Re: Re: [) rheumy visit-kinda long Kristi

[Guest guest]

Hi Kristi:

I would say that you need to get a second opinion, if

your joint pain is as big of a problem as it seems to

be for you. I also have Fibro, and many of the same

symptoms occur in both, so it can get very confusing.

However, RA is joint pain, fibro is muscle pain. My

fibro came into play about two years into my RA

diagnosis when my muscles began to hurt, not just my

joints, and my doctor first mentioned the word fibro.

I was not dx with it for another three years, however.

Fibro can cause your joints to be stiff and painful

too, but not cause warmth, swelling, or redness. I

sometimes have a hard time telling which is flaring,

or if they both are, as there are so many things in

common. My RF factor was positive, but not extremely

high, I think around 60. It's very difficult to get a

dignosis or diagnoses sometimes, and very often a

person has to be seen by more than one doctor to zero

in on the problem.

I would take all of your lab results and x-rays, and

medical records, to a new rheumy and get their

opinion.

Or maybe they will want to run all the tests again, as

labs can be unreliable, and they may want their lab to

run them. Just to make yourself more at ease, and

give you peace of mind that you have done all that you

can, a second opinion can really help.

I agree entirely with you that if it is RA it must be

treated early and aggressively, so this is a concern

if you are having symptoms that are RA-like in nature.

Follow your instincts. I am glad that you are being

seen by an eye doctor, and hope that they are able to

address your vision problems, and help you.

By the way, what meds were you on? If they are meds

for RA, and your joint pain becomes worse, or there is

swelling, then that will also be taken into

consideration in your diagnosis. Did they help you?

Let us know what you decide to do - best of luck -

Kathe in CA

--- Kristi <venuslove106@...> wrote:

> Hello everyone. I went to my first rheumatology

> appt. on Monday. I feel very discouraged and

> confused after my visit. The rheumatologist

> examined me and my lab results/x-rays taken two

> months ago, and said I do not have RA, but that I

> have fibromyalgia, and explained what it is- that I

> am ultrasensitive to pain and fibro is caused by

> sleeping disturbances. I pretty much already knew I

> had fibromyalgia from the symptoms/pain I had been

> having. BUT, not having RA? I kept asking them,

> well, what about my terrible joint pain, my

> low-grade fevers (that happen to be random) my

> terrible fatigue and my Ra factor being positive- I

> think my titer was 21 or 22? It isn't that I WANT

> RA, certainly, it is just that I thought that it was

> all making sense to me, but now I don't know what to

> do. Should I seek a second opinion, or wait? >

>

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