Guest guest Posted August 23, 2003 Report Share Posted August 23, 2003 I think you need a second opinion. Usually two blood tests are used to help in the diagnosis of RA. One is the Rheumatoid Factor or RA Titer that is positive for about 2/3 of the people with RA and about 10% of the people without RA so it doesn't prove anything either way. The other is SED rate or ESR that is usually elevated with active inflammation of any kind. With both the RF and ESR being normal it is unlikely (but not impossible) that you have RA. However, there are over 100 different kinds of arthritis, many of which have symptoms similar to yours. It could also be RA in spite of the blood work. There are 7 criteria established by the American College of Rheumatology for diagnosing RA and any four will permit a positive diagnosis. Only one relates to blood work. 1. Morning stiffness, lasting for at least an hour, present daily for at least 6 weeks2. Arthritis of 3 or more joints, lasting for at least 6 weeks3. Arthritis of the hand joints, lasting for at least 6 weeks4. Symmetric arthritis, lasting for at least 6 weeks5. Rheumatoid nodules6. Positive rheumatoid factor (blood test)7. Joint changes on x-rayhttp://www.arthritisinsight.com/medical/disease/ra/ra.html There is a lot more information on the web and I especially like Arthritis Insight. http://arthritisinsight.com/ You can post question here to seek multiple inputs or you can e-mail me for ideas from a single person. hvantuyl@... Good luck and God bless. ----- Original Message ----- From: Kurt and Dawn Lange Rheumatoid Arthritis Sent: Saturday, August 23, 2003 6:21 AM Subject: Need input Hi,I have been having symptoms for two years now and finally saw a rheum dr twoweeks ago 9of course on a day that my symptoms were almost undetectable forthe first time in 4 months). All the test results came back normal exceptto tell me that I had Parvovirus B19 at one time (um, never heard of itbefore let alone when did I have it?). She said the x-rays of my handslooked "great" and she saw only a "slight degeneration of the 3rd and 4thknuckles" on my right hand. Silly me, I am 35 and to me a "slightdegeneration" of anything seems out of line.Her letter concluded that "All the results are encouraging, nevertheless,because you are noticing some changes in symptoms, it is important tocontinue to monitor for the possibility that you are developing an illnessin the family of connective tissue diseases".Huh? O.k. I will probably call her to clarify a few things but still, huh?Should I be happy, should I feel like I wasted both of our time, should Ijust quit bothering people with my petty problems?I am not by far terrible but am worried if it worsens. So my blood saysthere is no inflamation, then why do my joints hurt every day, all day?Geez, at 18 years old I gave up drinking (among other things) to keep mefrom spending my life in a fog, so now that isn't sounding so bad right now.I don't know but getting an answer in this is almost worse than thesymptoms. I know little old ladies who had it all their lives and never gottreatment, they didn't complain just kept plugging along. Perhaps I need tobe more like them (oh that's right, they didn't go to work everyday, theywere stay at home moms).Very discouraged,Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 23, 2003 Report Share Posted August 23, 2003 Hi Dawn, I am sorry to hear of your experience. Where do you live? Did the rheumy send you a letter in the mail? That sounds odd to me? Did she prescribe any meds? Did she test your SED rate? As many on the list can tell you, "normal" test results do not mean you do not have a rheumatic illness ... fibromagylia is just one type that does not have any blood test. Someone else on the list can tell you about parvo ... I volunteer with the Humane Society & I only know about the Parvo that affects dogs, which is different from the one affects humans. Personally, I would see another rheumy. It doesn't sound to me that this one takes you seriously -- and I agree that slight degeneration at age 35 is something to be concerned about. Take care, in VA~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Get MSN 8 and enjoy automatic e-mail virus protection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 Hi Dawn, I recently contracted Parvovirus B-19. It manifests as Fifth's Disease which is a childhood disease. In adults, it can cause severe joint pain, low grade fever, rash or red face, fatigue, abnormal blood tests and positive RA factor. I was unfortunate to get all of these symptoms on top of already having RA. Talk about adding insult to injury. My rheumatologist knew all about parvo and had lectured on it years ago. He was sympathetic but since it is a virus there was nothing to do but ride it out. After almost 5 months I feel like it is finally leaving but I have been told that symptoms can come and go for years. I did meet someone online that told me that she contracted Parvovirus and the RA part of it never left. She is now on Enbrel. I would get another opinion. I was actually relieved when I found out that I had Parvo. At least I had a name for it and I knew that it might subside.I was pretty scared. It is no fun at all being in so much pain. Don't give up and email me privately if you want. Janet > Hi, > > I have been having symptoms for two years now and finally saw a rheum dr two > weeks ago 9of course on a day that my symptoms were almost undetectable for > the first time in 4 months). All the test results came back normal except > to tell me that I had Parvovirus B19 at one time (um, never heard of it > before let alone when did I have it?). She said the x-rays of my hands > looked " great " and she saw only a " slight degeneration of the 3rd and 4th > knuckles " on my right hand. Silly me, I am 35 and to me a " slight > degeneration " of anything seems out of line. > > Her letter concluded that " All the results are encouraging, nevertheless, > because you are noticing some changes in symptoms, it is important to > continue to monitor for the possibility that you are developing an illness > in the family of connective tissue diseases " . > > Huh? O.k. I will probably call her to clarify a few things but still, huh? > Should I be happy, should I feel like I wasted both of our time, should I > just quit bothering people with my petty problems? > > I am not by far terrible but am worried if it worsens. So my blood says > there is no inflamation, then why do my joints hurt every day, all day? > > Geez, at 18 years old I gave up drinking (among other things) to keep me > from spending my life in a fog, so now that isn't sounding so bad right now. > > I don't know but getting an answer in this is almost worse than the > symptoms. I know little old ladies who had it all their lives and never got > treatment, they didn't complain just kept plugging along. Perhaps I need to > be more like them (oh that's right, they didn't go to work everyday, they > were stay at home moms). > > Very discouraged, > Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 22, 2007 Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 Thank you so much Stefanie. This is very helpful to me. I will let you know how it goes. Love and hugs, Cheryl May we learn to benefit the life of Earth with peace, humble in our needs,and generous in our giving.Joanne SunshowerSee what's new at AOL.com and Make AOL Your Homepage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 22, 2007 Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 Hello Cheryl dear! There's many different visualizations your can do to help ease your pain and start down the path of healing. But I'm going to have to say that affirming, and "knowing" that you're already healthy and healed is the most powerful form of healing you can ever do for yourself. Visualize your hip and leg as whole, and healthy. You can also visualize the divine white light filling your body from your head down to a blinding brightness and heat. The purity of the divine energy will help to release the lower vibrations of illness and pain, and help start yourself on a good road of healing. You might start feeling tingling vibrations from this, or your leg might start feeling a bit more irritated than usual, but that's a good sign that it's healing. Just like a scab starts to itch when the skin is mending. One thing I do when I'm in pain (usually the time of the month cramps hehe) is talk to your body when it's in pain. Literally talk to it. Ask it why it's hurting. Console it like you would a child, and let it know that you care and that you're listening. Feel the pain, try and understand it like it isn't even yours. Then when you feel the time is right, tell your body that you understand the source. Tell your body that the pain isn't necessary anymore. You might need to say it a few times, but each time you say and "know" that the pain is no longer necessary and doesn't serve you anymore, the it will ease and in some cases go away entirely. This will in return allow you to relax more fully and allow more energy to pass through those areas, resulting in more wholesome healing. Also let your body know that you will take care of it. The pain is there as a warning to not do certain things for cause of damage, so honor the fact that you need to let it rest and have it's time. So if you make a pact with your body that you will do this, your body in return will send you less pain. We need to remember that our bodies are completely under our own influence. The more we communicate with our bodies the more we ascend to a higher awareness and the less our primal functions seem to be needed. Our bodies are constantly sending us messages telling us whats going on around us and on the inside. If we recognize these messages, and acknowledge them then the after effects usually aren't necessary. Pain is a wonderful example of this. Love and brilliant healing to you Cheryl! Stefanie>> Hello new friends,> I would like to thank you all for welcoming me to your group. I have a > question and would like your input.> I have had a problem with pain that goes from my tailbone across my hip and > down my left leg for about a year now. I want to do some visualization to > bring health to this area of my body, but I am not sure what to visualize since > I really do not know what is causing the pain and my doctors have not been > able to diagnose it either. I have difficulty sitting for more than a few > minutes and have constant pain.> Would you please give me some ideas of just exactly what I should visualize > to bring health to this area of my body?> Thank you so much.> > Love and hugs, Cheryl> > > May we learn to benefit the life of Earth with peace, humble in our needs,> and generous in our giving.> > Joanne Sunshower> > > > > ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 honey, so sorry to hear that you are living with constant pain, no good! It might be your sciatic nerve getting pinched by an inflamed muscle or spine out of alignment. the rice formula may help greatly, inshallah~ as well as massage will help to promote circulation and reduce swelling. Rest Ice Compression Elevation ice will help alot but u have to do it everyday/ several times a day for a while. be good to urself! one love, Sophia >From: senegalady@... >Reply- > >Subject: [] Need input >Date: Fri, 21 Sep 2007 20:16:47 EDT > >Hello new friends, >I would like to thank you all for welcoming me to your group. I have a >question and would like your input. >I have had a problem with pain that goes from my tailbone across my hip and >down my left leg for about a year now. I want to do some visualization to >bring health to this area of my body, but I am not sure what to visualize >since >I really do not know what is causing the pain and my doctors have not been >able to diagnose it either. I have difficulty sitting for more than a few >minutes and have constant pain. >Would you please give me some ideas of just exactly what I should visualize >to bring health to this area of my body? >Thank you so much. > >Love and hugs, Cheryl > > >May we learn to benefit the life of Earth with peace, humble in our needs, >and generous in our giving. > >Joanne Sunshower > > > > >************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com _________________________________________________________________ More photos; more messages; more whatever. Windows Live Hotmail - NOW with 5GB storage. http://imagine-windowslive.com/hotmail/?locale=en-us & ocid=TXT_TAGHM_migration_HM\ _mini_5G_0907 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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