Tests for RA Dx (sorry LONG first posting)

[Guest guest]

Hi I am a new member and this is my first posting on this group. I

have had symptoms of a mild RA for about 10 years. My Dad and my

sister have RA and my symptoms are the same as theirs. I found out

a little over a year ago that my thyroid was low, so have been

working to get that optimized and am now on Armour thyroid, 4.25

grains and doing very well with that, but the joint pain in my hands

and wrists have remained the same.

I held the symptoms at bay with glucosamine/chondroitin supplements

and a strict vegetarian-no dairy diet for 3 years, but last December

I found that my iron levels (ferritin) had gone WAY low. So I

started eating meat again..but still no dairy. This did not give me

increased joint pain. I began taking hydrocortisone (Cortef) in

January for adrenal fatigue, took 20 mg for 4 months and 25 mg for 3

months. About 3 months into it, I stopped the glucosamine

chondroitin supplements I had been taking for the past 3 years

(thinking all the joint pain might be because my thyroid was low). I

have now nearly tapered off the HC and am at 5 mg. When I reached

about 7.5 mg, my joint pain returned with a vengeance. I believe

the glucosamine supplements were what kept me from hurting for those

years.

Before I started this, my hands and wrists had hurt so much that I

thought I had carpal tunnel. My hands and arms would fall asleep

badly every night when I tried to sleep. They would burn and feel

icy hot. This would also happen for no reason when I was just

sitting with my hands in my lap. I would walk around at work with

cold water bottles in my hands because it felt better that way. At

night I would ice down my hands and wrists for several hours just to

make it through. I had a nerve conduction test in 2003, which

showed no damage at all to the carpal nerves to the astonishment of

the doctor who did the testing. I did have the symptoms.

My doctor finally said that he thought I might have the family RA.

I was very upset at this news and I tried the glucosamine

chondroitin at his suggestion. He did no further testing at that

time. I immediately started the glucosamine and vegetarian, non

dairy diet. Within 3 weeks, I was pain-free! It was absolutely

amazing.

I now think that the HC (cortef) was keeping me from having pain.

And now that I am nearly off, I am going to need the glucosamine

again. I have been trying megadoses of MSM, but so far, at 8000 mg

daily, I have seen no results.

I see my doctor tomorrow and I want to have him test for Rheumatiod

Factor. I was tested a little over a year ago, while on

glucosamine, and my test looked like this RF <15 (range <15), so I

am wondering if there is a more sensitive RF test that would test an

actual number.. I am wondering also if the glucosamine could have

been keeping inflammation down and so not showing any RF in the

blood. BTW my Dad does not show any RF, though he has a RA Dx. Dad

is on methotrexate (I probably spelled that wrong) and occasional

prednisone (5mg daily)when flares are bad.

This past weekend, my son got married and I was terribly stressed

with everything to do and my wrists got so bad that I was dropping

things with sharp pains and all that. So I figure I would like to

know exactly what I am dealing with and whether or not I do have

RA. I am open to any suggestions and please let me know what

testing I should request.

Thanks so much

Missy