Re: thank you immensely! Kristi

[Guest guest]

Hey Kristi:

Of course you need to stay if you want to!!! Many of

us here also deal with Fibromyalgia, and it is still

part of the many faces of arthritis! You will find

out lots about fibro here too, ask your questions, and

we will try to help you as best we can. I am also in

a cfs/fibro group through , and you might want to

check that out too, but keep coming back to us, okay?

I am more than happy to know that you ONLY have fibro!

That, to me, is quite enough for one body to handle

lol. No need for anything else! So, stay here with

us, we enjoy having you here! Take care - Kathe in CA

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

> Dear , Kim, Jenna, , Kathe and Dordale:

> Thank you so very much for your replies to my

> first rheumy visit. I think you are all so right- I

> had assumed that what I was feeling matched best

> with RA and am learning, from those of you who

> suffer from it, that it does not seem to be. It

> seems that the fibromyalgia is the culprit for my

> terrible fatigue and my overall pain and achiness.

> I think I felt so upset and confused because I felt

> like I wasn't going to be taken seriously by my

> family that what I feel is real unless I had a

> diagnosis. Fibro is bad enough, so I will just keep

> an eye on it all.

> , when you pointed out all these things- the

> CRP, and joint swelling and low titers- it all made

> sense and that was just the information I was

> looking for! My sed rate and CRP are not elevated,

> and I am waiting for anti-CCP test results. I have

> not had any swelling, so I am attributing my joint

> pain and stiffness to fibro.

> I had felt like I had to leave the group because I

> don't have RA, but if you all don't mind, I would

> like to stay to learn more about Fibro and also

> continue to learn about RA (my father-in-law has

> it). This is such a fabulous group, I hate to

> leave!

> Thanks so much for caring and your valuable

> information!

> Kristi

>

> <Matsumura_Clan@...> wrote:

> Kristi,

>

> By all means, get a second opinion.

>

> But it's important to keep a few things in mind. One

> could have a positive

> RF and not have RA (especially when the titers are

> low - and yours sound as

> if they probably are low or borderline). Fevers are

> not specific to RA. One

> can have joint pain and not have RA. Fibromyalgia

> can cause joint pain and

> stiffness, but it will not cause the profound

> swelling RA does.

>

> Do you have or have you had significantly swollen

> joints? Were your sed rate

> or CRP elevated? Did you have an anti-CCP test?

>

> The rheumatologist does not want to give you an RA

> diagnosis and expose you

> to the potentially toxic medications used to treat

> RA unless he/she is

> reasonably sure of the diagnosis. Too, an RA

> diagnosis can have a

> dramatically negative impact on your insurability.

>

>

> Not an MD

>

>

>

>

> .

>

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Do you ?

> Get on board. You're invited to try the new

> Mail Beta.

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been

> removed]

>

>

>

>

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