Re: RA Bloodwork but weird symptoms

October 11, 2006

Hi Bridget. The problems you describe sound like RA to me. My hands

are very deformed, but I get pain in the palms of my hands as well as

the top and sides too. Mine is connected to the strain in the joints

of the fingers. Have an x-ray to see if there is any decay of the

joints that might not be visible with just an exam.

-- In , Bridget Fitzgerald <brfitz2002@...>

wrote:

>

> Hi - I'm new here, just joined the other day. I'm looking for help

from the people who know best, just like I've done with my thyroid and

endometriosis problems - these support groups are full of

knowledgeable people and I " m hoping someone can help me.

>

> About 12 yrs ago I started having odd symptoms. After several

rounds of bloodwork, my rheumatoid factor came back in the 600s and my

ANA was borderline. After a few years of anti-inflammatories and

slowing down a bit, I went into remission for many years. I just gave

birth to my 2nd child 3 months ago and my symptoms are back with a

vengeance. My rheumatologist here (I moved from Chicago to Houston

since being diagnosed) isn't very helpful since I don't typical

symptoms. Last week my RF was 71 and she ran a CCP (I didn't have that

done 12 yrs ago) was also in the 70s, which means " highly positive for

RA. "

>

> My pain is not in my joints. It's in the back of my hands, the

inner part of my wrists, the side of my wrist (not the joint) and in

my arms where the muscles that give your arms that toned look are. In

the past, I've also had the pain on the top of my foot. Years ago, I

would get a flare up lasting for 3 days with the middle day being so

painful that I couldn't move my hand at all. Then it would go away and

weeks later it would come back in another part. Recently, the duration

was more like 36 hrs for the pain ramp up, peak, and ramp down. And it

would be happening to at least 2 parts at the same time (making it

extremely difficult to pick up my new baby!). Since the pain affects

my tendons or cartilage or muscles (don't know which) but not my

joints (yet), the doctor told me it was tendonitis. But then my CCP

came back and now I'm going in next week for an MRI.

>

> I've researched other autoimmune diseases for these symptoms but

haven't found anything. I know that these diseases can " mimic " each

other (I already have 2 others) so I'm not sure if it's RA or

something else. Has anyone heard of symptoms like these?

>

> Also, has anyone had any luck with alternative treatments, like

acupuncture, nutrition, etc? Has anyone in Houston been to Dr.

Vasquez's clinic? He's an integrative rheumatologist that I would like

to see. I believe my autoimmune diseases are symptoms of an underlying

cause and would like that get that treated, instead of focusing on

each disease individually.

>

> I look forward to reading all the emails I just started getting

from this group. As I've learned with other illnesses in my life, it

helps so much to have people/support who understand how you feel.

>

> Thanks.

> Bridget

>

> Bridget Fitzgerald

> brfitz2002@...

>

October 12, 2006

Welcome, Bridget!

Sorry you are having such difficulty. With any luck the MRIs will shed more

light on your situation.

If you aren't satisfied with your current rheumatologist, you should seek a

second opinion.

I looked Vasquez up, but, if this is the fellow you are talking about,

he is not a rheumatologist:

http://www.dralexvasquez.com/

Not an MD

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

[ ] RA Bloodwork but weird symptoms

> Hi - I'm new here, just joined the other day. I'm looking for help from

> the people who know best, just like I've done with my thyroid and

> endometriosis problems - these support groups are full of knowledgeable

> people and I " m hoping someone can help me.

>

> About 12 yrs ago I started having odd symptoms. After several rounds of

> bloodwork, my rheumatoid factor came back in the 600s and my ANA was

> borderline. After a few years of anti-inflammatories and slowing down a

> bit, I went into remission for many years. I just gave birth to my 2nd

> child 3 months ago and my symptoms are back with a vengeance. My

> rheumatologist here (I moved from Chicago to Houston since being

> diagnosed) isn't very helpful since I don't typical symptoms. Last week my

> RF was 71 and she ran a CCP (I didn't have that done 12 yrs ago) was also

> in the 70s, which means " highly positive for RA. "

>

> My pain is not in my joints. It's in the back of my hands, the inner part

> of my wrists, the side of my wrist (not the joint) and in my arms where

> the muscles that give your arms that toned look are. In the past, I've

> also had the pain on the top of my foot. Years ago, I would get a flare up

> lasting for 3 days with the middle day being so painful that I couldn't

> move my hand at all. Then it would go away and weeks later it would come

> back in another part. Recently, the duration was more like 36 hrs for the

> pain ramp up, peak, and ramp down. And it would be happening to at least 2

> parts at the same time (making it extremely difficult to pick up my new

> baby!). Since the pain affects my tendons or cartilage or muscles (don't

> know which) but not my joints (yet), the doctor told me it was tendonitis.

> But then my CCP came back and now I'm going in next week for an MRI.

>

> I've researched other autoimmune diseases for these symptoms but haven't

> found anything. I know that these diseases can " mimic " each other (I

> already have 2 others) so I'm not sure if it's RA or something else. Has

> anyone heard of symptoms like these?

>

> Also, has anyone had any luck with alternative treatments, like

> acupuncture, nutrition, etc? Has anyone in Houston been to Dr.

> Vasquez's clinic? He's an integrative rheumatologist that I would like to

> see. I believe my autoimmune diseases are symptoms of an underlying cause

> and would like that get that treated, instead of focusing on each disease

> individually.

>

> I look forward to reading all the emails I just started getting from this

> group. As I've learned with other illnesses in my life, it helps so much

> to have people/support who understand how you feel.

>

> Thanks.

> Bridget

October 16, 2006

Thanks!

My MRI is scheduled for tomorrow. After reading the posts from the last week

(when I first joined) I now have a whole list of questions for my doc!

With respect to Dr. Vasquez, that was the right one. I know he's not a rheumy

but he did write a book called Integrative Rheumatology. I guess I was just

wondering whether anyone's heard of him/gone to him and/or had success with

" alternative " treatments in general. Based on recent experiences with other

medical problems, I've had success with alternative treatments and was hoping

that I could find some that would work for this as well. But before spending a

ton of money, I was hoping to hear what experiences, if any, people have had and

if it's worth it.

Another " symptom " I forgot to mention was all of a suddent I got incredibly

oily hair. So oily I can't even dry it with a hair dryer. That indicates to me

that something systemic is going on. Has anyone had that and is that a symptom

of RA or something else?

Thanks!

Bridget

<Matsumura_Clan@...> wrote: