NSIAD and paracetaomol with head to help my hands. I really don't want it to be RA but all the things point to it I guess. I have loads of questions about treatments and pregnancy and stuff but I just want to wait until its confirmed before I worry myself with it. Is there anyone else on here roughly my age when they were diagnosed? and how are you doing now?

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • Jan999
    Jan999 gradel

    Posted

    I'm just wondering with the tiredness and Raynauds (of which I suffer both) if you could have Lupus. It's worth looking on this website just to check out the symptoms. I had a raised RF and saw a rheumatologist 4 weeks ago. I thought I had RA but it's looking more like Lupus. I have the majority of symptoms linked to it. I'm awaiting blood test results.
    • gradel
      gradel Jan999

      Posted

      I did wonder this myself however the joints on my hands are starting to look more swollen and 'nobbly' for want of a better discription. I asked if she thought it could be Lupus be she seems to think its RA becuase all these syptoms and thenit bodys in the blood arent showing lupus which is why she also thinks RA.
    • Jan999
      Jan999 gradel

      Posted

      Well I suppose she's the expert. You can get tiredness with RA and with any auto immune condition. You don't have to have a raised RF to have RA either. A small percentage of patients don't and are diagnosed purely by their symptoms.
    • gradel
      gradel Jan999

      Posted

      I know, I still feel it could more be Lupus than RA. just have to wait and see. just wanted to see if anyone else on here was about my age when they got RA diagnosis.

      I need to start going back to gym, i had more engery one those days after doing it but its so hard to get out of bed in the morning and then after work i just want to go home and get back into bed. im exhused!

    • Jan999
      Jan999 gradel

      Posted

      That's just how I feel. When I saw the rheumatologist I had about 6 vials of blood taken and none of those were for the RF. I presume one would have been for ANA and the antiDNA and the complement level test. The others I'm not sure but full blood count and ESR would seem appropriate. Just wish I could find out the results!
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