RA FActor

[Guest guest]

Hi Guys,

I tried to post this the other night but it must not of went through

I had my doctor's appointment Friday and he said all my blood work

looks good except the ra factor. He said the RA FACTOR is still very

high. My question is does the ra factor come down when your ra is

under control or what. I forgot to ask him till after I left Wants

to keep me on the upped dosage of the mtx he put me on last time. I

just don't know if the ra factor comes down or what it is actually

higher then it was when i was first diagnosed so I am confused.

THanks for everytyhing

ANgie

[Guest guest]

The only test that is ever positive for me is my esr. once my rheumatoid factor

was positive and when they tested it again it was negative. Images of my hands

and feet show nothing. I took plaquenil only for four years and it controlled

my pain and kept my ESr down. That was the important measure to the doctor. I

would have an occasional flare but they wouldn't last long. My doctor felt

that plaquenil IS an aggressive treatment and did not like to give methotrexate

to someone who was planning to have children in the near future unless

absolutely necessary. He had many studies to back him up. What sounds worse to

me is the rheumys attitude . If a doctor wants to stick to a treatment plan

they should give you a full explanation and not " click their tongue. " I would

definitely at least get a second opinion. Sometimes a short course of

prednisone will take care of that pain if the drug overall is controlling your

numbers etc. Or something else.

beth in new York

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